OCR Text |
Show ome Tails of A1exander with latenlng for approach from above that he could not apeak, not for a full minute, while ahe stared .upon him In Can amaaement. Then he stammered. help vou ' "Who are you? Who ar you?" "I waa on the train' with you." But what do you want? What are I vott doing here don't understand. What Is It you want" w what waa I was In the train.' I I want to help going on with you. II parent railed him Hector. When he and Tom and Harry, hit brother, were tiny thing, hia pretty yount mother used to stand them about the piano and songs to them, ting pretty h,e would beam at her firstpresently born and erv Now Hector's aong and then the pisno would change from the plaintive melodies and thump and jingle out the defiant, blaring atrains, and they would all shout: Some talk of Alexander, and win of Hercules. Of HECTOR and Lysander and such great names as these X you tihn made a quick step to him and Go' Go! He'll kill pressed him away. you He turned and fled. What fun! What Jollv. Jolly fun' But from the age of twelve when fir1 he heard fully of the redoubtable Trobated jan whose name he bore, how hedetestHowr he loathd and the name ed the defiaqt. blaring tune! When school days ended. Tom went info th armv, Harrv floated on achol to tfterrr tn 'Srifpr their father a'U il vervioe. Fin ben; was proud of tbni- Hector was got into in office at Tidborough a ft clerk ragon'e, the big brewer. th period of youth, of young Thu manhood, and Tom aud Harry made much of it Entirely different the cane with Hector A he neglected all in hij school da echool-dasports and tuteiest. so In hia youth he developed not the smallest youth a affinities and recre-he aptitude for within two or three rars ation!. and quite lost touch with hu brothers. When he was thirty, ht father and The mother died, in the same year Hector" waa now finally and hateful completely out of him. H. He was just Bvwash and 'Bwash' bv signature If . nine time out of ten, signifies Henrv There remained not so much aa a hint of Hector. He was in and out of haf a dozen he drifted into yi'uation?, at thlrt-fiwnat had the appearam e of peimanency a - desk in the office of Miller A Crow-dc the house and estate agents. Hec-to- s had, in addition to his two pounds some ninety pounds a year from ,i wftfo investment! inherited under his fathers When h ubelded, By wash panic found a lodging house near bv and obtained a room overlooking the street, where he sat bv the window, Earlv next morning the man came out. h How huge he looked' How brdtai! did not recover free breathing until the awful man waa around the owner and out of night. waW-hln- Bvw-wa- It wa tha first time he had ever been proud of hia father's position. Her father waa drowned at sea. She and her mother were left penniless, her In Stormbuth. They started to take in lodgers first a good class; and then, not getting them, a poor c.ass. and then, still struggling, and her mother any class that prayers would hr ng. So this man came Mr. Wilks of whom had been terrfed. alwraya she Her mother qras falling her mother needed comforts: at last. If her mother's life was to hie saved, she needed better condition altogether and there waa scarce, their 'y enough to keep the roof over marhead Then the man offered her wellfor her mother's riage, promises being, and everything that they most desperately needed, Eh was t'rrlf.ed. She could not bring lierse f to It. and her mother worsened, and, knowing ordvVuti-ninkindness from the man, beganio Implore her donseht. She married him - Her mol bee. betra-vein everv propose, died within the year. That was five atl-'n- g, g By A. S. M. HUTCHINSON Author of "If Winter Comet him Is hs was The task was to remaks himself on stepping-stone- s of his dead self And that waa to become a man. Not to ahrtnk. Not to tremble. Courage. Courage. The battered "Pllgrim'a Progress,'' more battered for his ceaseless use of It. was now his dailv sustenance. A he had torn love from his periodicals, so now voraciously he sought to tear courage from the leaves of Bunyan's story. He read th book again and again and again: and every snatch of reading he terminated with the enormous elixir of that concluding line "So he passed over and all the trum-pet- a sounded for lTm on the other side." That tingled him. He used to imagine himse'f doing some mighty and splendid .thing and all the trumpets sounding for him as he went proudly toward her, proudly, lovingly awaiting him- Thai waa the thing' Thafe. waa it. One dav One day All was ready! He was walking to th cottage for a. last Indulgence la the was held, sight of all the beauty and thu Comforts expression of It, the Inexpressible expressed exactly, the vision so ethereal that he never could preceely recall it; here precisely recalled. "Violets dim-Yes' Yes! And sweeter "Sweeter than That meant If you Cythereaa breath. stooped to touch woth vour lips a bed of violets. Yes! Ye' Exa tly that if one might stoop to kiss those lids of hers! Wonderful Wonderful! That was what he wanted words to express these asthese exquisite and tounding things, thrlc entrancing thing.The aecond occasion touched a depth and led dlrectlv to the third. The second occasion wax before second-hand the booksellers from who-trav of cheap moderns and periodical he d .stilled his love potions. Within the window were 'dlsp'ayed volumes of the poets, opened, their leaves bound back with band. HU eye Idly took a verse; It truth with" film' who sings To ono clear harp In divers tones er e Meaningless! But hjs ej t - y, ii. f nr ' rtue t Vml ! . - n . dr. tremendoui and ,i, founding Ivgsn to happen to him. . hi annual fortnight holiday, .1 liken K twenty veare before, i of town Btormouth, i. in from Ttdborough on tha in London. ninci e-st fiand threat-t- fe-l- great It away, So, to that threnody he passed over; hear? No: dont play it. Y'ourc not and It wa perhaps, as he had wished, to wind It. Time to go now. Don't that all the trumpet Bounded for him you hear? ' on the other aide. Laura was frightened All right reserved.) (Copyright. by- arrangement with Metropolis dav wa Thursday: early cloe'ng (Printed, T3 New-:tan per Service. New York.) day at Tld!)Crougn and choeau fop that reaeon. He cleft the office at 1 o'clock. ent first to his lodg ngito spruce Hau himself up In it betore going The in on to the eotage to await her The nigh' had been bad. That tune, that Infernal, hateful Coatiaaad from Tag On tune, coming like that, upset hlin. But with the morning his oppression had gone After ail. what test of his met with love, big love, at last. In the courage coud there possibly be? When person of the gold and marble woman aha was safely arrived here she would whom the Babakiri had shut into a cage. be aa eecure here and he would be a was foliowi? Mhat to secure here a if they were cn another Dawn found them nearing the sea continent. The tree, on the Impoverished He let .hlmse'f into Ms lodgings end coast. were growing sparse and poor. soil, passed up the Stairs to his room. Ev- Ahead, pale lights struck through thinerything was wonderful and glorious He ning foliage; the sound of humming surf, miles removed from the timid thing when to take paused they breath, mad he had been He could wish there might chorus with the of the leave. rustdng be some test of hi manhood that Enid No one had If they had them or. pursued could eee If the horse that would be been theydad not been caught. draw.ng her cab were to run awav and Mlth puisued, In- - front and eea the daylight wakhe rush out from the cottage and stop It! ing, Irvine knew that, for the time at Something like that! least, they wce eafs. It was none too soon. The carriers But It was not anything like that. It were worn out and halting. Gault was was something quite different. As he opened the door of his room and gray with fatigue, and the girl who had with hia help, now up kept stepped within, the huge and malevolent seemed on bravely, the knife-edg- e of collapse. In form of her husband roe to greet 1dm. the wfth th waves bursting windy dawn, Smit that door. said Mr. Milks. red upon tho beach, she sank upon a He turned and shut it. of eand She was wrapped In her One of those enormous fists of Mr. heap mantle of native figured t&ppa cloth, Wilks presented a revolver stra ght in which had She not taken off all night. his face. The other fist shot out and Her hair, more wonderful than dreams, g Into hi chest like a battering ram, half erect and gloriously gold. In waved, him backward But the fist the waving light of dawn. One arm, clutched him, gathering up the hette whte and bare, shone out from the brown part of his waistookt and of his shirt In folds of her her feet beneath Its enormous paw. and shook