" -I
EVENING KEDGER-PHIIIAPECTHIA SATTJBDAY, OCTOBER 9, 191S:
w
lf
THE BDOAD HIGHWAY
l A Taio ot lutn uentury England, Full of the Thrills of Adventure and Spirit of Romnnco
ronvritht, WIS. LltUe. IJrown
A Oo.
... Vlhert. an tinallth scholar. de
.undent upon M uncle, sir Qeorre Vlbaru
" 1 beauestnej only 10 siitneaa (ITS) by in
iLla rnsn Maurle. r'lsuek") Vlbert, a no
turlou Pfl" HahtT and rake, a cousin
( rtltr, 1 left I'O 000 poonda UlOO.OuU).
"The will iuu ii",ucl rnw.uw iui uc una
who marries Hie LUy Sophia Sefton within
Fi.ir reter, asjaimi me promiauom ot
la olil friend with whom h lived. Sir
The llroad Highway- or Kent and llvo.
He platis t 'rk after tho money Is rone.
nk I telle of hie excltlnr adenturea
Ftantll he reah Slselnghurst vlllaie. where
) nf omrn n ummmmin in vn riuyiur u.
llieCK un'i R. iri (ui wj ii.w 111
I'kannteii ' home In a hol'.ow. T s nrln-
cijul feature In the tint took Is that I'eter
T " k. IIhu. W.I , !, In hla Miii.ln
IdfrV ... imrmnrii . ... inn vwnii.
luurlr'. The only difference between the
two ' thst Peter la clean shaven and
'-ltiurlce has a beard.
Peter, at the leilnnlnx of Book It. Is
suddenly awakened by s man's voir ratl
in "Chsrm'anl" Hushlnc from his bed
room, he finds a stranie woman about to
inOOI ai n iiimii vii.aiii.a ma iiviiiv. .v 11. Hi-.
coveln Weurlce. whom he beats Into In
eslnlllty nfter a fierce struggle. A vol
tillen helps I'eter remove the prostrate
'rnarmlsn leaves during the nltht, and
when Peter swakes he finds only a noto
'from her and a locket. "Black;' Qeorse,
who's leelouey of I'eter has been growing
steadily, suddenly leaves the shop Pru
dence, who loes George, comes to Peter
for idvli-a, and the two decide to Induce
him to "turn, George, howe'.er. Is con
Tinted that Prudence and Peter are In love.
When Peter returns from his vein search
for "mack" Oeorge. he find, that Cher
Bilin has come hark to his home,
A few nights later reter meets a broom
vernier, -who tella him that "Hlaek" George
v.. towed to fight "the cove" who has
stoltn his sweetheart'a love until ono or
One mornlnir, while Peter Is at work, the
rortlllon who helped him remove Maurice's
ody looks In. The postilion tries, atnly.
to bribe Peter Into telllnc him where
Charmlan Is.
BOOK II.
CHAPTER XVII-(Contlnucd).
T DO."
i X "Well, let's say three pound."
T ahook my head, and, drawing the Iron
from the lire, began to hammer at It.
well then," snouted the l'osimon, tor
I was making aa much din na possible,
"say (our five ten fifteen tw cnty-flvo
flftyl" Here I ceased hammering.
"Tell me wncn you-ve aoner- said i.
"You're a cool customer, you aro aht
'an' a rum un' at that I never soc a
rummer."
"Other people have tnougnt me same, "
said I. examining the half-finished horse
rehoa ere I set It back on the fire.
t "Sixty guineas!" said the Postilion
gloomily.
I "Come again!" said I,
t "Seventy thenl" said he, his gloom
deepening.
I "Once morel" said I.
"A 'undred one 'undred guineas!" said
Some one was calling
he, removing his hat to mop at his
brow.
W "Any more?" I inquired.
No!" returned tho Postilion sulkily,
putting on his hat, "I'm done!"
Did he set the figure at a hundred
Mineas?" said I.
