The Cook County herald., 1901-07-06
A Brave ,OWard.
By Robert Louis Stevenson.

and there, from the northern corner Of
the YVood, sbehe1d a thin column Of
smoke rising steadily against the now
cloud less sky. II. y
Northmour,'' said 1--WE still contin-
ued to talk in Whispers) sit is not pos
slble to endure this suspense. prefer
death fifty times over Stay you here
to watch the pavilion; Il will go for
ward and make sure, if I have to walk
right into their camp.
He looked once again all around him
with puckered eyes and then nodded
assentingly to my proposal.
MY heart beat like a sledge-hammer
as | set out, walking rapidly in the di-
rection of the smoke; and though up
to that moment had felt chill and
shiyering, I was suddenly conscious Of
glow Of heat over all my body. The
| ground in this direction was very un-
even; hundred men might have lain
hidden In as many square yards about
my path. But had not practiced the
business in vain; chose such routes as
cut at the very root Of concealment
and, by keeping along the most con-
venient ridges, commanded several
hollows at time. f.
It was not long before was reward
ed for my caution. Coming suddenly
on to mount somewhat more elevated
than the surrounding hummocks saw,
not thirty yards away, a man bent al
most double and running as fast as
his attitude permitted along the bot
tom of a gully. I had dislodged one of
the spies from his ambush. AS soon as
I sighted him I called loudly in Eng
lish and Italian, and he, seeing conceal
ment was no longer possible, straight
ened himself out, leaped from the gully
and made off as straight as an arrow
for the borders of the wood.
1t was none of my business to pursue;
had learned what I wanted-that we
were beleaguered and watched in the
pavilion, and I returned at once, and
walking as nearly as possible in my old
footsteps, to where Northmour await
ed. me beside the dispatch-box. He
was even paler than when I had left
hc@AAo H1AO tolSC SliUOh d 11tl1C.
Gould you see what he was like?"
he asked, .-.
He kept his back turned, I replied
Let us go into the house, Frank. I
don't think I'm a coward, but I can
stand no more Of this" he whispered
All was still and sunshiny about the
pavilion as we turned to re-enter it,
even the gulls had flown in wider
circuit, and were seen Pickering along
the beach and sandhills, and this lone
illness terrified me more than regi=
| ment under arms. It was not until the
| door was barricaded that I could draw
| a full inspiration and relieve the
weight that lay upon my BOSOM North
mour and I exchanged steady glance
i and suppose eacn ;rnede his own re-
| Elections on the white and starr1od as
pect of the other. -
you were right" I said Gail is
| over. Shake hands, old man. for the
! last time "
Eyes, replied he II will shake hands
for as sure as am here I bear no
malice. But, remember, if by some
impossible accident We should give the
| slip to these blackguards, I'll take the
upper hand of you by fair or foul"
cor said I. ''you weary me-"
He seemed hurt, and walked away in
| silence to the foot of the stairs.
The remainder of the day was passed
| in the same dreadful tedium and sus-
pense. 1 laid the table for dinner,
while Northmour and Clara prepared
| the meal together in the kitchen. 7
| could hear their talk as I Went to and
| fro, and was surprised to find il ran
all the time upon myself Northmour
again bracketed us together, and raj
| lied Clara on choice of husbands but
| he continued to speak Of me with some
| feeling, and uttered nothing to nv
| prejudice unless he included himself
| In the condemnation. This awakened
a sense of gratitude in my heart which
combined with the i1nmediateness Of
! our peril to fill my eyes with tears.
| After all, thought-and perhaps the
thought was laughably vain-we were
here three very noble human beings to
perish in defense Of thieving banker.
Before we sat down to table, I looked
forth from an upstairs window. The
| day was beginning to decline; the links
We're utterly deserted; the dispatch box
still lay untouched where we had left
it hours before. .as@
Mr.. Huddlestone, in a long yellow
dressing-gown, took the end OF the
! table, Clara the other, while North
mour and faced each other from the
sides. The lamp was brightly trim
med; the wine was good; the viands,
although mostly cold, excellent of their
4 sort. # 4
Mr.. Huddlestone was certainly no or
dinary character; he had read and OBJ
served for himself: his gifts were
] sound, and, though / could never. have
| learned to love the man, began to
4 understand his success in business, and
the great respect IN which he had been
held before his failure. He had, above
all, the talent Of society e and though j
never heard MIN speak but on this one
/ and most unfavorable occasion, / set
him down among the most brilliant
II EcOnYerSatiOnaliStS 4 ever met