h m fe- their stains ofgarment; clotted mud, showed delitorociously so that his teeth knocked arched small. and cately gether "Where's mv wife "Look at that, said the Kid. "Did His tongue, in lus sheer terror, clove ever see a duchess with such a to the roof of his mouth. He could not you "I haven t much acquaintance with spea k duchesses, but I ve seen some hundreds of "Where is ehe? Out with it! native girls with very nice little feet, "Not here answered Irvine. "Did you ever eee euch Again that frightful shaking, a nose on a duchess, since youre keen h's head to and tro .'ot here' I can se that with me own eyes, can t I? Is on the comparison'" nose is Just like everyone else" "Her ' she in th. house? Irvine pursed hi lips and whistled soft-No some fnvo.ous sounding air. "Coming here? Light wa growirg; the sea wind after No heats of the bush He waa eliaken to and fro for a full the dripping on mou'h and cheek Two of ' Lieteu to me half minute I know the under Irvines sharp comcarriers, youve got her awav." He called her bv mand, had trailed their tired limbs along a grows epitiet "The left half bearh to gather driftwood for a fire your letters behind. I know you've got the were The rest flat the sand. A lying her" Mr. Milks returned the revolver little way from them satonthe girl, her to his pocket and rut up the fst that as hard and set the white white corai fare had he'd ltj clenched, terrific "Am I biock. thrown eea from reefs the up deep going to start th.s on your face or are beyond, that lay upon the beach ou going to tell me! Quick with it' on a beside fallen tree Gault, 111 tell you sitting her, was trying, with the help of a prosQuck with it. trate carrier, to make her understand the He told. words he repeated over and over again. Mr. M'Uks flung him awav with a vioThe carrier, it seemed, knew something lent motion. He spun along the wall, of language tnat the girl, imperfect crashed Into the washing-stan- d and fell iv some knew Through the mists of double over it to the floor. The ewer capsized interpretation the strange wcoing wen1: and shatered The water drenched him. on his hack against a tiec, ' Irvire "Get up, commanded Mr. M'hks. You louse. Run away witn a mans wfe! h: pipe and listened. The Kid was tailing her that he had You' Get up and show the way and me lady 11 see what Im going to do with set her free from her enemies. Vaguely and distorted, came back to him mangied aee and you, what Im going to her you thanks But sne still eat looking do with me lady. Up with out. not at him. but at the sea, and her face- - was set and coid unly the wonThey were n the cottage, waiting tor derful. d eyes seemed to be her Mr. MT.ks lolled In an armchair, a were and what they eaylng Irawake, cigar in his mouth, his legs on the table. vire. cur ousiy on watch, could not even Hector Bywash tat opposite h.m. the sensed But he trouble, oark and table between them, his head bowed In guess his hands. In the littie loom adjo.ning not far off. The Kid went on lo say that there was tiny Laura.- - Hector had smuggled was a Mission some days down the coast, her out of view shut the door upon and that lie was going to bring her there her. M'hile they wa.ted was the steady tick- That they would have a missionary to marrv them. That he would ("0, Lord. ing of the clock upon tile wall bringing his pipe) her closer the heavy breathing of Mr. Lord, paid Irvine silently to , and make M'llke, inclined to doze, the occasional lake her away to his country-. . was a ring a of There her. sharp intake of Hectors breath, in vision in queen his voice that Irv.ne had never heard watching her approach to his bt tra, al of before the door the her, sometimes through Mell," he thought, as he looked aside faint tinkle of the rrus.cal box. countenance And suddenly there penetrated the at the strong sharp-line- d had in one night taken the place agony of h.s mind this most frigrtful that I !1 s of babv face. ' the Englishman There s su.l tune to save tnought never call you the Kid again; you've ner! made we camp last" And Immediately there came to him, grown up since silenceGault There was trial witr.in his own bosom of the kind quivering words, and the stumthat is said to awa.t all men in the last bling translations of the carrier died senate of etemltj. No answer came from the girl Mr Bywash stood in such a court, a away