Evening star., 1897-07-31

Soundly for leaky chatterer. and a fool
who would ruin all with the drink.
Freed from his opportunities. / waited
for no second permission. but got me out
and down the stairs, at the foot of which
the landlords scared face and the waiting,
watching eyes of the drawers and servants,
still gathered there in a listening group,
put the last touch to the picture OF mad
ness and recklessness l had witnessed
above. Here were informers and evidences
ready to hand, and more than enough. III
the very beggars in the street and the or
ange girls and nightwalkers who prowled
the market were not sufficient to bring
home to its authors the rank treason they
bawled and shouted overhead.
The thought that such rogues should en-
danger my neck, and good. honest mems
neoks made my blood run cold and hot at
once; hot when l thought of their folly,
cold when 1 recalled Mr.. Ashton executed
in 30 for carrying reasonable letters or
Anderton, the printer. betrayed and done
to death for printing the like. 1 could un-
derstand Ferguson's methods; they had
reason in them. and IL i hated them and
lcathed them. they were not so very dam
gerous. For he had disguises and many
names and lodgings. and lurked from one
to another under cover OF night, ana IL ne
sowed treason he sowed il stealthily and
in darkness. with all the adjuncts which
prudence and tradition dictated; he boasted
to those only whom lie had in his power
and used them like instruments.
But the outbreak of noisy. rampant, reck-
i
which, IL seemed to me. must he known
within twenty-four hours TO all London
filled me with panic and put me beside my
self. So that. when the girl who had en-
ployed me on that errand met me in the
street, | cursed her and would have passed
her. being unable to say another word, lest
l should weep. But she turned with me,
and, keeping pace with ME, asked me con-
tinually what il was. and getting no an
SWer. by and by caught my arm and forced
q heNOnd
house and close to the Strand. Here she
repeated her question so fiercely. asking me
besides if l was mad and the like. and
showed herself such little termagant, that
/ had no option but to answer her
"Mad?" l cried passionately. "Ay, L am
mad-to have anything to do with such as
you
But what is it? What has happened?"
she persisted, peering at me, and so barring
the way that L could not pass.
Gould you not hear?'
Il. could hear that they We're drinking.
she answered. Il knew that. and therefore
l thought that you should go TO thefn-
And run the risk" | said.
We'll you are a man." she answered
coolly.
At that / stood so taken aback-for she
spoke it with meaning and sort OF SUNG
in her tone-that for minute l dld not
answer her. Then lis not mans lie as
much to him as a womans TO her sdiu
with Indignation.
"A man'sr' she replied. "Ay, but not
mouse's. | will tell you what Mr. Iayior:
or Mr. Price. or whatever your name Is
cali me what you like" i said only
let me so,''
Then | will call you Mr. Craven.' she
retcrted bitterly "Or Mr. Daw, in pea
cocks feathers. And let you go. Go, go,
you coward! Go, you craven
Though ii was not the most gracious per
mission, and stung me enough, look IL
sulenly, and getting away from her. went
arl he nj
ing her there But not gladly. although TO
go had been all L had asked moment be
fore. No man, indeed, could have had Ii IN
his mind more firmly made up to wrench
himself from the grasp of the gang whose
tool this little spitfire was: nor to man
Lred to peaceful pursuits. as l had been,
and flung into such an imbrogiio as TINS,
wherein to dance on nothing seemed TO be
the alternative whichever way L looked.
was it so much matter of consequence to
be called coward by a child that L must
hesitate fer that. Moreover, the place and
time, dingy passage on a dark night,
with rain falling and chill wind blowing,
and none abroad but such as honest men
would avoid if they could, were not incen-
tives to rashness or adventure.
And yet when it came to going nullis ves-
tgiis retrorsum, as the Latins say. i
proved to be either too much or too little
of man-these arguments notwithstand-
ing, too little of a man, L mean. to weigh
reason justly against pride, or too much of
a man TO hear with philosophy a girls
taunt; when l had gone fifty yards |
halted, and then in moment went back.
Not slowly, however, but in gust of irri-
tation: so that for very little 1 could have
struck the girl for the pulling face and help
leSSneSs that gave her an advantage over
me. 1 found her in the same place, and
asked her roughly what she wanted.
"A man. she said.
Well / answered, sullenly, what is
Have / found one? That is the uues-
ticn." she retorted. And at that again /
could have had 1t in my heart to strike her
across her scornful child's face. My un-
Gle is man. at least
He is bad one, curse him." cried in
a fury.
She looked at me coolly THAT is bet
ter. she said. IF your deeds were of a
piece with your words. you should be no
mans slave. His least of all, Mr. Price"
You talk finely / said, my passion
cooling. as l began to read covert mean
ing IN her tone and words. and that she
would be at something. 1T comes well
night"
"or find some one to do Them" she an
swered. with derision.
We'll. after this you will have to find
some one else" l cried. warming again.
'Ah. If you would but keep your word,'
she cried, clapping her hands softly and
peering at me. IF you would keep your
word"
oeeiiS IuOfe Clearly tnat she would be a
and wishing to know what il
was. TRY me- L said. What do YOU
mean?"
1T is plain" she answered what 7
mean. Carry no more messages, Be sneak
and spy no longer! Cease to put your head
In moose, to serve rogues' ends, Have
done. man, with cringing and fawning and
trembling at big words. Break off with
these villains that hold you. put a hum
dred miles between you and them, and be
yourSelf! Be man.
why. you mean your uncle" I cried,
vastly surprised.
why not?' she said.
But If you feel that way why do HIS
bidding yourself?" i answered doubling all
this might be trap of that cunning devil
IF 1 sneak and spy, who spies on me,
miss?''
II do" she said. leaning against the wall
OF Bedford Garden, where one of Heming's
lights. set up at the next corner shone full
on her face. And / am weary of it,"
But then IL you are tired of it"
IF am tired of it, why don't free my
self instead of preaching to your she an
swered, wearily. First, because 1 am a
Mr.. Wiseman."
Il don't see what that has to do with it,"
I retorted.
Don't your she answered, bitterly
Then will tell you. My uncle feeds me,
clothes me, gives me a roof, and sometimes
beats me. If 1 run away, as 1 bid you run