Im oh! 'o 's mad for 'er. 'e Is 'e'd
ruin 'lsseif, body and soul, for 'er, 'e
?
ILt I'm! goin to oner no more;
wjtto woman as ever breathed no matter
is anasome an up-sianain is worm
eagre n a -unarea guineas it ain t as i
the was a blood-mare an I'm done!"
h men i wisn you uooa-aayr
pi"But Just think a 'undred guineas la
ionun'1"
"It Is!" said I.
"Come, think It over." said the Postilion
persuasively, "think It over, now!"
Let me fully understand you then.
said 1 "you propose to pay me 100
mineas on behalf of your master,
known heretofore aa Number One, for
such Information as shall enable him to
discover the whereabouts of a certain
person known as Her, Number Two Is
'Ah! that's 'ow It stands." nodded the
Postilion, "the money to be youra as
soon as ever o lays 'ands on 'er Is It
a'go?"
"No!"
"No?"
"No!"
Wy. vou must ha atark.- atarln mad-
seat you must unless you're sweet on
ST Vnuraelf"
"You ulk like a fool!" said I angrily.
"8o you are sweet on 'er then?"
"Ass!" said I. "Fool!" And. dropping
-r hammer, I made toward him, but he
Jwttd nimbly to the door, where, seeing
I fl not pursue, he paused.
"1 may be & hass," he noddod. ''an' I
awy be fool but I don't go afalltn' In
love wl" ladies as Is above rot, an' out o'
KjMreaoh, and don't chuck away a
undred guineas for one as ain't likely to
9k my way-not me I Whloh I begs
"Y to say hass yourself, an' likewise
Jo.--bahl" With which expletive ha set
Ms thumb to his nose, spread out his
, wagged them and swaggered off.
Aoove me. and out of my reach) one
ct likely to look my wayl
ivina, in aue season, having nnlsnea ine
Wseihoe. h&vlncr set each tool In Its
appointed plaoe In the racks, and raked
,t the clinkers from the fire, I took
y bal and coat, and, closing the door
nina me, set out for the Hollow.
CHAPTEU XVIH.
T WA8 evenlng-that time before the
. moon Is up and when the earth la dark,
iB yet, and full of shadows. Now as I
fiSi' '' some chance there recurred to
"b. ivoras ot un old song l liau roaa
Where, veara nsrn. wnMi written In
glorious, brutal, knightly days of Ed-
me nrst, or warlike memory,
yet, despite this, the words of the
song recurred again and again.
Mlly Insistent, vnlrlnn- thtmitlvM
footsteps so that, tp banish them,
'"ijr aiooa Villi.
In that Very moment a. trle-antlo.
L,m ourstlng through the hedge,
me ouch in a single bound and
vre confronted me.
"-, face, with hair and beard
and unkompl, his clothes all dusty
'II. ha nrsunntri ... Hti B
-. .r.nw.,,.ww , TS, U,U OKU
' WPlranCa inrl huna.iri .in.. nim
JJa two bludgeom. The Pedler
t'mu xluiy ircn' ftnd J met
'H BUddenlv ttnt-Ahaj .1...
bL of my "" grew mplst and
r a moment MAii s .. i ...
lha .ut ach other steadlfy la the
"""V mutt hu talaed nnn arrant hnnd n
By JEFFERY FARNOL
tho collar of his shirt, and tore tt open
as If it were strangling him.
"George!" said I, at last, and held out
my hnnd.
George never stirred.
"Won't you shake hands, George?"
His lips opened, hut no words came.
"Had I known where to look for you,
I should have souRht you out days ago,"
I went on; "as It Is, I have been wishing
to meet you, hoping to set matters
right."
Once again his lips opened, but still no
word came.
"You see, Prudence Is breaking her
heart over you."
A laugh burst from him, sudden and
harsh.
"You'm a llarl" said he. and his voice
quavered strangely.
"I speak gospel truth!" said I.
