Show I r F A CHANCE Il Copyright The Bobbs- Bobbs Co 1909 I CHAPTER Vi ViA VIII A Change Chang of Front He found the Ihl task no easy une one cino however however how how- ever er although he went at al It with J his characteristic vigor Igor and energy Few Fow men mn knew khew the Jeam seamy side of oC London bettor than John Steele its streets and foul alloys alleys it its hovels hovel an and various And this knowledge he utilized to the tho host best advantage ad alwa always s 's sto to hind find that his efforts came to ht The snares snarE'S lie he set frt possible hiding places proved pro abortive the artifices he employed to uncover the quarry lI In maze r r. r 3 1 or 01 labyrinth n were fruitless II s The 1 man had appeared like IlkI a vision from the past and nd vanished W hither Out of the country once one more Over O s cat cas J Had lad he lie taken quick alarm at f ItelI teop i words and ef effected effected er- er a ha hasty ty retreat from flOm the scenes of his graceless ss and nefarious career Reluctantly John Steele found himself forced to ent entertain the possibility possibility- of this being so 80 otherwise the facilities at his lila likely command l ya ore ere e were this h such have e et t that been nh ho he b should to dar attain most his end find what he sought Soberly a attired he attracted no very marked at attention attention at- at In the slums slums breeding breeding spots o oi the this criminal classes the denizens knew John Steele he had bad been there oft oCt be be- fore He lie l hind had o on occasion a assisted d some n of rth g J ad th them with stern t good advice or moro more o substantial services ices He Ito was acquainted with these men and women omen had per per per- haps a 11 larger Charlt charity for them than most people find It expedient to cherish I Ills lis glance had always alwa seemed to read them through and through with uncompromising realization of their infirmities weaknesses of the this flesh and inherited moral imperfections Ills His very fearlessness fearless fearless- ness had ever commended him hini to that lower world orld It did now enabling him the better to cast about in divers To hear nothing to learn nothing at least very little One man had seen the object of St Steele eles ele's s solicitude and to this person A little undesirable the red headed giant had confided that London was waR pretty hot and ho he thought of decamping from it Arter all this time that's gone b by he says to me bitter like to think a aman aman aman man C cant can't nt come orne back to Is native natile ome without being spied on for what ought long ago to be dead and forgot But I I youie ollre not trying to la lay hands on im to I put Mm im in the pen gov govner ner I A singular glint shot from Steele's Steeles gaze No no my man Im I'm not seeking him for that But he didn't say where he lie expected to go Not Sot he Nor what had brought him to London Loudon Lon Lou don I expect it was sir Es E s been a bad lot Jot but e has a heart arter all It was to to see Is mother o 0 came back the old woman drew imIre im ere Ire You see sec e had written er or from foreign parts but could never ear cause she had moved used to keep lep a place where a woman was found found- Dead Murdered sa said leI the man John Steele was silent And she Is Ms mother ad gone saved a bit out Into a peaceable like little amlet where whre there weren't no bobbles bobbies only instead bits of flower gardens and bright bloomin daff daffy daffy- down dillies But blime bilme me when Tom come and found out where she he ad i changed to if she gone and shut shuf fled tied off and all e 0 ad for Is Ms pains was the sight of a mound In the church yard ard Yes she's buried burled said John Steele thoughtfully and all she might have told about the woman who was was murdered murdered is buried burlEd with her But she did tell sir at the time quickly of the trial True The visitors visitor's tone changed If If you can find Tom give gie him this note you'll be well paid paid paid- I 1 aint askin for that you got me off easy once and gave ga eme me a lift arter I was let out outWell out out- Well ell well Steele made a brusque gesture We all need a helding hand sometimes sometImE's he said turning away And that was as near as he lie had come to attainment of his desires Summer passed sometimes tho the better to think to plan to o k keep p himself girded by constant n exercise he repaired r t to the ir efe rO dt park now neglected by fashion and d doel dI given I over o to that nebulous quantity of diverse qualities called the people Where fine gentlemen and beaux had idled middle class nurse maids now trundled their charges or paused to converse with the stately guardians of the place Almost deserted were ere roads and row landau victoria and brougham with their varied coats of arms no longer rolled d pompously i oro 19 past only I si the eo occasional i democratic I cab of nimble possibilities speeding by with a fare lent pretext of life to the scene True the nomad appeared in ever increasing numbers holding his right tight to the sward award for or a couch as an In Inalienable Inalienable Inalienable In- In alienable privilege John Steele encountered encountered him on every hand Once beneath beneatha a It great tree where Jocelyn Wray ra and he had stopped their horses horsE's to talk tall for lot a moment the blear bleared d bloated face fare of what hat had been En a man nian looked up at him hint The 2 sight for an Instant seemed to startle face the thie bei beholder set setin 11 in r a a place wave ew where i. i nf imagination at aW that had an instant before pla played td with a a picture pic plc pl- pl ture altogether different las passed ed over o er him then qu quickly kl went