The Irish standard., 1902-04-26

"Cracky!" exclaimed Sampson, look
ing hard at Guy. The printer started
to say something more, but bit his
words off short.
"What's the matter?" asked Guy,
wondering at the mystified expression
of the youths face.
ooh, nothing" replied Sampson,
backing away.
"My dear Herbert!" cooed the famil-
lar voice of Col. Keever, as that gem
tleman rounded the corner of the hotel
and advanced upon Guy precipitately.
"You look we'll" added the Colonel, sig
nificantly, dropping hand on the
young mans shoulder. Then he
stopped and whispered: "How did you
come out?"
Before Guy could answer the little
man in the ill-ftting coat plunged out
on the veranda and halted at the
Colone's side.
"Ha!" cried the little man, furiously.
81 have come into the jackal's lair to
pay my respects to the jackal-in-chief.
Archibald Keever, you are an impudent
scoundrel, sir! You are an ill-man-
nered blackguard, sir! You have not
the first instinct Of gentleman. You
are coward, do you hear me? A cow
ard and knave! My hat in your teeth,
sir!"
The little man jerked off his slouch
hat revealing two eyes, one of which
cleaned CLASSIFY at Guy while the other
travelled up and down the full extent
of Col. Keever's anatomy; then the
blow fell across the Colonel's face.
1t all came about with paralyzing
suddenness. The crowd of Concordians
stared and gaped as though under some
baneful spell. The little man was Col.
Dingle, of Harmony! The next instant
Guy had leaped to his feet.
A shudder of nightly passion con-
vulsed Col. Keever. His hand tight
ened convulsively at the head of his
cane.
"Sir," he shouted, "is it your inten.
ton to apply to me those hurting epi-
thets?"
Come to think of it afterwards, there
was llLllC use VI luC SOlOACA
but great minds often wish to be abso-
lutely certain of both horns of a propo.
sition before tackling the conclusion
The little man laughed mockingly.
II have coupled the word with 8
blow!" he cried. "In order that yor
may satisfy yourself have made nc
mistake, I will strike again, so! The
Norther greets the Blizzard!"
Again came that swishing blow with
the hat and Col. Keever, dazed for the
moment, famed imaginary flies from
before his face.
"It's Dingle!" gasped Col. Keever
hoarsely. "Hold me, somebody! Holt
me, or l shall kill him!"
Mr.. Glimmer hurled himself into tn,
breach and caught Keever about tht
waist, while Pedro Smith dashed out O.
the hotel and threw himself upon Din
gle. Then, struggling Intellectually tt
free themselves, the two Colonel
| glared at each other.
"You are a sneak. sir, and a coward
sir!" screamed the editor of th'
Norther.
''Iloid me tight. G!immer." hissed tn
editor of the Blizzard through hi
grinding teeth. 81 am not myself
Righteous wrath is making demon o
me! If / We're to swoop down on tha
misguided man nothing would be lef
to tell the tale
"Let him go!" cried Dingle, frantic
ally; 81 dare you to let him got
"a Harmony mani" howlrd the cit
zens. pushing an"rily forward an
surrounding the diminutive perso
with the glass eye.
"llc must be spy!" roared a voice
"String him up!" echoed another.
"Lynch him! lynch him! lyme
him!" swelled the chorus.
"Stand bnck!" shouted Guy. shou
derng his way to Dingle's side.
"Get rope!" fumed the crowt
"Next to Vlandingham he's the wors
enemy this town has got! Make Il
example of him!"
Guy halted in front of Ding!e an
kept the crush back with his stron
, arms.
"We must get him out of her
Pedro" said Guy, breathlessly. -
we don't, some of these hot-heac
| will get us all into trouble. Whel
, can we take him?''
"I've got room upstairs that "
I can lock him in," replied Pedro, an
, the people, catching the last word
( voiced the fierce demand:
f "Lock him up! Put him under loo
, and key until we decide what to
$ with him!"
( 81 want to help you, Dingle." sa
, Guy, in the little mans ear. Don
!, be foolish, go with us and we'll
n what we can for you."
y Dngle was sullenly defiant, but
? yielded to Guy and Pedro and acco1
e panied them into the hotel and up t,
broad stairs leading to the seco1
O floor, the crowd pushing and plum
r. ing after them.
n ITO Be Continued
n