Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-28

was one or the very Few VINO mad observed
whence 1t was that this black hat, SWIMMING
so oppoTtunely over the ropes, had come. |
have already remarked that when we looked
around us there had been a single gig
travelling very rapidly on the southern road.
My uncle's eyes had rested upon it, but his
attention had been drawn away by the dis
cussiOn between Sir Lothian Hume and the
referee upon the question of time. For
my own part, | had been so struck by the
furious manner in which these belated tray
elers were approaching that | had continued
to watch them with all sorts of vague. hopes
within me, which | did not dare to put into
words for fear of adding to my uncle's dis
appointments. | had Just made out that
the gig contained a man and a woman,
when suddenly | saw it swerve off the road
and come with a galloping horse and
bounding wheels right across the moor,
crashing through the gorse bushes, and
sinking down to the hubs in the heather
and bracken. AS the driver pulled up his
foam-spattered horse he threw the reins to
his companion, sprang from his seat, butted
fuliously at the crowd, and then an instant
a~fterward up went the hat which told of
his challenge and defiance.
There is no hurry now, | presume, Cra-
ven," said my uncle, as cColiy as ii this
sudden effect had been carefully devised
by him.
Nov that your man has his hat in the
ring, you can take as much time as you like,
Sir Charles"
Your friend has certainly cut it rather
fine. nephew"
1T is not Jim. sir" l whispered; "it Is
some one else"
My uncle's eyebrows betrayed his astonish-
ment.
Some one else!" he calculated.
"And a good man. too!' roarcd Belcher,
~slapping his thigh with a crack like a pistol
shot. why. blow my dickey if it amt old
Jack Harrison himself!'
Looking down at the crowd we had seen
the head and shoulders of a powerful and
strenuous man moving slowly forward and
leaving behind him a long V-shaDed ripple
upon its surface like the wake Of a swim
ming dog. Now, as he pushed his way
through the looser fringes, the head was
raised, and there was the grinning, hardy
face of the smith looking up at us. He
had left his hat in the ring, and he was
enveloped in an oyercoat with a blue birds
eye handkerchief tied around his neck. AS
he emerged from the throng he let his
great coat fly loose and showed that he was
dressed in his full fighting kit-black draw
ers, chocolate stockings and white shoes.
I'm right sorry to be so late, Sir
Charles" he cried. I'd have been sooner,
but it took me a little time to make 1t all
right with the missus. | couldn't convince
her all at once, an so ! brought her win
me, and we argued 1t out on the way.
Looking at the gig, l saw now that 1t was
I llt vi q W. ''S 49,"
Sir Charles beckoned him up to the wheel
of the curricule.
What in the world brings you here, Har-
risOn?" he whispered. Il am as glad to see
YOU as ever | was to see a man in my life,
but I confess ! did not expect you
We'll. sir, you heard l was coming" said
the smith.
Indeed. / did not"
Didn't you get a message, Sir Charles,
from a man named Cumming, landlord OF
the Friars Oak inn? Master Rodney there
would know him."
1--WE saw him dead drunk at the George"
There, now, if ! wasn't afraid of it,"
cried Harrison, angTily. lies always ike
that when he's excited, and ! never saw a
man mere off his head than he was when
he heard | was goin' to take this job over
He brought a bag of soyereigns up with him
to back me with"
That's how the betting got turned" said
my uncle. "He found others to follow his
lead. it appears"
II was so afraid that he might get upon
the drink that | made him promise to go
straight to you. sir. the very instant he
should arrive, He had a note to deliver"
II understand that he reached the George
at Q, while / did not return from Reigate
until after 7, by which time | have no doubt
that he had drunk his message to me out OF
his head. But where Is your nephew, Jim,
and how did you come to know that you
would be needed"
1T is not his fault. / promise you. that
you should be left in the lurch. As to me,
/ had my orders to take his place from the
only man on earth whose word | have never
disobeyed."
Yes. Sir Charles" said Mrs. Harrison,
who had left the gig and approached US,
you can make the most OF II this time. for