San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-14

ing in the spectacle. That which did
surprise and even astonish me, however
was the mutual bearing of the two men
toward each other.
l have already mentioned the per
emptory tone in which Mr.. Birchmore
uniformly addressed the man Slurk and
the generally overbearing attitude he
assumed toward him; but in the cSnver
sation now going forward all this was
changed. To judge by appearances, /
should have said that Slurk was the
master and MIR. Birchmore the valet.
The former was gesticulating forcibly
and evidently laying down the law in a
very decided and autocratic way His
square, ungainly figure seemed to dilate
and take on masterful and almost
hectoring air; while Mr.. Birchmore
stood with his hands in his coat pockets.
undemopstrative and submissive, appar-
entity accepting with meekness all that
the other advanced, and only occasion
ally interpolating remark or sugges-
ton to which Slurk would pay but slight
or impatient attention. Both were evl-
IDENTIFY talking in low tone; for, though
they were not more than fifty or sixty
yards from where sat, could not catch
a single word, or even so much as an in
articulate murmur, unless by deliber-
ately straining my ears. But did not
need nor care to hear anything; what /
saw was quite enough to startle and
mystify me.
After few minutes the two inter
locutors moved slowly on up the path
and were soon beyond the field of my
mirror. But the unexpected scene which
| had witnessed did not so soon pass out
of my mind. ,
got up from my table and began
walking about the room with the rest
lessness of one who cannot make his new
facts tally with his preconceived ideas.
Who and what was Slurk, and how had
he obtained ascendency over man like
Birchmore? Certainly it could not be
natural ascendency. Birchmore must
have put himself in the others power
In other words, Slurk must be black
mailing him. And this was the trouble.
was it?-this was the mystery? 1t was
an ugly and awkward business, certain
ly; but the main question remained after
all unanswered What was it that
Birchmore had done to give Slurk a hold
upon him? and had that act. whatever il
was, compromised his daughter along
with hino ~
For now that gathered up in my
memory all the hints and signs which
had come under my notice in relation to
this affair, could not help thinking that
Rates attitude had in it something sug
gestive of more than mere filial sympa-
thy with her fathers misfortune. In
that misfortune or disgrace she had
personal and separate, in addition to II
sympathetic, share. And yet in what
conceivable way could low william like
Slurk fasten his grip upon pure and
spotless young girl? And what "A hid
eous thought-that such girl should tie
in any way at his mercyl The more /
turned the matter over in my mind the
more ugly did it appear. No wonder
that father and daughter had warned
me away. 81 graS .iau
Some men in my position, having seen
thus far, might have shrunk back and
given up the enterprise. But | was not
in that category. Twas more than ever
determined to see the adventure to ito
end-nay, to gain my own end in it too.
The conditions of the contest We're at all
events narrowing themselves down to
recognizable form. 1t was to be trial
of strength mainly between myself and
Slurk-between an educated plucky
Englishman and base German ruffian
between one, moreover, who had
right. moral and legal, on his side and
love as his goal-and one armed only
with underhand cunning and terrorism,
and aiming at nothing higher than the
extortion of money This was the way
read the situation, and f1attered my.
self that | was equal to the emergency
Upon consideration, however | de-
cided to alter my intention Of asking
Mr. Birchmore about his valet. 1t was
tolerably clear that he was not III a posi-
ton to give me any information. and,
besides. had already learned everything
except the particulars Those particu
lars, if did not succeed in discovering
them unaided, must be extracted from
Kate She would not withhold them
from me if questioned her resolutely
and directly, enforcing my inquiries
with disclosure of the knowledge had
already obtained. This, then, should tie
my next step sealed up my letters
IL A., e
now nearly seven o'clock. went down
to supper.
CHAPTER VII.
But at supper there was no Kate. MIR