suddi-nlshe sprang to her feet, and prisoner at the bar of truth, and looked But marbie face broke up Into passionthe Into tiie faces of the verities sitting as knelt down, laid her She ate s h crylr.g arbiters upon case, and vvrurg his head, with its wonderful gold hair for one hands, and protested' rnuddv boots, and Gault's instant upon Mv lord, my lord, The defendant tnen broke away and ran wildly down the you must surely see. it was like th.s If only I had had a minutes prepuraton1 beach. The two white men. each equally surIf only, as I went up those stans, had known he was waiting in mv room! If prised, stared after her. Gault was the What's what's the matonly I had even heard him when I was first tohespeak. asked, not ot Irvine, but seemJust the other side of the door. If only ter!" I had had the smallest, faintest warning. ingly of the universe. His face was pale; I would have had time to think I would he seemed as one teems who has been not have done it. Indeed and indeed, my suddenly, treacherously struck. "She s looking for something," offered lords, I wouid not have done it The Arbiters Attend. Y'ou have got Irv.ne. The girl had stopped a good distime now. You have betrayed her, but tance away. Her tappa mantle was gathshe hasn t yet come to vour betrayal. ered In one hand, with the other she She's on the road. But there's loon at was groping, huntng In a mass of rotthe clock twenty minutes before she can ten logs that lay piled one upon the other at the margin of the forest. get here Twenty m.nutes to save her It was not the bushrran, with- his keen, The Defendant witn shaking limbs senses, who first saw- what the practiced of out tne court. crept d girl was runtmg for what Mr Byvvash very i autiouslv raised his bowed head to the level of the table she had found. It was Gault never more The huge soles of Mr Milks boots con- to be known as the Kid again. He had fronted him. He raised his g.ance above 6een, had understood, somehow, withou them. Mr. M'nkas eyes were half emsed, understanding, and had covered half the no glow was to he seen upon the cigar d.stance in a frantic rush before Irvine, too. had understood, and, swearing as he tl at depended from his mouth Mr. B) washs mind fixed on the revol- only swore In moments ot fiercest excitever that had been pointed at him. He ment, tore after him. Both were too late to snatch the b'ack knew which pocket it was in. If he could get that' The light table was so snake from the girl before it had buried small that it farther end was well be- its fangs In her uncovered breast. Even M ilks s Mr neath and Mr. after it had struck, and let go, she held it thighs, M'llks's cnair was slightly tilted on its to her as a mother hold her child, and back legs. If he gave one great heave Gault could hardly tear the hideous thing from beneath the table and then a dash awav In a desperate wrench he pulled and a grab for tne revolver while the it Iiom her at last, Lung It upon the man was sptawlin? :f he coud if he ground, and stamped ns head to pup. ' Ten minutes passed. He went Then, w.th hands that shook, he began dared fumbling in his pockets, after the little back Into the court. snakebite case that never left The Defendant"My lords, my lords, first aid th.a. You see if I did attack either of the men during bush travel. its like a whisky while I get at this, Give her him, what coud I possible do I'm ready he choked. I w ear I am to tr 3ut what ean , Irvin-more slowly than one might In two nvnuti--s I ly good could I do expected, felt for his flask, and would be kiUed My lords, my lords, hgv it. The girl seemed to underwhat esrthiv good? In two minutes I opened she moved a l.ttle from him and stand, should be killei. If you are shook her head ' "Att'nd The Arbiters ordered Gault, who had "Quick, men killed, then he w h! have murdered v ou He will flee for his life. He wi.l never rot hs case now and was opening it. chance her only come Its her near dare to again She wi,i be looked at th The girl stood silent-sh- e You have five minfree of him forever msnwhohad r.sked his life loh her, and utes. Bvwash ' beneath her deep-ceyelids lay horror, The Court withdrew and left Mr beyond words Ehe did not ioe. tragedy d her mantle npaje. but she let fold at her feet. "On stepping-ston- e ofv fall, suddenly, into He thought I while said try, Gault, 'Steady her their