"I bo nowt to Prue since the day you
beat mo at th' 'ammer-throwln' an' ye
know It."
"Prudence loves you, and always has,"
snld I. "Go back to her. George, go back
to her she loves you. If you still doubt
my word here, read that!" and I held
out his own letter, the letter on which
Trudence had written those four words:
"George, I love you."
He took It from me crumpled It slowly
In his hnnd and tossed It Into the ditch.
"You'm a, liar!" said ho again, "an' a
coward!"
"And you," snld I. "you are a fool, a
blind, gross, selfish fool, who. In degrad
ing yourself In skulking about the woods
and lanes Is bringing black shame and
sorrow to ns sweet a maid as ever "
"It don't need you to tell mo what sho
be an' what she bean't," snld Black
George, In a low, repressed voice. "I
knowed 'or long nfore you over set eyes
on 'cr grew up wl' 'er, I did, an' I bean't
deaf nor blind. Ye see, I loved tor all
my life thnt's why ono o' us two's
a-goln' to Ho out' ero all night ahl an'
all tomorrow, likewise. If summun don't
chance to find us," saying which, he
forced a cudgel Into my hand.
"What do you mean, George?"
"I means ns If you don't do for me,
then I be agoln' to do for 'ee."
"But why?" I cried: "In God's name
why?" "1 be Blow, p'r'aps, nn' thick p'r'aps,
but I bean't a fule come, man If she be
worth wlnnln sho be worth flchtln' for."
"But I tell you she loves Black George,
and no other she never had any thought
of me, or I of her this Is madness and
worse!" and I tossed tho cudget aside.
"An' I tell 'ee." broke In Ihe smith, his
repression giving way before a fury
me a long way off.
us fierce as It wns sudden, "I tell 'ee
you be a liar, nn" a coward I know, I
know I've heerd an' I've seen your lyln.
coward's tonrsue sha'n't save "ee oh,
ecod! wl' your white face an" tremblln'
'ands you bo a shame to the woman as
loves ye, nn' the woman as bore ye!
stand up, I say, or by God! I'll do for
'eol" nnd he raised his weapon.
Without nnother word I picked up tho
cudgel, nnd, pointing to a gate a little
farther along tho road, I led tho way Into
the meadow beyond. On the other side
of this meadow ran the lane I have men
tioned before, and beyond the lane was
the Hollow, and glaclng thitherward, I
bethought me that supper would be
ready, nnd Charmtan waiting for me,
just about now, and I sighed, I remem
ber, as I drew off my coat, and laid It,
together with my hat, under tho hedge.
The moon was beginning to rise, casting
the magic of her pale loveliness upon the
world, and, as I rolled up my sleeves,
I glanced round me with an eye that
strove to take In the beauty of all things
of hedge and tree and winding road,
the gloom of wood, the sheen of water,
and tho far, soft sweep of hill and dale.
Over all these my glance lingered yearn
ingly, for It seemed to me that this look
might be my last. And now. as I stooped
and gripped my weapon, I remembered
how I had, that morning, kissed her fin
gers, and I was strangely comforted and
glad.
The night air, which had been warm
heretofore, struck chilly now, and, as I
stood tip fronting Black George, I shiv
ered, seeing which he laughed, short and
fierce, and, with the laugh, camo at me,
striking downwnrds at my head as he
came, and tough wood met tough wood
with a shock that jarred me from wrist
to shoulder.
To hit him upon the arm, and disable
him, was my one thought and object. I
therefore watched for an opening, parry
ing his swift strokes and avoiding his
rushes as well as I might Time and again
our weapons crashed together, now above
my head, now to right, or left, some
times rattling In quick succession, some
times with pauses between strokes,
pauses filled In with the sound of heavy
breathing and the ceaseless thud of feet
upon the award.
