The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10
RODNEY STONE.
A Renaissance Of the Ring,
by A. CONAN DOYLE.
CHAPTER vr1.-coNTINUED.
COPYRIGHT, ,s's, by A. Conan Dovis

Ing person who had Just entered the room.
The newcomer was a stout, square. built man,
plainly and almost carelessly dressed, with an
uncouth manner and II rolling gait. His age
might have been something over 90. and hi,
swarthy, harshly featured face was already
deeply lined either Ivy his wears or by his ok.
cesses. / have never in all my life seen n coun.
tennnce in which the angel and the devil were
more obviously welded.
Above was the high, brond forehead OF the
philosopher. with keen. humorous eyes looking
out from under thick. strong brows. Re.
low was the heavy jowl Of the scnsualist. curry.
Ing In n broad crease over his crnvnt. That
brow was the brow of the hubble Charles Fox,
the thinker. The philunthropist, the man who
rallied and led the Liberal party during the
twenty most hazardous years of its existence.
That inv was the inv Of the private Charles
Fox the gambler, the libertine, the drunkard
Yet to his sins lie never added the browning
one OF hypocrisy. His vices we're as open ms
hissvirtues. In some quaint freak of nature
two spirits seemed to have been Joined in one
body, and the same frame to contain the best
and the worst man of his age.
i've run down from Chertsey. sir, Just 10
shake you by the hand. and to make sure that
the Torics have not carried you off,"
"Dnmnation, Charlie, you know that 7 sink
or swim with my friends. A Wing | started
and a Wing I shall remain"
/ thought that ] could read upon Fox's dark
face that he was by no means 81 confident
about the Princes principles.
Pitt has been at you, sir. / understand
Yes, confound him! | hate the sight Of
that damned sharp-pointed nose of his, which
he wants to be forever poking into my affairs.
He and AddIngton have been hoggling about
the debts again. Why, look ye, Charlie, II
IptNN hnlI yna tn - ,-.1l - 49,
different"
| gathered from the smile which fitted over
Shcridan's expressive face that this was ex-
actly what Pitt did do. But stra ightway
they all plunged into politics. varied by the
drinking of sweet maraschino. which a foot
man brought round upon a salver. The King,
the Queen, the Lords. and the Commons were
each in succession cursed by the Prince, in
spite Of the excellent advice which he had
given me about the British constitution.
why, they allow me so little that | can't
look after my own people. There are n dozen
annuities to old servants and the like. and it's
S all ! s tssm do to ne sSraps the money n I, tGset hter. tp
up and coughed In a consequential way--"my
financial agent has arranged, for a loan. re.
payable upon the. Kings death. This lilueur
Isn't good for either of US. Charlie. We're
both getting damned stout
II can't get my exercise for the govt, " said
Il am blooded fifty ounces a month. but the
more take the more | make: You wouldn't
what we have done. We've had some days
and nights together, Charlie"
Fox smiled and shook his head.
You remember how we posted to Newmarket
before the races. We took 4 public coach,
r TTsfeI,is and il inmeaa , an,o f tbs,r bIas.si into 1o0t the
rode the leader and I the Wheeler a damned
fellow wouldn't let us through his turnpike,
in a minute. The fellow thought he had to
do with a fighting man. and soon cleared the
by the way. sir. speaking of fighting men,
give a supper, to the fancy at the Wagon and
Horses on Friday next" laid my uncle. IL
think 1t a great honor If YOU should condescend
to look In upon us
the tailor. xiii Earl fourteen years ago.
swore off then. and you know me as a man of
my word Tregellis. or course. I've been at
1--WE should be vastly honored II you would
incog. to our supper, sir"
We'll, well, sherry. make n note OF 1t. Well
be at Carlton House on Friday, The Prince
Gan reserve rDDnp, y a chair hrI for the isf EEsri Of C g"s 70"
sir. we shah be proud to see the Earl of
cH "By the see wey. sn!e %H unc ssia Fox, there's
with Sir Lothian Hume. What's the truth Of
".Only n small matter of q couple of thous to
q thou. he giving the odds. He has a fancy to
i'm to find a man to beat him. Anything
thirteen stone"
the Prince. when IL comes To handicapplng
n horse. playing, a hand. matching a cook. or
Sow. Charlie whom have We got
upon the list who can beat Crab Wilson of
! was amazed at the interest and knowledge
ring, for they not only had the deeds OF the
Jackson. or Dutch Sam, at their fingers ends.
but there was no fighting man so obscure that
they did not I know VI Tie details Of his deeds and
were discussed their weight. their gameness,
their hitting power, and their constitution.
Ruing as TO whether Caleb Baldwin. the West
minister could hold his own with
the one was the deepest political philosopher in
and that the other would be remem-
bered as the author of the wittiest comedy and
name of champion Harrison came very early
into the discussion. and Fox, who had n high
that my %uncle's only chance lay In the veteran
taking the field again. He may hc, slow on
h his PIiik@ s the "u Xix HS Of aT a Horse w,'" Wien N aeS he ti nhs Si
Black ,Baruk the man flew across the outer ring
as we'll as the inner, and fell among the spec
he is your best chance"
My uncle shrugged his shoulders;
IF poor Avon were here we might do some
patron. and the man was devoted to him. But
his wife Is too strong for me; md No NJ nov; sir; |
to-day Ia lose the best valet in England, and |
must make inquiry for hin; Thank your
my nephew IN so gracious "A fashion"
It'll Friday. then" said the Prince. II
have TO 20 up to town In any case, for there Is
4 poor devil OF an Eas. India COmpany's officer
has written tn me in his distress. II can
raise II few hundreds | shall SEE him and set
things right for him. Now, Mr.. stone. you
nave your life before you, and | hone II Will he
Dne which your uncle NAV he proud of. You
honor the King and show respect for the
Mr., stone. And bark .ye, you
avoid debt and bear In mind that your
lonor is a sacred thing eh?" So ! carried
away a last impression of his plump. good;
face, his high cravRt, and his, broad
Gather thighs. Again we passed the strange
'ooms, the gilded monsters, and the gorgeous
'Ootmen, and II was with relief that | found
myself ont In the open air once more, with
he broad blue sea In front of us and the fresh
evening" breeze upon our faces.
CHAPTER NH.