The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-04


I was almost shouting aloud-feeling as
though it were my own throat thus gripped-
when the end came The man had his legs
planted well apart. 1 saw his shoulders
heave up and bend asrhe frightened the press
ure of his fingers; then,cane amoment's dead
silence, then hdeous girgie, and tho mastiff
dropped back, his hind legs trailing limp.
The bully held him so for a full minute,
peering close to make sure he was dead, and
then, without loosening his hold, dragged
him across the grass under my window. By
| the sycamore he halted, but only to shift his
hands q little, and SO. swaying on hs hips,
send the carcass with heave over the wall.
heard it drop with thud on the far side.
During this fierce wrestle-which must
have lasted about two minutes-the chatter
and shouting of the company above had gone
on without break; and all this while the
ran with the white hair had rested quietly
on one side, watching. But now he.steps up
to where the bully stood hopping his face
fer all the GOODNESS of the evening", and, with
finger between the leaves of his book, bows
very politely.
''You handled that dog, sir, choicely we'll"
says he, in a thin voice that seemed to have
chuckle hidden in it somewhere.
The other ceased hopping to get good
look at him.
''But sure" he went on, "'twas hard on
the poor cur, that had never heard of Capt.
Lucius Higgs"-
l thought the bully would have had him by
the windpipe and pitched him after the mas
| tiff, SO fiercely he turned at the sound of this
name But the old gentleman skipped back
quite nimbly and held up finger.
I'm man of peace. If another title
suits you bettern-
''Where the devil got you that name?"
growled the bully, and had half mind to
come on again, but the other put in briskly:
I'm ona plain eTrand of business. No need,
as you hint to mention names: and there
fore let me present myself as MI. Il. The
residue of the alphabet is at your service to
pick and choose from"
s'My name is Luke Settle" said the big
man hoarsely Out whether this was his nat
ural voice or no, could not telD.
s'Let US say Mr.. X prefer it."
The old gentleman as he said this popped
his head on one side, laid the forefinger of his
right hand across the book, and seemed to be
considering.
''Why did you throttle that dog minute
ago?'' he asked, sharply.
"Why, to save my skim" answers the fel
low, a bit puzzled.
'sWould YOU have done it for fifty poundsF
Say, or half that.n
, "And how if it had been puppy, Mr.. Ky
Now all this from my hiding | had heard
very clearly, for they stood right under me il
! the dusk But as the old gentleman paused
to let his question sink in, and the bully tt
catch the drift of it before answering, one Of
, the dicers above struck up to sing catch:
with hey, trolly iolly! a leg to the devil,
And answer him civil, and off with your cap;
Sing-Hcy, trolly Lofty. Good morrow, Sir Evil
We've finished the tap,
And, saving your worship, we care net rapI'
While this din continued, the stranger helt
a up one forefinger again, as if beseeching 81
:, lence, the other remaining still between the
l pages of his book.
e pretty boysi" he said, as the noise died
: away; pretty boysi IT'S easily seen they
have bird to pluck"
Hes none of my plucking."
''And if he were, why not? Sure you'v,
n picked a feather or two before now in tn
S low countries-hey!"
''rll tell you what" interrupts the bi:
man, 'snext time you crack one of you
i deaths head jokes, over the wall you go afte
e the dog. What's to prevent it?'
"Why, this answers the cid fellow, cheer
/ fully There's money to be made by doin
5 no such thing. And l don't carry it all abou
{, with me- So, as It's late, we'd best talk busi
Il ness at once.n
e They moved away towards the seat undo
:, the sycamore, and now their words raache
q me no longer-oiIly the low murnur Of thei
IS voices or to be correct of the elder mans
Il for the other only spoke now and then, t
IL put question, as it seemed. Presently
y heard an oath raped out, and saw the bull
e start up. 'Hush. maaln cried the other, an
Is ''harl1 yenow;'' 50 he sat down again. Thei
1 very forms were lost within the shadow.
', myself was cold enough by this time, an
d had cramp in one leg, but lay still, never
o theless. And after while they stood up t.
T: gether. and came pacing across the bowlin
II green side by side, the older man trailing h
d foot painfully to keep step. You may /
sure I strained my ears
IS "Besides the pay" the stranger was sa.
n ing, there's all you can win of this youn
a. fool. Anthony, and all you find on the pail
which I'll wagerH-
IL They passed out Of hearing, but turne
1t soon and came back again. The big ma
g was speaking this time.
J "Tll be shot if l know what game you'll
II playing in this"
L The elder chucllled softly. ''I'll be shot
Is mean you to, - said he.
Or And this was the last I heard. For no
there came a gathering at the door behir
u me, and MIR. Robert Drury reeled in, hi
coughing maudlin ballad about 'sTib al
young Colin one fine day, beneath the ha
a. cock shade-a," ETC., etc., and cursing to fiji
10 his fire gone out and all in darkness Iiuut
III was ever his master and today the king
ne health had been fair excuse. He did N
m spy me, but the roar of his ballad had startlt
IN the two men outside, and So while he vi
stumbling over chairs and cropping for til
", der box, slipped out in the darkness al
down stairs into the streets
ue CHAPTER II
Ia THE YOUNG MAN IN THE CLOAK OF. AMB1
ne SATIN.