I was already bruised In half a doxen
places, my right hand and arm felt
numb, and with a shooting pain In the
shoulder that grow more acute with
every movement: my breath also was
beginning to labor. Yet still Black
George pressed on, untiring, relentless,
showering blow on blow, while my arm
grew ever weaker and weaker, and the
pain In tny shoulder throbbed more In
tensely. .
How long had we fought? five minutes
tenhalf an hour an hour? I could seq
the sweat gleaming upon his cheek, his
eyes were wild, his mouth gaped open,
and he drew is breath In great sob
bing pants. But, aa I looked, his cudgel
hroko through my tired guard, and, tak
ing me full upon the brow, drove me reel
ing back) my weapon slipped ,frotn my
grasp, and, blinded with blood, I stag-.
gered to and fro, like a drunken man.
and presently clipped to the grass. And
how sweet It was to lie thus, with my
cheek upon kind mother earth, to stretch
my aching body, and with my weary
limbs at rest Hut Black George stooJ
above me, panting, and, as his eyes met
mine, he laughed a strang-soundlng,
broken laugh, and whirled up Ms cudgel
to beat out my brains even aa the Ped
ler had foretold tomorrow (he blackbird
would sing upon my motionless breast,
and, looVIng Into Black George's eyts I
smiled,
"Get up!" he panted, anil towered tho
uudgcl "Get up or, by God-I'll do
lor '."
Sighier, I rose, and took tho cudgel a
held out to me, wiping the blood from
my eyes aa I flj o.
And now, ns I faced him once more, all
things vanished from my ken save the
man before me-he filled the universe,
ond, even Aa he leaped upon me. I
leaped upon him and struck with all my
Strength: there mi a l.trlm ntlnlnrlni-
shock, and Black George wns beaten j
down upon his knees, but ns, dropping my
rr'ii - stepped rorward, he rose and
stood panting and staring at tho broken
cudgel In his hand.
"George!" said I.
'You 'm a-blccdln. Peter!"
.!E?r .hnt matter, so are you."
Blood-lettln' be-Rood for a man-sometlmes-lt
easts un."
"It doea." T n.m.. ....-. ..... ...
-willing to-hear reason-now?"
I "W I.A .. ... . .
.. . " n BO ur dui nets do Detier
nor sticks any day-an I-be goln'-to
try yo wl' fists!"
"Have we not bled each other sum
clmtly?" ''No'" cried George, between set teeth,
thecr bo more nor blood-lettln' 'twlxt
you nn ms-I nald na 'ow one on us
Would lie out 'em nil nl-i.nn n
shall by Godl como on-flsts bo best
nrter all!"
This was tho hoyday of boxing, and
Willie Ot OXforil T hnrt ant-n.t anm. .mall
. - .. -laa-u OVIIirj Dlllllll
rnmc nt tho sport. But It was one thing
iu onar wun a man my own weight In
a radded ring, with limited rounds gov
erned bV a Cndfl nt rnloa nntl null. nn.
other to fight a man like Black George
m a lonely meadow, by light of moon.
Moreover, ho was well acquainted with
the science, as I could soe from tho way
ho shaped," tho only difference between
us being that, whereas ho fought with
feet planted square and wide apart, I
balanced myself unon mv tir,i.
Brief though tho respite had been, It
had served me to recover my breath,
and though my head yet rung from the
cudgel-stroke nnd tho blood still flowed
freely, getting every now and then into
my eyes, my brain was clear aa we
uuiucu eacn otner.
1 no smith stood with his mighty
shoulders stooped something forward, his
left arm drawn back, his right flung
across his chest, and so long as we
fought I watched that great nst and
knotted forearm, for. though ho struck
oftcner with his left, It was In that
passive right that I thought my danger
i-uuv lay,
" Is not my Intention to chronicle this
fight blow by blow; enough, and more
than, enough, has already been Bald In
that regard: guinea it tWn that n. t,n
fight progressed I found that I was far
tho quicker, as I had hoped, and that
me majority or. nia blows I cither blocked
or avoided easily enough.
