Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-07


upon u.s.
They moved briskly as she spoke, and
her words were already growing indistincs
from distancs while remained still, idly
seeking the Cl.v to their talk and mutter-
ing over and cser again the name Clar-
ence, which seemed familiar to me, when
n cry Of alarm, in which / recognized one
Of their voices, cut short my rcverie. I
crawlcd with all speed from my shelter
and stood up, being still in a line with
the boards and not easily distinguishable.
AS she had said, it was a dark morning,
but the roofs of the houses-now high,
now low-could be plainly disccrned
against n gray, drifting sky wherein tho
first signs of dawn were visible, and tho
blank outlines of the streets, which met
at this point. could be sncI. Six or seven
yards from me, in the middle Of the road
way, stood three dusky figures, Of whom
judged the nearer, from their attitudes,
to he the two women. The farthcst seemed
to be {. man.
was astcnished to 500 that he was
standing cap in hnnd-nay, was disgust
ed as well. for had crcpt ous hot listed,
expecting to be- called upon to defend tho
women. But. despite the cry had heard,
they were talking to him quietly enough
81
or so l saw the taller woman give him
something.
He took Is, with low bow, and appear
cd almost 20 sweep the dirt with his bon
net. She waved her hand in dismissal,
and he stood back, still uncovered. And
hey, prcsto.--the women tripped swiftly
away.
By this time my curiosity was intensely
excited, but for moment 1 thought It
was doomed to disappointment. thought
that it was all over. 1t was not by any
means. The man stood looking after them
until they reached the corner, and the mo-
mont they had passed it he followed. His
stea!thy manner of going and his fashion
OF pccring after them was enough for me.
/ guessed at once that he was DIGGING
them, following them unknown to them
and against their will, and with consider
able claticn 1 started after him, using the
same precautions. What was sauce for
the geese was sauce for the ganderi So
We went-two, one, One-slipping after
one another through half a dozen dark
streets, tending generally southwark.
Following him in this way 1 seldom
caught glimpse OF the women. Tho man
kept at a considerable distance behind
them, and l had my attention fixed OH
him. But once or twice when, turning a
corner, all but trod on his heels, saw
them, and presently an odd point about
them struck Inc. There was n white kerr
chief or something attached apparently to
the back OF the ones cloak, which consid
erablo assisted my steaithy friend to keep
them it view. 1t puzzled me. Was 1t
signal to him, Was he really all the time
acting in concert with them, and was /
throwing away my pains? Or was the
white object which so betrayed them
merely the result of carclessness and the
lack Of foresight of women graphing with
a condition of things to which they were
unaccustomcd. OF course could not de-
eide this, the more as at that distance,
failed to distinguish what the white some
thing was or even which of the two wore it.
Presently got n clcw to our position,
for we crossed Cheapside close to Paul's
cross, which my childish memories of the
town enabled me to recognize, even by
that light. Hero my friend looked up and
down and hung a minute on his heel be.
fore nc followed the women, as II expect
ing or looking for some one. 1t might be
that he was trying to make certain that
tho watch Were not in sight. They were
not, at any rate. Probably they had gone
home to bed, fer the morning was grow
he plunged into the narrow street down
which the women had fitted.
He had only gone few yards when
heard him cry ont. The next instant, al
most running against him myself, saw
what had happened. Tho women had
craftily lain In wait for him in the little
court into which the street ran and had
caught him rs neatly As could be. When
l came upon them, the taller woman was
standing at bay, with passion that was
almost fury in her pose and gesture. Her
face, from which the hood of q coarse
cloak had fallen back, was pale with an
ger. Her gray eyes flashed. Her teeth
gIimmcrcd. Seeing her thus, and seeing
the burden shc carried under her cloak.
which instinct told me was her child,
thought Of a tigress brought to bay.
You lying knave!' she Missed. "You
Jutias!'
The man rccoiled couple of PAGES and
in recoiling nearly touched me-
What would you;' she continued.
what do you wantf What would you
| do' You have been paid to go. Go, and
| leave us"
Il dare not, he mutterod, keeping away
from her as II he dreaded blow. She
looked n woman who could deal blow, a
l woman VINO could both love and hate
fiercely and openly-as proud and frank
ant naughty n lady as had ever seen in
my life Il Garo not, he muttered sui
lenly. Il have my orders
OH She cried with scorn. You have
your orders have your The murder is out
But from whom, sirrah. Whose orders
| arc to supcrscde mine. would King
Harry were alive, and would have you
whipped to Tyburn. Speak, rogue. Who
babe you follow mes
He shook his head
She looked about her wildly, passion
| ately, and saw that she was at her wits
end what TO do or how TO escape him. But
she was a woman. When she next spok,
there was a marvellous change in her Hel
face had grown soft, her voice low
Phillip she said gently. "the purse wa:
light. Will give you more. will Civ,
you treble the amount within few weeks
and will thank you on my knees, and
my husband shall be such friend to yor
as you have never dreamed OF If you viii
only go home and he silent. Only that
or better still walk the streets an hou
and then report that you lost sight Of US
Think man; Think she cried, with ener
/ ~,