Evening star., 1898-05-28
hurst stood beside him.

hurst stood beside him,
The involuntary start that Hareyyood
gave communicated itself to Bourke. He
fer.
Gentlemen" said Buckhurst. speaking
| In English. your faces are familiar to me-
Capt Speyer tells me that you are New
iork reporters Do you know meT'
Yes, said Harewood sullenly. Buck
| hursts pale eyes stole round to Bourke,
| then returned directly to Hardwood
'Of course" he said placidly, IF You
cable anything unpleasant about me I'll
| nave your throat cut
| Harewood started on again toward the
| door, but Speyer jerked him back, saying
| saFagely: Listen. Do you hear?" and
Buckhurst added quietly. You'd better
II Bourke had not gripped Harewood's
arm IN time Speyer's face would have suf-
Iered. with clenched fists Harewood push
| ed toward him. Buckhurst flung him back
| showing his teeth slightly his face dis
| loIted with that CHASTITY smile that none
VINO mad ever seen it could forget
sa,d ~ you you ca cable for my extradition." he
said. I ii cut your throat as a spy"
spy stammered Harewood furiously
1es, an imperial spy who aided the en-
press pres TO escape from the Tuileres. You
lcol don't you think 1 know? You and your
comrade and two women named ChaIais-
ycu aided the empress
Harewood was dumb Bourke stared at
| opeyer, who sneered in his face You
| want witness? l am the witness" said
Speyer. -"
Buckhurst ~ turned fiercely on Bourke.
LOOK OUT! he whispered; don't try any
OF your - newspaper tricks on me.
| Inc government last night decreed the ex
Puislon OF every dissolute woman from
anr aris tr,h curing the siege and if you give me
| charming little ChaIais girIsp' '0Ni
Ia, laIeWood struggled to strike him; Buck
pocket Al ms 'o"'
| I've got n niStoI 1, NV ,,oa,.o. =, 1,
II covers you. If it wasn't that | don't
want a row that might lead to an investi-
Gation "a shoot you now. Stand back.
| or III let the whole hall trample your face
in the floor, Ne
farewood, white to the lips, jostled by
.ne crowd pouring through the doors
Strove to keep his position in front of Buck
hurst. lie looked into the pale, merciless
| eyes, ne saw the outlines of fist and leveed
pistol In the black side pocket of Buck
| hurst coat. He saw, too, suspicious faces
| peerlng at him from the passing crowd
dark, sulien eyes, burning with the smol-
dering fire of frenzy. Speyer sneered at
| him. Stauffer's weak blond face raIaxsd
| into an insulting smile
| Tome, muttered Bourke there is
Eothing to do" and he laid his hand on
| Harewood's arm.
| No" said Harewcod aIoud .stbera &c
nothing to do-now"
| Buckhurst heard. His thin lips receded
again, showing an edge of So -.
| teeth. "i'''
| ..r Neither now nor later" he said softly.
Leave this hall!'
| Speyer cut in: 'If you give us any
| trouble the governor Of Paris shall know
| how the empress escaped And Won can
| take yourself out of the Rue d'Ypres. too
| pag and baggage-and women.'
| bo1rKe mad dragged Hardwood back to
| me door repeating in a whisper: For
| Icu sake, Jim, let them alonei Let them
a.one! Buckhrrst followed slowly, Speyer
se ae hls elooW stau:fer in the rear. Behind
l hpE re
| the empty hall; in the dark street ont side
| me loul sidewalks. wet with an autumn
shower, reflected the fiickering flame of a
| single l2mppoSt.
Bourke, urging Harewood backed out in
| 10 the street The night was appalling in
| lts fathomleSS blackness The leaves on
| them "poFe
| They've followed u.s." WHISPERED
bourke, straning his eyes back to the
P,aek lack gaping door of the hall. Listen,
| The silence was absolute. Down the
| street the single gas jet burned uncertain
| ~, ~, no" haring up into yellow patch of
| Hshl, now sinking to a blue spark.
| suddenly Harewood felt the haunting
| presence of s, methng that he neither sa W
nor heard 1t was close to him. there in
| s, dhe SHADOW, moving nearer. Then the
| q shaft of flame snged his brow and the
| narrow street resounded with the racket
Oh pistol shot. Instantly he struck out,
| aiiu anu 81 uch AGAIN, sclldty. Knowing that 1t
| was Buckhurst who had received the blow
| Iuil IN the face. Somebody slid the shutter
| from lantern. He caught a glimpse of
Bourke Knocking Stauffer into the gutter.
| of Buckhurst, his white face soiled with
| blood, cropping on the sidewalk for his re-
volver Of Speyer swinging his arm for a
| blow. The blow was for Hardwood him
| self. 1t caught him fairly on the neck
| and sent him fiat. Dazed. he struggled to
| rise. a knee pressed him back a knife
gilmmered in the lantern light, falling
swiftly toward him. only to he caught by
| another knife and sent whirling. And
| now he was on his feet again, and again
the binding flash of pistol dazzled him.
| half revealing swarm of dark, hurryir
| figures closing in around them. 1t reveal
| ed something else, too-the hard face of
the Mouse starting from the shadows at
| mis- elbow.
This way. monsieur" muttered the
| Mouse. Hold to my arm"
A lantern fell violently to the sidewalk
| relied around and went out, leaving a
stencil of petroleum in the air. There was
a sudden rush, collision. angry, painting
voices. the dull sound of blows a shrill
| cry: THE pocer HARDWOOD running
through the darkness. one hand on the
| Mouses arm, turned sharply with his
guide into a broader street, lighted by =
| dozen lamps. At the same instant Bourke
| rounded the opposite corner and met them
| face to face. For minute they stood there
| breathless, listening to the distant shout
| ing and trampling that gradually grew
| duller as though the affray had almost
| SuDSlueO.
| Mince"' said the Mouse. thrusting his
! tongue into the corner of his cheek and
| holding UP a broad-bladed knife II was
| just in time, eh. monsieur?' He shufled
J his feet refiectively. glanced obIquely at
| Bourke, shrugged his shoulders and laugh
| ed, nodding half patroniZingly when Hare
| wood began to thank him.
| 'Bah-that is nothing. my friend There
| are miracles in Beleviile when the Mouse
| patters through the dark. Besides the
four winds blow for nothing. but it costs
| money to live
Come to the Rue dYpres tomorrow"
! said Harewood soberly, land the four
winds will blow you something besides
| air."
"At your service" said the Mouse with
| impudent condescension, land, messieurs
| l have the honor"
| He bowed with exaggerated politeness
| turned on his ragged heel, and slouched
off into the night.
To be continued.
The GOrgOn's Head.