Time after time his fist shot over mv
shoulder, or over my head, nnd time after
time t countered heavily now on his
body, now on his face; once ho staggered,
and once I caught a momentary glimpse
of his features convulsed with pain; ho
was smeared with blood from tho waist
up, but still ho came on.
I fought desperately now, savagely,
taking advantage of every opening, for
though I struck him four times to his
once, yet his blows had four times the
weight or mine; my forearms were
bruised to either elbow, and my breath
came In gasps; and always I watched
that deadly "right." And presently It
came, with arm and shoulder and body
behind It quick as a flash, and resistless
ns a cannonball, but I was ready, and,
as I leaped I struck, and struck him clean
and true upon tho angle of the Jaw, and.
spinning round, uack ueorgo fell and lay
with his arms wide stretched and face
burled In the grass.
Slowly, slowly ho got upon his knees
and thenco to his feet, and so stood pant
lng, hideous with blood and sweat.
bruised and cut and disfigured, staring at
me, as one in amaze.
Now, ns I looked, my heart went out
to him, and I reached forth my right
hand.
"George!" I panted. "Oh, George!"
But Black George only looked at me.
and shook his head and groaned.
"Oh, Peter!" said he, "you bo a man,
Peter! I'vo fou't ah! many's the time,
nn no man over knocked me down afore,
Oh, Peter! I I could lovo ee for It
If I didn't hato the very sight of toe
como on, an" lets get It over an' done
wl'."
So onco again fists were clenched nnd
Jaws set once again came the trampling
of feet, tho hiss of breath and tho thud
ding shock of blows given and taken.
A sudden, Jarring Impact the taste of
sulphur on my tongue o gathering dark
ness before my eyes, and, knowing this
was tho ond, I strovo desperately to close
with him; but I was dazed, blind my
arms fell paralyzed, and, In that mo
ment tho Smith's right net drove for
ward. A Jagged flame shot up to heaven
the earth seemed to rush up toward me
a roaring blackness engulfed ms and
then silence.
CHAPTEU XIX.
SOME one was calling to me, a long
way off. .
Soma ono was leaning down from a
great height to call to me In the depths;
and the voice was wonderfully sweet, but
faint, faint, because the height was so
very htch, and tho depths so very great.
And still the voice called and called,
and I felt sorry that I could not answer,
because, as I say, the voice was troubled,
and wonderfully sweet.
And, little by llttlo. It seemed that It
grew nearer, this voico; was It descending
to me in these depths of blackness, or
wob I being lifted up to the heights
where, I know, blackness could not be?
Ay, Indeed, I was being lifted, for I could
feel a hatul upon my brow a smooth,
cool hand that touched my cheek, and
brushed the hair from my forehead; a
strong, gentle hand It was, with soft
fingers, and It was lifting me up and up
from the loathly depths which seemed
more black and more horrible the farther
I drew from them.
And so I heard the voice nearer, and
ever nearer, until I could distinguish
words, and the voice had tears In It, and
the words were very tender.
"Peter speak! speak to me, Peterl"
"Charmlan?" said I, within myself;
"why, truly, whose hand but hers could
have lifted me out of that gulf of death,
back to light and life?" Yot I did not
speak aloud, for I bad no mind to, yet
a while.
"Ahl speak to me apeak to mo, Peter!
How can you He there so still and pale?"
And now her arms were about me,
strong and protecting, and my head was
drawn down upon her bosom,
'Oh, Peterl my Peterl"
Nay, but was this Charmlan, the cold,
proud Charmlan? Truly I had never
heard that thrill In her voice before
could this Indeed be Charmlan? And ly
ing thus, with my head on this aweet
rlllow, I could hear her heart whispering
to me, and it seemed that It was striv
ing to tell me something striving, striv
ing to tell Hie something, could I but
understand aht could 1 but understand!