As he lie strode for at a swinging pace his thoughts swept swiftly again agall Into another channel one they had been flowing in iii when alien he lie hI had first entered the I park that da day Above e bo him the leaves heaves rustled ceaselessly their restless movements move mote I ments seemed In II keeping with his mood wherein Impatience mingled with other thier and fiercer c emotions Fate e had acl t Ital against I him l ll the inevitable i what t J must most bp bl which in the tho end curl crushes hC's alike alke faint heart or 0 strong strong heart O Of what hat avail aal to square hl hut hll shoulders the danger pressed close oge he felt ft it i I l' l that intuition men sometimes have What hat If h he lie left lC left If th tho field this England Who ho could ac accuse ae- ae ruse cuss him of of- cowardice if in that black and moment went he like yielded CI the guilty to te IV the l pitiable hateful ya course skulk skulk- rk era er How do Io you OU do Steele Just the man I wanted to see e Near the main hl exit toward tov which John Steele had unconsciously sIY stepped tho sound sound sound-of of a familiar voice and th the appearance appear appear- ance anee of a well known sto stocky k form broke in with startling abruptness on the lark dark cark train of thought thought Deep Drep In some point of law went on 01 Sir Charles Ton Pon ron honor believe bee you J would ha have cut cut me 11 However dont don't apologize youre you're Most lot amiable of you 01 to say so Sir los Chat s per Not at all Especially a is as our oui meetIng meeting meet meet- ing log is quite quie apropos Obliged to run up to town ton on a little matter mater of business but thank goodness Its It's done lone Never er e I saw London Indol more deserted Dined at the club nobody there e 1 Supped at the hotel dining room empty empt Strolled up Piccadilly di dilly not a soul to be seen That is is he lie added no one whom one has seen before before be be- fore which is the same thing But how did vou ou enjoy your our our trip to the continent continent conti conti- nent It I was not exactly a trip for fol pleasure pleas ure nrc returned the other with a slight ac accent accent accent ac- ac cent of constraint Ah Ali yes es so 80 I r understood But fancy going to the continent l lo o on business l e One f usually g goes for which for or which h reminds e me how would you like to go back the Into the countr country country coun coun- tr try with me mO I I n It I is Impossible at the moment for But Sir Charles seemed not nott notto to listen Deuced dull dul journey for a man to take alone good Rood deal of it h by eoa coach h You'll find a few salmon to kill trout kill trout ki-trout trout and all al that Think of the jO Joy of whipping a astram stream after having been mewed up all al these months in the musty muty metropolis Besides I 1 made a wager with wih Joce Joc n nou you ou wouldn't refuse a second to bask lask in Arcadia He lie laughed I r really realy couldn't presume to ask him again is the way she expressed It I. I but bitt buti If i you can draw a sufficiently eloquent i picture of the rural attractions of Stra- Stra tra- tra thorn to woo him from morn his beloved dust dusty I byways s you ou have ha my permission to try Did she say that John Steele spoke Then I am sorl sorry it Is impossible impossible im Im- im- im possible but in a low tone how is Miss Iss Wray Never Nevet Nevel better Enjoying every moment i I Jolly Joly party part and all al that Lord and and and- Here IEre Sir Charles enumerated a number 0 of ef people Lord is there Yes couldn't keep him away aa from house now he laughed As Asa a matter of fact he h has s asked my permission permission permission per per- mission to there to-there there Sir Charles stopped then laugle again with a little embar embar- embarrassment Ive I e near nearly let the cat out of the bag John Steele spoke no word woul his face was set immovable able his lila lashes shaded his eyes ees A flood of traffic a at t the corner held them he appeared attentive only for it i. i The wheels pounded and rattled ratted the te whips snapped and cracked You mean he has proposed for her hand and she she she- Steele seemed to speak with wih difficulty has has has consented The noise almost drowned the question b but Sir C Charles d tl Well i fl not exa exactly She appears complaisant complaisant com corn as as- as asit it i were he answered But really I shouldn't have ha e mentioned the matter at all all quite premature you understand un un- un- un Lets Let's sa say no more about it f. f And what And what was it you OU said about going back bak with wih me Yes said John Steele with wih a sudden strength and arid energy that Sir Chall lea Chat s might attribute to 10 the desire to make himself understood above the din of the street Ill Ill pro go o ba back with pu at thC atthe It the latter words lower spoken the oth other r did not cat catCh no no h no matteI matter what cost rost Sir Charles dodged a Y vehicle he 10 did not observe the light Ig the Hie tue tre tho su sudden d n play of fierce dark passion on Ills his companions companion's com corn pa panion's panton's i face a r I Good he said And when you ou get get tired of books bolts in the tho running brooks brooks' Steeles Steele's hand closed coSEd on his a arm ril brooks I When do you vou leave he his asked ed abrupt abruptly Today tomorrow Today tomorrow Suit your conJet con con- ve Te I Let Jet it be toda today then Today Toda I Sir Challes looked at him hint quickly 1 John teele's Steele's face recovered red its compos- compos I uie ure I I b leye I have llave become weary wear of wh what i your niece calls cals th the dust dusty byways he lie i explained with wih a a forced laugh To be continued |