Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-03-24

He did not Join ID ne Demonstrations:
Of his neighbors. =. - z5z = -,
He seemed preoocupied. And b Isft
the neighborbood Of the court WITH his
shoulders thrust up and his eyes glued
on the pavement The chill Of approaob-
ing capture and death was gripping at
his heart.
CHAPTER XIII.
RUN T0. EARTH.
Mr.. Finnecure Vandeleur was in low
water. African interest had ceased to
| boom, and Lost In the. Great Sahara"
10 longer attracted bumper houses.
| He was now living in very third rata
! rooms of Bond street, and a few days
! after Fitzgerald's oommittal brother
| actor looked in to pass the evening with
him.
He was the heavy tragedy man Of the
company, and in private life he man
! aged to combine the idioeynorasies Of
the melancholy Jacques with the Pc
! ouliarities of King Cana. He was not
exactly q joEial companion at his best,
and MIR. Vandeleur evinced no particu-
lar pleasure when he entered.
IA charming little den, Finnyl" said
the newcomer after minute survey of
the cheerless apartment, lit reminds
me strongly of your Melnotte days. We
only require your widowed mother to be
complete.
"You'd make deuoed poor Pauline
at any rate, " retorted Vandeleur. "I'd
prefer Miss Hastings"
Nov, would you? II you'd said the
| Western girl, could have understood.
| | see you have her picture over there.
! Do you know, Fnny, always thought
! you had hand in her Disappearance
Mr., Finnecure Vandeleur seemed
grati6ed by this insinuation, but he
waved his dirty hand.
mo, no, Lorton-'pon my honor, no.
l won't say hadn t chance in that
direction, but there was Dick, and he
was my friend. Need say more?"
| A sheer wriggled across Mr. Lorton 8
lips.
"Your sentiments do you, honor, sir, "
! he said with melodramatic etfusion.
| "Allow me to shake hands,
Don't be an ass, Lorton. Look here
let's do something or other. can't
sit listening to you
"Then stand, man. I've seen 80 in
the pit and half the gallery doing that.
when other people have played to empty
! benches.'
''Ah, that's not my way. I never care
to chuck paper about broadcast, Lorton
! Well, shall we play nap?''
For oyster shells, or what? haven't
silver and I don't believe you've
found a gold mine in the Sahara lately.
, one live in this mystic grove but your
self?''
"There's man III the back room.
Looks as if he broke the bank years ago
and was living on the reminiscence.
"Trot him out, then
Don't know him. Go yourself. He
seems surly brute, or your genial elo-
! quence would no doubt fetch him.
Nothing loath, Mr.. Lorton proceeded
to the back sitting room, and after long
absence returned with the other man.
He was a swarthy looking individual
with scrubby beard and keen. piercing
eyes,
"A1r. Matthews, said Lorton, usher
ing him into the room. "allow me to in
Vandeleur Mr. Finnecure Vandeleur,
your neighbor, Mr., Matthews. -
| "Glad to see you, Mr.. Matthews.
said Vandeleur, shaking hands. MIR
Lorton and myself find time hanging
heavily Oh our hands We thought you
would perhaps take pity On as and pre-
! vent our quarrellng.'
Cards - said the newcomer, glanc-
ing at the pack on the table cold
friends, see, - he added as he fingered
them.
"Signs,o of the times dear boy said
Finnecure' Vandeleur. 'Some day in the
next few months may be able to afford
a new pack. -
Such old friends,' continued Mat
thews disregarfling the explanation,
shat you must know most of the cards
presumably
Sir" said Mr.. Vande]eur, lido you
wish toinsult gentleman? II you don t
like the cards you can get out, and be
hanged to you.
Mr.. Matthews did not take advantage
of the suggestion For various reasons
he was thirsting for any small excite
n,ent which would take him out of him
self.
He sat down and dealt around, faces
upperInost. The first knave came to
himself.
"Ah!' he said, II DEAL
The stakes were not high. They play
ed for the smallest brown coin but one
which passes current in this realm
They played keenly. The actors were
adopts at the game Mr.. Matthews show
ed himself to be no novice.
Once Mr.. Matthews asked for drink.
. Mr.. Lorton said that drink was thing
abhorrent to him. Mr. Matthews said
that he should not have guessed that
from Mr.. Lorton's visage, MIR. Vande-
Ie1lr iOinel in and ga i'll that If the strsn