dead selves One quick moment YVe can't let her and it wi.l all be over ' opening his case. Hs put his hands beneath the table. Gil, he mustn't Irvine s hand came between him and He eorang up and hurted t re tatwe ip Irvine s voice said. grav. ttie phial. iare ; bimureAf. re- ' sprawling, cursing body, ar.d divert, and looked Oxult tip. He saw the gold and thrust in his hand and got it the revolver. He was clutched and overthrown. marble girl still standing, moveless, tin fallen down. He Thev were somehow upon their feet. The front of him, her mantle was marked. revolver waa In hia r.ght Hand. Tl;e left saw that her white body "YYhat la it? he asked, hi tongue dry hand of Mr YViiks was upon It. Th his teeth. between other hand was at hie throat, throttling said Irvine. And then, a "Leprosy. him. The revolver was muzzle upward In if to himself. "I alwav did say the Babawere most advanced savage in the kiri their united grasp between them. It was country. poised between them and like the dial theGaulbjtray-faeed, but trying hard to of a pressure gauge moved now ro Ihiz side, now to that, now tensely quivered hold himself, went on fumbling with his case. at the apx bt its movement. "It a our duty," h said. "Not to let Mr. By was black with the hs face YVJks1 of Mr. pressure fingers upon his she muetn t Irvines strong hand cam one mors throat. But while tha svs of Mr. .M'l'ks him and the case, and this time bulged with fear and with savagery- - as between it sway. he strove for decision of the weapon, the toog . "Have some merev on hr! he said. eves of Mr. Bvwash shone with an InThe gold and marbie girl, drawing a tense end an extraordinary light long tigh staggered a iitt'e and lav An enormous exaltation cf l.iisjd wa his. There was a great ro'aring in hi down, Ehe drew the folds of her tappa-mantIt across her face. . but-was to him as tho ciamor ear, many voice acclaiming him, Hq re- - (Copyright, l'Jj:, by the Chicago Tr.buna.) Don't you -- Woman the Cage I deep-lidde- . talk of Alexander and some of Hercules. Of HECTOR and I.yaander, and such great names as these And while he writhed It went on- - If vou had the pluck youd Interfere, vou'd tithe that hulking brute Youd protect Shed turn to you, that poor creature B'nabh. Shed admire you, shed cling to you. shed lu'e you If you had the f - p.uck, Bywash." She was still and ceareteslv at it beseeching, and the man basilisk. Imperturbable, cvntcal, ;n'bter wit a never a word, with on'y that reserved ferocious threat. "Interfere!" mocked the new voice wlthin Mr. Bywash "Look at those Go butcher hands of hia and Interfere on' Bywash cowered In his seat, abject One whtla ha stared, the man looked up and caught h.t eye ana airected upon him a full look, and Mr Bywash dropped his eye and- - turned away hit head, and louder than before the beaten rhythm of the train greeted him: and settit of Hercules, Of HECTOR and Lysander and such great names as these He groaned between hi Ups. Imagine It. mocked the voice. "Imdaren t even be caught agine It, you watching! ' The train ran Into Btormouth terminus. The man flicked open the door and stepped out The woman followed him Her skirts brushed Bywrssh. He made a most frightful effort. He said, and knew- - it as he said it for the ludicrous 6queak that it was. he said. Can I heip you" She dldn t hear. She waa passing up the platform in. tha man's sake, 1 The revolver was murzle-upwar- d now to that, new tensely quivered In their united grasp, at the apex of ita movement About midday the woman appeared. She carried a shopping bag. He took up his hat in a trembling hand and went downstairs and followed She made purchases In two or three Her direction became the direcshops If only she were to go tion of the park there' She was' She was! She entered and he followed bhe went to a secluded teat and took it, and Bywash went up to her. For a long period Into that first meeting her part was solely of utter incomOver and over again she prehension. said, But I don't understand I simply Mhst Whv are is it vou want isn't, I can't under-Han- d to me. oj speaking " He said, "The truth is just that I wont to talk to you. It's Incredible that I can be of anv help to you. But you never know. Oh, if only I Perhaps I can. down She saidtii. do sit now It's exI can't Even traordinary, this but Indeed I do thank ou very quite much for wanting