Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-09
BENEDICT GORDON.
81 REVERE RODGERS.
written for the SUNDAY GLOBE.
CHAPTER XIV

had followed her hid his Durly ngufe III
friendly doorway, on the opposite side OF
the street, and watched the mysterious
actions of the girl. To get better view Of
his quarry, the man was about to step out
from his place of coucealment, when the
sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps
caused him to hurriedly abandon his inteu-
tion. AT this moment man passed within
few feet Of the shrinking figure in the
doorway, and joined the waiting girl on the
corner.
After a few minutes conversation the
couple went slowly down Fourth street, in
the direction of Market street To the
watcher on the other side the man appeared
to be expOstulating earnestly with the girl.
Once she stopped abruptly, aud attempted
70 turn back, but clutch of her arm and a
few hurried words from her companion
caused her to alter her intention, and to-
gether the two went slowly down the street.
On the south side OF Fourth street, mid
way between Market and Frederick streets
there stood row of small white painted
frame houses twenty-five or thirty years
ago. they were the very hot bed of disorder
and crime One particularly was notorious
as a house of assignation, whose patrons
were numbered among the very flower Of
ATN0AkNAOMM yGuhE a. AoA1NAeNyf
In front of this house the man and girl
paused; the girl silent, and the man expos
tulating vigorously. Another moment and
they are at the doorstep. knock aud the
door is silently opened from within and the
man quickly enters; bat the girl with one
loot over the threshold hesitates and hangs
back spirit that watches over the foot
steps of unprotected and tempted woman
hood. now is the time to exert thy most
potent influence. But no voice powerful
enough to swerve the hesitating girl from
The influence Of her male companion, whis-
pers words of warning in her ear, aud Alice
Rider steps over the threshold and is
damned fOrevermore.
Oh, Saunders, and men Of thy damnable
ilk when the great day comes then If not
before, shall you suffer the most poignant
and the most excruciating agony for such
sins as the one you now contemplate.
The man on the other side of the street
gave vent to a long low whistle expressive
of surprise when the door had been closed
after the admittance of the couple, and with
his hands thrust deep into his pocket, he
remained mOtiOnless for a few moments, as
if in deep meditation; then pulling his coat
we'll up about his throat and chin he turned
about and went quickly up the street
AS he turned the corner of Frederick
street he paused moment and striking his
clenched fist in the palm of his hand, he
exclaimed: mo, by Cod, I'll say nothing
20 mother about this, I can get more
dough from the fellow" With this pur-
pose firmly imbedded in his whisky be-
sotAed brain, Captain Bill went hurriedly
down the street in the direction in which
be had come.
II was a superb day in the month Of May
when Browne, Gordon, and their youthful
driver halted under the branches of a
spreading oak tree to prepare their mid
day meal.
The grass about was of an emerald hue.
The trees were lea6ng beautifully and as
far as the eye could discern, the early corn
aud wheat waved gracefully in the gentle
breeze. II was a magnificent pastoral pic
ture. In the back ground, the silent and
impressive forest. In the foreground, the
many acres of wheat and corn, that were
rapidly shutting out from view, the bare
brown patches of naked soil, that here and
there asserted themselves as if crying
aloud to be covered
1t was such a picture that daubers of
paint have been trying for years 10 repro
duce; but one, and only one artist is capable
of such a feat, and that is nature s only
artist-the Almighty God.
Benedict lay with his back against tree
and with his hands clasped behind his head
In his mouth he had his short briarwood
pipe, out of which he seemed to be deriving
the greatest amount of enjoyment. He was
the personi6cation of contentment as he
lay with half closed eyes, drinking in the
deep aud enchanting beauty of the maguif-
cent scene.
Brown was engaged at the wagon in sep
arating Benedict's painting material out Of
a conglomerated mass of fishing tackle,
guns, boxing gloves, fencing foils, and other
athletic appliances, aud placing them on
the ground in readiness for that eccentric
aentleman to go to work on, whenever the
Spirit moved him.
Bolivar, after seeing to the wants of his
equine charge, returned to the wagon and
began setting out the provisions that were
intended for their MONDAY luncheon.
Charley Browne. having completed his
task seated himself beside his friend, and
taking out his pipe began to smoke COM
placently, at the same time watching the
actions Of Bolivar with great deal of lively
interest,
This taciturn young individual FIRST spread
a clean Whlte clOth upon the ground. On
this he placed two plates then slowly un-
rolling paper package he took therefrom
two generously propOrtioued sandwiches
and proceeded to deposit one in each plate
without so much as letting his hands touch
their snowy whiteness third sandwich,
which he had wrapped in a separate pack
age, he thrust into the bosom of his jacket;
then getting into the wagon he re-appeared
in another moment with six bottles of amber
colored beer
No sooner did Boliver appear, laden with
the beer than Gordon and Browne, with an
alacrity strangely at variance with their
former recumbent attitudes, sprang quickly
TO their feet and hastened to his assistance.
Ny dear dear sir" drawled Benedict
grasping the lad by the shoulder, "pray
allow me. to assist thee to alight?"
"Cap'n," laughingly cried Browne, "if
you make a false step and smash one of
those nectar of the gods bottles I'm sadly
afraid that your days Of usefulness will be
a thing Of memory with you only"
Let me erlone. can't yer2" cried the boy
doggone ef ever see such people"
Bolivar. after depositing the beer in a
nearby spring seated himself at little dis