Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-01-24
THE MEETING OF FOES.

CHAPTER ".
THE MEETING OF FOES.
The landlord hastily lit his lantern, and.
calling to the hOstler and the stable boy
to follow, went outside. The curiosity Of
the loungers at this sudden appearance
and demand required that they should see
with their own eyes and hear with their
tap-rOOm was for a few minutes deserted
by all but the seaman.
Nothing that had occurred had excited
him. Being left alone, he rose, put on
his hat, and, drawing forth a huge silver
chrOnOmeter, examined its face.
@AlmOstnine, he sOliloquized; cit won't
do to wait much longer"
He took two or three turns about the
room. Approaching the parlor door, he
applied his ear to it. An occasional
shutting of foot, or a cough, was all
that he heard.
the keyhOle. He could see that the room
was lighted, and the narrow range Of
vision afforded him showed him the tray
resting on the comfortable, a part of it's
contents, hand and forearm moving up
and down, as if in the act of conveying
food from the tray to an invisible mouth
and some OF the hRngings of the wall
beyond. More than this he could not
see.
The door leading outside had been left
ajar. A murmur of voices came into the
room. The sailor crossed the floor,
leaned against the oaken casing, looked
and listened.
He saw through the aperture left by
the Enclosed door a few stars shining
doubtfu1ly in a cloudy sky. He saw the
CLEAN of the lantern-Iight near the
stables, which were at the north end of
the inn. He continued to hear voices,
and, while he could not catch all that was
said, he heard enough snatches from the
irritated speech of the Captain, the OBJ
stinate utterences of the hostler, and the
deferential expressions of the landlord,
to assure him what the trouble was, what
was wanted. and what it was found neces-
sary to do.
"A bIooded Arabian, Mr. Ryder-the
gift Of my brother officers. 7 wouldn't
have him crippled for"
Rest assured, Captain COUrtenay, your
horse could not be in better hands than
those of my hostler, in all"
Hurt the gambrel joint. 1 can cure
him; but he can't travel for week,
poor MirabeI! Well, I'll leave him to
your care. Give me another horse, and
I am very sorry. Captain; don't keep
horses to let, and"
Heavens and earth-don't talk that
way to me! Find one, Or"
There's not a horse to be had within a
league. I can't get you one tonight"
But must 60 on! I'll walk, if"
The sound of the voices seemed to drift
away and was lost to the sailors ear. He
heard footsteps returning to the inn, and
he resumed his chair and looked as in
different as before.
The lOungers came back, one after an
other, and dropped into their seats. The
hOstler and the boy remained at the
stable.
"A bad sprain, that, said one.
20, aye!-and Master Captain is in
bad temper over it. What's his hurry?"
why, dOan' you hear what he said?"
Dang it, no; only that he was in
haste.
The first speaker Significantly circled
his head with his arm, as if with moose.
He was perfectly understood.
~What-R marrying"
60, ayei-tO-morrow night-down to
the Pembroke Villa. And he was to be
there to- night.
We'll, he worthless he walks"
But he won't, Shut thy jaw; here
The landlord and his guest came in to
gether.
Il am vexed beyond measure by this
accident and its results, the latter said.
I've ridden him so carefully from Ipswich
down; this is the second day I've been on
the road; and to meet with such an acct
dent, so near the Villa. Heaven send me
patience! I'll take an hour to think what
is best to do"
you can easily get there in the morn
ing stage by noon, F" suggested the land
lord. 4Or by the middle of the afternoon
at the worst.
Yes, I suppose 50; and pretty-lO ok
ing bridegroom I should be, lettering
along in that kind Of way. ConfOund
my lUckl-at such time, tool Well, III
think of it. I'm hungry, now that hap
pen to think Of that; I dined very early
at Colchester. and feel particularly like
doing justice to some Of your good fare.
III eat and smoke and think it over.
Send up something good to me- in the par
IOr, and send in the London Gazette Of
yesterday.
He strobe toward the door.
@One moment, Captain, the host cried.
The parlor is not ready; sit down here a
minute, and"
It is doubtful whether Captain Courte-
nay heard him at all; if ne did, he did
not understand. His mind was filed
with disappointment and irritation; his
heart was at Pembroke villa, and his
thoughts we're all bent upon the means
to get there.
So he entered the parloF, closed the
door, and found himself alone with the
man who hated him beyond all men.
no BE Continued
"LooK here, Pete" said a knowing
darIzy to his companion, don't stan
on the railroad" Why, Joe ?" ''Kase
s. Ie os-.r eoo tho 2 mouth IF zrouT-u dew