The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-08-17


blank outlines of the streets, which met
ut this point could be seen. 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 be the two women The farthest seemed |
to be man.
was astonished to see that he was |
standing cap in hand-nay l was disgust !
ed as well, for / had crept out hot listed, |
expecting to be called upon to defend the |
women. But despite the cry had heard, |
they were talking to him quietly enough |
as far as / could hear. And in minute
or so / saw the taller woman give him
something.
He took It, with a low bow, and appear
/ ed almost to sweep the dirt with his bon
net. She waved her hand In dismissal,
and he stood back, still uncovered. And
hey, prestol-the women tripped swiftly
away.
BY this time my curiosity was intensely
excited, but for a moment / thought 1t
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-
ment they had passed 1t he followed. His
stealthy manner Of going and his fashion
of peering after them was enough for me.
l guessed at once that he was logging
them, following them unknown to them
and against their will, and with consider
able citation i started after him, using the
same precautions What was sauce for
the geese was sauce for the ganderl So
we went-two, one, one-slipping after
one another through half dozen dark
streets, tending generally southwark.
Following him in this way seldom
caught glimpse of the women. The man
kept at considerable distance behind
| them, and I had my attention fixed on
him. But onoe or twice when, turning a
corner, 1 all but trod on his heels, / saw
them, and presently an odd point about
them struck Inc. There was a white kerr
chief or something attached apparently to
the back of the ones cloak, which consid-
cradle assisted my stealthy friend to keep
them 1t view. 1t puzzled mo. Was 1t
signal to himi Was he really all the time
acting in concert with them, and was l
throwing away my painsY Or was the
white object which so betrayed them
merely the result of carelessness and the
lack of foresight of women graphing with
n condition of things to which they were
unacoustomed? 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 clew 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. Here my friend looked up and
down and hung minute on his heel be-
fore he followed the women, as If expect
ing or looking for some one. 1t might be
that he was trying TO make certain that
the watch were not in sight They were
not, at any rate. Probably they had gone
home to bed, for the morning was grow
ing. And after momentary hesitation
he plunged into the narrow street down
which the women had fitted.
He had only gone few yards when I
heard him cry out. The next instant, al
most running against him myself, saw
what had happened. The women had
craftily lain in wait for him in the little
court into which the street ran and had
caught him as 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 coarse
cloak had fallen baok, was pale with an
ger. Her gray eyes flashed. Her teeth
glimmered Seeing her thus and seeing
the burden she carried under her cloak,
which instinct told me was her child,
thought of tigress brought to bay.
You lying knaver' she Kissed. "You
Judasl''
The man recoiled couple of PAGES and
in recoiling nearly touched me.
what would your" she continued.
"What do you wanti What would you
dor You have been paid to go. Go, and
leave u.s."
II dare not, he muttered, keeping away
| To-, 1.
looked a woman who could deal blow, q
woman who could both love and hate
fercely and openly-as proud and frank
and naughty q lady as had ever seen in
,eH S '' nave my 6meFsT ''''''0 'u'
"Ohr' she cried with scorn. you have
your ORDERS have your The murder is out
But from whom, sirrahf Whose orders
are to supersede miner I would King
Harry were alive, and l would have you
whipped to Tyburn. Speak, rogue Who
babe you follow me9"
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 woman. When she next spoke
there was marvellous change In her. Her
face had grown soft, her voice low
Philip" she said gently "the purse was
light will give you more. will give
you treble the amount within few weeks
and Will thank you on my knees and
my husband shall be such a friend to you
as you have never dreamed of If you will
only go home and be silent Only that
or better still walk the streets an hour
and then report that you lost sight of us
Think man; thinkP' she cried, with ener
gy. 1.-The times may change. A little
moro and Wyatt had been master of Lon.
don last year. Now the people are fuller
of discomfort than ever, and these burn.
ings and torturings, these Spaniards in the
streets-England will not endure them
long. The times will change. Let us 90,
and you will have friend when most you
need one"
He shook his head sullenly. II dare not
do it," he said. And somehow l got the
idea that he was telling the truth and that
1t was not the mans stubborn nature only
that withstood the bride and the plea He
spoke as If he were repeating lesson and
the master were present
When she saw that she could not move
him, the anger which / think came more
naturally to her broke out afresh. you
will not, you houndl" she cried "Will
neither threats nor promises move your"
Neither" he answered doggedly II
have my orders"
So lar had remained a quiet listener
standing in the mouth of the lane which
opened upon the court where they were
The women had taken no notice of me-
either because they did not see me CT be-
cause, seeing me- they thought that was
hanger on of the man before them. And
he, having his back to me and his eyes on
them, could not see me. 1t was surprise
to him-a very great surprise, l think
when l took three steps forward and grip.
ped him by the scruff Of his neck.
"You have your orders, have your"
muttered in his ear as shook him to and
fro, while the taller woman started back
and the younger uttered cry Of alarm at
my sudden appearance. "Well, you will
not obey them. Do you heari Your EN-
ployer may go hangl You will do just
what these ladies please to ask of you.'
He struggled an instant, but he was an
understood man, and he could not loosen
the hold which l had secured at my leisure
Then noticed his hand going to his CIR.
die In suspicious way. "Stop that"
said, flashing before his eyes short, broad
blade which had cut many a deer's throat
in old Arden forest "You had better keep
quiet, or 1t will be the worse for you.
Now, mistress" continued "you can
dispose of this little man as you please "
who are your" she said after pause
during which she had stared at me in open
astonishment No doubt l was a wild
looking figure
"a friend" l replied, "or one who
would be such. I saw this fellow follow
you, and followed him. For the last five
minutes I have been listening to your
talk. He was not amenable to reason then,
but l think he will be now What shall
| 1 do with himtu