The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-30

|
wood fire was cracking, leaned the young
gentlewoman had met at Hungerford, who,
as she now turned her eyes upon me, ceased
lingering the guitar or mandolin that she
held against her waist, and raised her pretty
head not without curiosity
But twas on the table in the center of the
chamber that my gaze settled; and on two
men beside it, Of whom must speak more
particularly.
The elder, who sat in high backed chair,
was little frail, deformed gentleman of
about fifty, dressed very richly in dark vel
vet and furs, and wore on his head a velvet
skull cap, round which his white hair stuck
up like ferret's. But the oldest thing about
him was a complexion that any maid Of six
teen would give her ears for-of pink and
| white so transparent that it seemed soft
light must be glowing beneath his skin. On
either cheek bone this delicate coloring cen
! tered in a deeper fusL. This is as much as |
need say about his appearance, except that
his eyes were very bright and sharp and his
! chin stuck out ike a vicious mules.
| The table before him was covered with
! bottles and TASKS, in the middle of which
! stood Il silver lamp burning, and over it a
! silver saucepan that sent up a rare fragrance
| as the liquid within it simmered and dubbed
! So eager was the old gentleman in watching
| the progress of his mixture, that he merely
! glanced up at my entrance and then, holding
up hand for silence, turned his eyes on the
| saucepan again.
The second man was the broad shouldered
lackey 1 had seen riding behind the coach,
|, and now stood over the saucepan with
twisted flask in his hand from which he
poured red strip very gingerly, drop by
drop, with the tai Of his eye turned on his
! masters face, that he might know when to
cease.
Now il may be that my entrance upset this
experiment in strong drinks. At any rate,
had scarce come to a stand about three PAGES
inside the door, when the little old gentle
man bounces I'D in fury, kicks over his
chair, hurls the nearest bottles to right and
left, and sends the silver saucepan spinning
across the table to my very feet, where it
.scalded me clean through the boot, and made
me hop for pain.
/ 'Spoiled-spoiledl" he screamed; "drench-
ed IN filthy liquor, when it should have
breathed but a tastel"
And to my aulazement he sprang on the
strapping servant like a wild cat and began
to beat, cuff and helabor him with all the
strength of his puny limbs.
Twas like a scene out of Bedlam Yet all
the while the girl leaned quietly against the
mantel shelf and softly touched the strings
OF her instrument, while the servant took the
rain of blows and slaps as though 'twere a
summer shower, grinning all over his face
and making no resistance at all.
Then, as stood dumb with perplexity, the
old gentleman let go his hold of the fellows
hair, and, dropping on the floor, began to
roll about in fit of coughing, the like os
which no man can imagine. Twas hideous
He parked, and writhed, and barked again,
till the disorder seemed to search and rack
every innermost inch of his small frame.
And in the intervals of coughing his excla-
nations were terrible to listen to.
He's dying!" cried, and ran forward to
help
The servant picked up the chair, and to-
gether we set him i'll it. By degrees the VIC
lence the cough abated, and he lay back,
livid in the face, with his eyes closed and his
hands clutching the knobs of the chair
turned to the girl. She had neither spoken
nor stirred, but now came forward and calm
~ asked my business.
81 think" said l. ''that your name is KILL |
grew"
II am Della Killigrew, and this is my
father, Sir DeakIn."
'Now on his way to visit his estates in /
CornwallF
She nodded
Then have to warn you that your lives
are in danger" And, gently as possible, .
told her what had seen and heard down
stairs In the middle of my tale the servant (
stepped to the door, and returned quietly /
There was no lock on the inside After q
minute he went across and drew the red cur
tains The window had a grating within, OF
iron bars as thick as a mans thumb, strongly
clamped in the stone work, and not four
inches apart Clearly, he was man of few
words; for returning, he merely pulled out
his sword and waited for the end of my tale
The girl also did not interrupt me, but list
ened in silence. As | ceased, she said:
is this all you knowi"
"No," answered |, 1T is not. But TIE rest
l promise 20 tell You if we escape from this
place alive, viii this content you!"
She turned to the servant, who nodded
Whereupon she held out her hand very cor
daily.
Sir, listen: we are travellers bound for
Cornwall, as you know, and have some small
possessions that Will poorly reward the greed
of these violent men. Nevertheless, we
should be hurrying GA our journey did we
not await my brother Anthony, who was to
have ridden from Oxford 20 join Us here, but
has been delayed, doubtless on the kings
She broke of, as l started; for below
heard the main door open. and Capt. Set
tle's voice in the Passage. Tie arch villain
had returned
Mistress Della" | said, hulriedIy, 1.-THE
twelfth man has entered the house, and I'M
less we consider our plans at once, ais up
with US"
"Tushm said the old gentleman in the
hair, who Gt seems) had heard all, and now
at up brisk as ever Il, for mE part, shall
nix another glass, and leave it all to Jacques.
Come, sit by me, sir, and you shall see some
pretty play. Why, Jacques is the neatest
'ogue with small svsord in all France"'
"Sir," put 81, they are a round dozen in
II, and your life at present is not worth a
'enny's purchase"
That's liel It's worth this bowl before
ne that, with or without you, mean to
mPty. What fool thing is youtuR Sir,
-ou must be dying man ike myself 10 taste
ife properly" And, as | am a truthful man,
e struck up, quayering merrily:
Hey nonni-uonni-uo
Men are fools that wish TO die!
Is't not fine to laugh and sing
When the bells of death do ring!
Is't not fine TO drown in wine,
And turn upon the toe, I
And sing, hey-nonni-no. :
LEY, no7ai-poLni--
Come and sit, sir, nor spoil sport. You are {
DO raw, I'll wager, to be Of any help, and {
oggling detest." {
Indeed, sir" broke in, now thoroughly q
ngered, Il can use the small sword as well :
another