Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-23
A Brave Coward.
BY Robert Louis Stevenson.
BY Robert Louis Stevenson,
CHAPTER V.-(Continued.)

cut In brutally,
you hold your tongue" says he; II
am speaking to that girl"
THAT girl, as you call her, is my
WIFE" said |. and my wife only leaned
a little nearer, 30 that ] knew she had
affirmed my words.
your what?" he cried. "You lie"
"Northmour," said, I'VE all know
you have bad temper, and am the
last man to be irritated by words. For
all that I propose that you speak lower,
for I am convinced that We are not
alone"
He looked round him, and 1t WAS
plain my remark had In some degree
sobered his passion. What do you
mean?" he asked,
! only said one word, italians"
He swore round oath and looked at
us from one to the other.
"Mr. Cassills knows all that know"
said my wife.
what ! want to know" he broke
out, "is where the devil Mr., Cassilis
comes from, and what the devil Mr.
Cassills Is doing here. You say you
are married; that I do not believe. II
you were, Graden Floe would soon d.
vorce you; four minutes and a half.
Cassills, ! keep my private cemetery
for my friends"
1T took somewhat longer" said l.
for that Italian"
He looked at me for a moment hall
daunted, and then, almost civilly, ask
ed me to tell my story. "You have toe
much the advantage OF me, Cassilis,
he added, I complied, OF course, and
he listened, with several CALCULATIONS
while I told him how I had come to
Graden; that 1t was whom he had
tried to murder on the night of the
landing; and what had subsequently
seen and heard Of the Italians.
WELL" said he, when I had done
1T is here at last; there is no mistake
about that, and what, may I ask, dc
you propose to do?"
II propose to stay with you and lend
q hand" said I.
you are brave man." he returned
with n peculiar intonation,
II am not afraid" said I.
"And So" he continued, II am tc
understand that you two are married
And you stand UP to 1t before my face
Miss Huddlestone?"
I'VE are not yet married, " said Clara
"but we shall be az soon as we can"
"Bravo!" cried Northmour. "And the
bargain? D. 1t, you're not a fool
young woman; ! may call spade witt
you. How about the bargain? Yol
know rs well as do what your fathers
life depends upon, / have only to pu
my hands under my coat-tails ant
walk away, and his throat would bt
cut before the evening""
Eyes, Mr.. Northmour," returned
Clara, with great spirit; "but that IL
what you will never do, You made O
bargain that was unworthy Of gen
tleman; but you are a gentleman fol
all that, and you will never desert O
man whom you have begun to help"
"Aha!" said he. "You think l will
give my yacht for nothing? You think
will risk my life and liberty for love
Of the old gentleman; and then, I sup
pose, be best man at the wedding, to
wind up? Well" he added, with an
odd smile perhaps you are not alto
gether wrong. But ask Casslls here
He knows me. Am man to trust
Am / safe and scrupulous? Am
klnd?"
II know you talk great deal, and
sometimes, l think, very foolshly," re.
piled Clara, "but know you are O
gentleman, and / am not in the least
afraid"
She's a trump" cried Northmour
"But she's not yet Mrs. Cassilis. say
no more. The present is not for me.
Then my wife surprised me.
II leave you here" she said, sud
denly. my father has been too long
alone. But remember this: you are
to be friends, for you are both good
friends to me-"
"See here, Northmour," said I; 1--WE
are all in tight place, are we not?
II believe you, my boy" he answer
ed, looking me in the eyes, and with
great emphasis. 1--WE have all hell
upon us, that's the truth. You may
believe me or not, but I'm afraid OF
my life."
"Tell me one thing" said I. What
are they after, these Italians? What
do they want with Mr.. HuddlestoneT
Don't you know" he cried. 1.-THE
black old scamp had Carbonari funds
on deposit--two hundred and eighty
thousand; and, Of course, he gambled
It away in stocks. There was to have
been a revolution In the Tridentino,
or Parma, but the revolution is Off, and
the whole wasps' nest is after Huddle-
stone. We shall all be lucky II we can
save our skins"
1.-THE Carbonarlw exclaimed; God
help him, indeed"
"And now let us go directly to the
fort" said Northmour, and he began
to lead the way through the rain.
CHAPTER vi.
We were admitted to the pavilion by