to help me. I in glad to taik to ypu If you were anv one else I shouidn t dafe But you It doesn t eeem to matter with you. And I'm glad to talk to vou There s no one 1 m ever allowed to taik to." Mr Bvwash said He Iooksd as he was going to Doe be though b " he could hardly frame the dreadful word.' "Doe he beat you Mr. . It was poised between them vear ago That was ail tried to run awav He out montv she had stouvn from him that with whit h she hid made the attempt whose lamentable termination Mr Bvwash had seen. And one day he would kill her She knew he would Escape she must escape. Where How She wrong her hands, piteousiv regarding Mr Bvwash That was all How Where Escape Terr.b'e and enemr.ua enterprise began ter shake tn Mr. Bywash s mind - -- - pr-T- ip print-selle- I Iner-cha- stves to h gher things. Ah' He caught at his breath with the sound a It were of a Sob e On ctepplng-stone- s may r.se cf il'Ci- - dead selves to . Could higher things. Mignt they they? could he M.ght he ' TtP Tlibrird front w t e book shop. neW matter from that Inch had taken him theie In his trind end the w.nd topthe upmost of a pi'e of battered ped se,ond-hanstuff He Btooped rag-ba- g to replace It and his thumb wa upon th concluding words of the volume So he passed over and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other s de Ha looked at the title "PilgTim'e He read again, two lines frogresr hlgaer. the river side, into whch as he went he said 'Death, where is thy stirg as he went down deeper he said AnJ Grave, where Is thv v ictorv ' So he soundpassed over and a'l the trumpets ed for him on the other s.de. ' Oh matchless Courage' Courage' sub'lmiiv of courage hre' He bought the book tuppence and hur-ie- d with It to h's lodging He hack at T dborough He was planning her escape He had for some time known a llttie emptv cottage on the outskirts of the vllsge of Penny Green, aa few miles from He sokl Tldborough portion of the left him bv his father and investment now the rap and the cottage, bought h.t 9 of searching .xJOPA,,ta fur-- . J wrue-W'.-g trxh and adorn f Before he left her on the termination of his holiday, he told her of the cottage and of the escape it offered her. He pretended the cottage wa already hi: on his hands. as he put it and would be all the better for having a tenant. How was she to live? That was simple. There wa an Immense demand for furIn and nished room around Penny Green: It had alwa's been an Idea of hia to put Into this cottage someone who could let off th two spar room there would be: It was really a piece of luck for b m to find her for the purpose. That was how he put It. That the demand for room In Pennv Green much greater than the supply wa true; he knew- it well In the course of his duties at the eatats office. In his dav dreams he dreamt to himself that one day, one day . . . On day He waa arranging her es- cape. He was planning also the ning of her love. She never could love ons'.ep-ping-ston- h Iv-- i s Of their dead . ' and. like the dial of a pressure gauge, moved now to and completed the sranza That men rrav rte on stepp.ng-stone- But oh, the new and amazing life amid which these terr.b e and enormous began to form the revea-tionenterprise the ecstasies, out of which. lke out of a flame, high sparks springing thev sprung' All he had never been, all he had never known, stirred, moved, breathed, wanned, awoke and came to life wltnin him. He loved1 The spirit breathed upon the water of h's being and that wht-had been void end purposeless took form and He loved' The world whoh purpose had contained for him nobodv and nothing contained a glorious and a wondrous other and, through her. teemed, hvmr.ed and radiated with glories and with wonders. He never had read anvthtrg :n his life except the newspaper, desu torUv. He began to be voracious or read rg novels, stories, cheap, trashy stuff Love was the only thng he sought In them the hero loved and how the heroine She pushed back to the elbow the How how their love came to them, how loved, He saw brulslngs, thev felt sleeve of one arm love and how 'hov descars He writhed In his seat. If on.v clared the'rtheir love That wa all he wanthe had twer like Tom' If onlv he were ed With hungry eves and hungry hands V' ..only hf .were, env other man - he, tor, ,'iqv, .