"I waited for you so long so long,
I'eter and the supper Is all spoiled a
rabbit, Peter you liked rabbit, and-and
oh, Qodl I want you don't you hear me,
Peter I want you want yoUl" and how
her cheek was pressed to mine, and her
lips were upon my hair, and upon my
brow-her llpsl Was thla Indeed
Charmlan, and was I Peter Vlbart? Ah,
If I could but know what it was her
heart was trying to tell mey so quickly
and passionately!
And while I lay listening, listening,
something hot splashed down upon my
cheek, and then another, and another;
her bosom heaved tumultously, and "in
stinctively, raising my arms, I clasped
thorn about her.
(CONTINUED ON MONDAY.)
w?renadporflr'acell a,Urcatlon-Ah lrlh. "' ttl Well therlsh" Sway's"
an,yway.P00rT Pr' " m"t3r beg,rrT The' "n afford t0 breeches,
A Good Reason
Miss Oltlgirl So you aro five and a
half, are you, Ethel? How old do jrou
think I am?
Ethel-Stxtecnl
Miss Oldglrl Oh, you quite flatter
me
Ethel I can't count any farther
than that!
Cause for Gratitude
Minister Amid all your troubles, 1
am pleased to see that your sense of
gratitude does not fall.
Mrs. Jones No, sir. Rheumatlx Is
bad enough, but I must bo thankful
I still have a back to have It In.
f t I
r M a. r
r t f f t f
r
f r f r f- f f
f r f r fi1 f f
! r f. 1 1" r f
fnrr r
"Corking building, Isn't 1 ?"
"Yep-bottllng works."
AND THE WORST
-u.
-5-rr-.,teBg-rov'w
p-scssSSr r
E arjJiaT
liiSi
3 SCRAPPLE
A Perfectly Neutral Editor
Escuella De La Torreteea.
Law and Love
"I understand he won her by quota
tions from Mrs. Browning's sopnets."
"She got her divorce by quotations
from the statutes." Birmingham Age
Herald. The Game of Golf
Farmer Barnes There's one good
thing about golf anyhow. Farmer
Fallows (Bkeptlcally)-What'a that?
Farmer Barnca Why, yo don't have
to play It If ye don't want to.-Lon-don
Scraps.
fafjfMfjjfnBtaaaafij-s-aB-B-saaiaia--al"2BS
Mi TT .isssar -r.r"& , ''r 1T(V I i V jltj&m
SONGS WITHOUT WORDS
jf ! JyyyKy
ittmi&h
I.MIlHl 7V-SSsV ''
Willie Gets a Letter
IS YET TO COME
THE PADDED CELL
PREPAREDNESS
Auu DrE.SSE.fc UP AMD
MOW -WHERETO Qo?
A Reversal of Form
"Before they were married she wa
his stenographer used to take all his
dictation."
"Hum! And now they are married,
ho takea hers."
I u,iii1M
From Susie Jones
A Fearful Loss
"la It true that your husband eloped
with tho cook?"
"Yes, and she was the best one I
ever had, toot A fine cook and so
quiet and respectful! Goodness only
knows where I'll ever be able to find
anotherl"
i4
i ISK JJL
iJI ISBl 11 IM lijtf-
' Sj JHSaVV 3.-
mwM-
THE MODERN PARENT
House Master Have you been muUltut, Jsiikinfcbuv
Owner of Study -No. slrt
House Master But aqrobodys been smoking. Who U Jtf
Owner ot Study-Please, air. only wotheri
1
-
Hard Luck
"Yvhy is Louise always so short of
money didn't her father leave her a
lot?"
"Yes; but you see, she's not to get
it until she's 30 and she'll never tell
when she Is."
Cdltor Say, young man, your Jokes
and Napoleon are alike.
Joaker H'm, how so?
Editor-Why, they re both dead.
Scandalous
Fuaoa,
First Young Lady LooV at 'er. Ack
shally Uken on wlv a civilian. Dls
grlceful, I calls it.
- HJ M.-.
rairyj
.jfjk-ast&astf F JsssKaA.
i
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