The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-30


red with excitement. sat behind his desk.
on which lay pile of red cocardes- His
little insane eyes snapped as Speyer and
Stauffer marched up to be invested with
/ the badge of anarchy The crowd howied.
/ drums and bugles crashed out, the meet
/ ing vas at an end.
Suddenly. in the midst of the tumult.
/ Hardwood felt that somebody on the
swarming floor below was looking straight
at him He turned his head uneasily.
I Brckhursts colorless ewes met his own.
For full minute they gazed silently at
each other across the smoke-reehing
chos- The bugle's ear-splitting racket.
/ ing howl died away in Harewood's ears.
lie only heard q clear penetrating voice
I repeating, Silence. silence. if you please,
gentlemen" and Buckhurst. with mis- eyes
still fixed on him, touched Speyer on the
elbow Stauffer. too. was looking - now.
Speyer had turned livid when he saw
Come. muttered Bourke, I'VE might as
well get out of this" and he moved to-
ward the stirway Hardwood following.
As they reached the last step and
doors, hand fell lightly on Herewood' s
shoulder. Buckhurst stood behind him.
The involuntary start that Hardwood
gave communicated itself TO Bourke. He
also turned 10 confront Speyer and
Stauffer.
Gentlemen" said Buckhurst. speaking
me. Captain Speyer tells me that you are
New York reporters. Do you know me?"
Yes said Hardwood sullenly Buck
I hursts pale eyes stole around to Bourke
then returned directly to Hardwood.
'.of course he said placidly. IF you
cable anything unpleasant about me I'll
have your throat cut
Hardwood started on again toward the
door, but Speyer jerked him back. saying
savagely: Listen. Do you hear?' and
Buckhurst added quietly. You'd better
listen
If Bourke had not gripped Harewoods
arm in time Speyer's face would have
suffered. With clenched fists Hardwood
pushed toward him. Buckhurst flung him
distorted with that CHASTITY smile that
none who had ever seen ii could forget.
If you cable for my extradition:" he
said. TN cut your throat spy
Spy?' stammered Hardwood furiously.
Yes. an imperial spy who aided the
empress to escape from the Tuileries.
and your comrade and two women named
Chalais-you aided the empress"
HARDWOOD was dumb; Bourke stared at
Speyer, who sneered in his face. You
want witness? / am the witness" said
Speyer.
Buckhurst turned fiercely on Bourke:
Look out,'' he whispered: don't try
any OF your damned newspaper tricks on
me. The government last night decreed
the expulsion of every diSSolute woman
from Paris during the siege, and If you
on your charming little Chalais girlsi''
Hardwood struggled to strike him;
Buckhurst faced him. one hand in his
coat pocket.
i've got a pistol in my pocket" he
said. 1T covers you. If il wasn't that l
don't want a row that might lead to an
investsation I'd shoot you now. Stand
back Get out of here and keep your
mouth shut or I'll let the whole hall
tramole your face into the f1oorr'
Hardwood. white TO the lips. jostled by
the crowd pouring through the doors.
strove to keep his position in front of
Buckhurst. He looked into the pale. mer
CHESS eyes, he saw the outlines of fist and
levelled pistol in the black side pocket of
faces Deering at him from the passing
crowd-dark. sullen eyes. burning with
the smouledring fire of frenzy. Speyer
sneerea at him. Stauffer's weak blond
Come muttered Bourke. there is
nothing 10 do" and he laid his hand on
Harewood's arm.
No" said Harewood aloud, there is
nothing to do-now."
Buckhurst heard. His thin linps re-
coded again, showing an edge of snow
white teeth.
Neither now nor later" he said softly.
Leave this halli''
Speyer cut in: IF you give US any
trouble the governor of Paris shall know
HON the empress escaped And you can
take yourself out of the Rue Ypres, too
bag and baggage-and women!
Bourke had dragged Hardwood back to
the door. repeating in a whisper: For
Gods sake. Jim. let them alonei Let
them alone,' Buckhurst followed slowly,
Speyer at his elbow. Stauffer in the rear.
out in the empty hall; in the dark street
outside the foul sidewalks, wet with an
autumn shower. reflected the Pickering
flame of a single lampDost-
Bourke, urging Hardwood. backed out
into the street. The night was appalling
in its fathomless blackness. The leaves
on an unseen tree stirred somewhere
They've followed u.s." whispered
Bourke, straining his eyes back to the
black gaping door of the hall. Listen.
Jim
The silence was absolute Down the
street the single gas jet burned uncertain
ly now fiaring up into a yellow patch of
light now sinking to a blue spark.
Suddenly Hardwood felt the haunting
presence of something that he neither
saw nor heard. 1t was close to him. there
in the shadow. moving nearer. Then the
darkness seemed to part before his eyes
a shaft of flame singed his brow. and the
narrow street reSounded with the racket
of pistol shot. Instantly he struck out,
and struck again, solidly. knowing that it
was Buckhurst who had received the blow
full in the face. Somebody slid the shut
ter from lantern. He caught glimpse
of Bourke knocking Stauffer into the gut
ter. of Buckhurst, his white face soiled
with blood. cropping on the sidewalk for
his revolver, of Speyer swinging his arm
for blow. The blow was for Hardwood
himself. 1t caught him fairly on the neck
rise. A knee pressed him back. a knife
glimmered in the lantern light. falling
swiftly toward him. only to be caught
by another knife and sent whirling. And
now he was on his feet again. and again
the binding flash of a pistol dazzled him.
half revealing swarm of dark, hurrying
figures closing in around them. 1t re-
vealed something else, too-the hard face
of the Mouse starting from the shadows
at his elbow.
This way. mansieur." muttered the
Mouse. Hold to my arm"
lantern fell violently to the sidewalk,
rolled around and went out. leaving a
stencil of petroleum in the air. There
was a sudden rush. a collision. angry.
painting voices, the dull sound of blows a
shrill cry: The policer Hardwood. run
ming through the darkness. one hand on
the Mouse's 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 a minute they stood
there GREATNESS. listening to the distant
shouting and tramDling that gradually
grew duiler. as though the ARRAY had al
most subsidized.
"Mincer said the Mouse thrusting his
tongue into the corner OF his check and
holding up a broad-bladed knife. I was
just in time, Ell, monsieur" He shuf1ed
his feet refiectively, glanced obliuuely at
Bourke. shrugged his shoulders and
laughed. nodding half patronizingly when
Hardwood began to thank him.
"Bah-that Is nothing. my friend. There
are miracles in Belleville when the Mouse
patters through the dark. Besides the
four winds blow for nothing, but it costs
money to live
Come to the Rue d'Ypres tomorrow"
said Hardwood soberly. land the four
winds will blow you something besides
air.
impudent condescension. land. messieurs,