(,(: om these y.beao-,-ei- !, fnah &- That- W Nhur1S wThtfen r - h. Tliev began, from then, to meet every tears meat from a bone sftarTtrg dav. They began to spend. In the park, all of everv dav together. She told him One day she told him her name was her husband was a street bookmaker. His Enid beat was down In the docks' quarter He Enid' wa out all da,v from Immediatelv after There were three th'ngs beeakfast until late at night or early in that hapoered in th-- outstanding matter of reading the morning His business and hia One waa the linen printed beneath a water-color of a bow! brought dreadful men to the f viohouse at night but everv one was afraid lets hanging painting r a window: lira of him: he always earned a revert ver. She told him all her life etory. Mieery violets dim. make strange companions, and she was But sweeter than th lids of Junes eves abject In mlserv and loneliness and fear. Or Cythereaa brent h. Her attitude toward Mr. Bvwash waa that she welcomed his company a the It smote him I.ke a catch at hi throat. prisoner in his cell comes to welcome and Once when she was talking to him she make friends of the timid mouse had cloaed her eves and be had tremShe told him all about herself. Her bled to aee the exqulst softness and father had been a master In the and delicacy of her lids smoothness service. White: and yet not wh'te for having the "Whv, mv father was In the na'v, faintest, softest tinge of blue He had cried Mr. Bvwash. It seemed to make a gazed a a pilgrim mighK gaxe upon a bond between them. "In the royal nay. shrine. He had never Imagined such a lie wa. captain. hue could bc Lo. here waa the very could" ' cf Take go home now. . Sr me tob-b.n- g. tAura. It. N I" -- Take roird better 11 -- Bywash followed along, keeping safely behind. What was he going to do He didn't know Mr. Bvwash lost his bearings after come f.fteen minutes of manv crossings He recovered them again as he found himae.f approaching the district In wnich lav that Prince a park where It had been his habit on former visits to lounge away the hours listening to the band. The couple turned down a street he remem- ered walking on his way to the park Ihe houses here were In a sold row on -- er side. Their doors opened directly the pavement, bv twd steps but 0n witBfcjt approaches. Before one such door Mr Bvwash abruptly the felr halted 'halted! also a dozeh houses behind. The man opened the door with a kv Mr. BywaSti made a gieat effort at his nerves and catoe a few paces on The man went up the tateps and in. the woman hesiThe man turned and tated. dragging her roughlv. caught her arm. Mr. Bywash was trembling, but he adcame he vanced. As abreast of the door it swung to. a He had had glimpse before the door swung, a long narrow passage, on the left a eotT, Um. van agihse the" entrance bv wfifvh he at the end a flght of stairs. He could hear things. He heard heavv steps up the passage and the stairs creak. He A darkening could see things. behind the curtain of the window told him that one had entered the room. The man had gone upstairs: the woman was in the room. He looked at the door It had not latched It s open! Even as he looked. It began to move In a widening aperture. He did a most appalling th!ng. He crept within the door and stood In the passage. Overhead were violent In the room beside him wa movement sobb.ng. He had only one coherent I'm. mad. I ehalt be killed thought: He went Into th room. She wa lapsed upon a couch, het arms over Its back, her head bowed on her arms, He stood there. She looked up. She sprang to her Oh, what la ft? Who are 5ou? feet, What do you want? He waa shaking, ce was so strained mv. y tl apprehensive fascinatslid his eves to the ous man companion, a woman and knew Immediately' and poignantly extraordinary and mysterious and alarming sensations. Her face waa pale, with a creamy pallor. and It had eyes of dim grav. gray with the pearl and exquisite grayness of the last film that lifts above th dawn, .and shining stuff about tha lower lids. thought Mr. Bywash ("Tears' "Tears' Oh my. he crdreadfully. soft black hair that ying) And she had stirred and lifted in the windows hreexe. And she was talking, talking, talking. She was Imploring. Mr. Bywash could not hear what the was saving Scarcely the murmur of her tune was discernible to him. But all too frightfully clear th fact that aha waa begging, begging. Imploring, entreating. Mr By wash watched, with