Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-04

hIlcu up by the giant inquire OF I'm
phray Spurway.
though he had expected his masters
presence, viii gave back a step. I'm
phray Spurway had a way when dis
turbcd of boxing the ears of a servant who
annoyed him, and that without examination
J or discussion, a habit which enabled him to
preserve excellent discipline, but which
sometimes led to momentary injustice. And
Umphray Spurway's hand was no feather
bolster.
What do you here, WHIP" his voice
rumbled across the narrow street. Annals
heart beat and she would have run to him,
but for the knowledge that that woman
was peeping timidly past his shoulder.
Then VIII went over the history Of the
day as it was known TO him, Umphray
standing glooming in the doorway with the
warm and lighted house kitchen behind him
and my mothers knitting dropped on the
clean-swept hearth.
At every mention of my being lost my
mother uttered a little moan of apprehen-
sion. For since the Yeti house terror sat
night and day contiguous to her lips. At
the third repetition Umphray spurway
turned him about swiftly.
MARY" he said, do not fear. l will
bring the lad back to you if he be in this
town.
And he wheeled into the house again to
get his broad u%nplumed hat.
shut the door, Mary, behind us, "he
said; open it to none. And keep your heart
up. This is but some boyish play of
Philips, for which l will tan his ill-condi-
toned hide
NAY, nay, not if you love me-" said my
mother through the door; promise you
will not, for my sake. 1t is all Philips
high spirit!'
High devils tricks Umphray growled.
such high spirits are best moderated with
a ropes end! Bide within, Mary, and do as
l bid yCu!"
Umphray had found his ordinary way with
all men to serve him best with my mother
also. For she loved masterful men Gas in
deed most women do, and naturally obeyed
them.
So out into the mild, star-sown clarity
of the night Umphray Spurway came. And
as soon as Anna heard the chain rattle back
to its place behind the door of the little
corner. house in the Vennel she ran lightly
to Umphray and clasped him by the arm.
Anna" he cried in great establishment
stopping at the edge Of the quay, what in
heavens name do you in this place at such
an hour?' And he turned the girl about
with her face to a lighted window, that he
might see what was in her mind.
Then, in hasty, broken sentences, the girl
told him all the tale that has been told
already-of my Uncle John, of Saul Mark,
of the bout at single-stick and of the track
ing of her father across the hill. finishing
with her meeting with Will, and how the
two of them had lost their quarry at the
outer port of the town.
Now it CHANGED that, even as these three.
Anna, VIII and Mr.. Spurway, stood thus
on the quay Of Abercairn, and while Umphray
rubbed his chin with his fingers, that a
couple Of men strolled down the fairway, IL
such the narrow path could be called which
led between the gables of the seaward houses
and the ranged barrels and cooper's slaves
upon the wharf.
One of these was large and portly of body.
with an outline in the region of the stomach
which Obscured both the head and the tail
lights of a ship anchored out in the bay. He
wore a great hat tucked up with a silver
buckle at tho side, while a well-fed, pursy
lace, twinkling eyes and short, thick legs
that hardly passed each other in walking,
Informed all concerned that Provost Gregory
Partan was seeing to the safety and
prosperity of the town of which he was at
once the ornament and chief ruler.
His companion on the right was of an
olheF Uolu, a lltne, dark man, wearing a
hat of foreign make pulled low over his
eyes. And as he went, large silver rings, as
wide as crown pieces, glinted in his ears.
At sight of him Anna Mark grasped the arm
of Umphray Spurway.
Look-look! she whispered. there is
my father. Ask him where Philip is"
The two men were walking arm in arm,
and presently, stumbling over a cask, the
provost swerved a little to the left to avoid
the piled confusion of the quay, and, as he
did so, he noted Umphray Spurway standing
by the corner of the street with his com
panions a little behind him in the dusk of
the wall.
- Draw and balmy NIGHT" he said, maxi
ing his magisterial salutation, which was al
ways considered to be of super-oxcellcnt
dignity. 'Ah! good Master Spurway, what
gives us poor folk of Abercairn the pleasure
land may add honor Of your company?
But | forgot-yes, yes, | have heard there Is
an attraction at the foot Of the Vennel
that robes us in a worthine3s not our own.
a dainty bit widow, Master spurway. or.
rather, when | think of it, scarcely a widow,
but if one may say SO without ~olfen5e, SO
much the more taking ca that account"
Not even you, Provost Partan, can say