all these never before experienced feeling awell-tn- g and surging within him yearnings, longings crav Inga, high desires of brave and reck es actions. Awful sensations, t, rib.e agonv. Regret, realisation, tnor-ti- fl ation. for all the fine and shining ami valorous things that he moat terribly desired to he. He thought. "What would I not be Oh what am him that mock There answered which In his bovhood had bo tortured hin The rhvthm of the train blared it defiantly and exultlngiy at him: ed, Mr. Bvvvash wonderful. Indeed, that he had donel-th- i He waa twice, he was a dozen times, the man he i red to be. Stepping-stone- s of those dead selves. He waa certain of Jt! "Go on, Laura. Wind Still another. Here, let me dw this one. He stooped forward and took th box. Y'e. Would never look back-noclimbing up He wound the handle. adjoining room; Some talk of Alexander and some of Some talk of Alexander, and om of Hercules. Hercuie. Of Hector and Of Hector and Lysander and such ' , on trf a malevoltnt ng smile -r- . s'ag-genn- H, waa merely negligible. I mrtdenly, at forty, thua cireum-immthus equipped, and thus in-- were !n Ma (tlier persona a man a huge There was pa li fu vi bullish face lih a heavv iic.itii'c hrfil hand grtul b'g, red, ujiuions held th he hands His i rb BywasH ha 4 no vice and Mr , I. t rx ' 1 ' a x w taxed hit arm; nd the. Pistol cnj witj1 a thud to his neck and waa discharged. r He col' a used at the knee in th arm of Mr. M ilks. H coliapeed at th waist and fell away In th arm of Mr. Milks, bis head hanging. Mr. Milk stared with tartlng y upon his fsce. Mr. Milk said terr.bly, Mv God! My God!" H dropped the body of Hector Bywash and st pod away and stared In. terror. H turned and rushed from the" house, A cab was drawing up at th door. Th driver hputed. Mr. YViiks put up Wa arm to hid hi face and turned in the other direction and f.ed down the road. A email sigh passed from the lip of Mr. Bvwash ; and there tinkled from the nt d ''to for'-her- -- s I I this side, he had prepared for her.- Tomorrow was to taka the She wthe day fixed morning express train to London That off would thtow her husband the sceht. From London a train which woJld get her to Tldborough at 3 o'clock. He would not meet her at the station He wa to have the ecstasy (the pleasure." as he had temperately expreseed it In writing to her) of welcoming her In 'he cottage The quaint old cottage, beautiful m itself, had lent it interior to beauty in Love gave him tate. its decoration There waa not an article he had purchased. nor on he had placed In position. but her face had been imagined as agamat it. direct ng his perception th north star d'recls the wandere- - A neighboring cottager. Mrs. Jennings, had been brought in dailv to assist the arStepping in with him on his ranging. arrival this last evening ehe gave the admiration that waa enchantment to him to hear 'Med. deif It isn t just a picture." clared Mrs. Jennings, gazing round the A picture, and that s the truth, parlor sir How pleased he was! He patted the head of tinv Laura. Mr. Jennings a little glr!. and with' h ether hand felt In his pocket for Laura' I present that was to celebrate this splend d conclusion. "Yes. it certainly does look nice. Mra you re Jennmgs. And, Mr. Jennlrgs. going to let Laura be over her tomorrow- to be playing here when the lady arrives Mrs. Jerningg certainly How tiny Laura Jumped and clapped her hands for joy She had been promised anvth ng ah liked from the toyahops of Tldborough and a musical box. Jik Hector waa asked to buy Mrs. Jennings ran off to her cottage. He seated himzelf down in the chair specially chosen for Enid' comfort. Tinv Laura at hia feet fumbled the musical box out of it wrapping "Now you're right, Laura Turn th Let' hear the pretty tune." handle He mtled to ase tinv Laura's tonsru come out and move from eld to eide under the strain of her melody making. The tinkling tun was vaguely faSome popular national air. He miliar. wondered If Enid could play the piano; and how much would on cost? Imagine of an evening wh'lefte sitting hre played. The musical box clicked. The mueto stepped. "Go on. Laura. Wind cn. Another one coming Ye. a piano. How beautiful she would look seated at the kevs. How Tomorrow ehe would love this room. at this hour she would be here. How gold-hairi- j'' - li- ut half-hel- 'bac&.-.sdR- e I i w-- le |