The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-22

6sHC>S $NH>nH>HA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
| he eclaimed, impulsively. "You Will par
! don me for coming thus, when say l
| have just been robbed of my horse. Twas
| at your very door, and methinks you must
know the highwayman. I have come to
tell you of the news"
You don't mean
Yes but + do! Twas no less than
Mr.. Law, of Scotland. He hath taken my
horse and gone off like whirlwind, leav-
ing me afoot and friendless. save for
your good self. I am begging a taste
of tea and q little biscuit for VOW I am
half famished'
The Lady Catharine Knollys, in sheer
| reaction from the strain, broke out into a
peal Of laughter ...-. -,
Sure, he has strange ways about him,
this same Mr.. Law" said she. THAT
| young man would have come here direct
and would have made himself quite at
| home methinks, had he but the first en-
| couragement."
Cad! Lady Catherine, but he has a
conceit OF himself. Think you of what he
has done in his short stay here in town.
First, as you know, he sat at cards with
| two or three of us the other evening
Charlie Castleton, Beau Wilson, myself
and one or two besides. And what doth
he do but stake a bauble against good gold
! that he would make sept ct la va
And did it," ."
And did it. Yes, faith as though he
saw 1t coming. Yet twas who cut and
dealt, the cards. Nor was that the half of
| it," he went on. He let the play run on
till twas seize at Ia va, then vingt-un ct
| la va. then twenty-five. And, strike me,
! Lady Catharine, if he sat not there cool
| as my Lord Speaker in the parliament, and
saw, the cards run to trente ct Ia va, as
| though 'twere more to him than the
| eating of an orange"
| And showed no anxiety at al?'
| None, tell you, and he proved to us
| plain that he had not tWo-penee to his
name, for that he had been robbed the
| night before while on his way to town.
| He staked diamond, a stone Of worth.
| l must say, his like was never seen at
| cards."
He hath strange quality"
THAT you may say. Now read me some
| farther riddles of this same young man.
He managed to win from me little shoe
of an American savage, which 1 had
| bought at a good price but the day be-
fore. 1t came to idle talk of ladies' shoes,
and wagers-well, no matter; and so Mr..
Law brought on sudden quarrel with
Beau Wilson. Then, though he seemed
not wanting in courage, he half declined
| to face Wilson on the field. Sudden to
change as ever, this very morning he sent
| word to Wilson by Mr.. Castleton that he
| was ready to meet him at this afternoon.
| God save us, what a haste was there!
| And now, to cap it all, he hath taken my
horse from me and ridden off to keep an
appointment which he says he never
made. Cad! These be odd ways enough,
| and almost too keen for me to credit. Why,
'twould not surprise me to hear that he
had been here to make love to the Lady
| Catharine Knollys, and to offer her
| the proceeds of his luck at
faro. And, strike me, if that
same luck holds he'll have all the money
in London in another fortnight! l wish
him joy of Wilson,"
He may be hurt!' exclaimed the Lady
| Catherine, starting up.
who? Beau Wilson, exclaimed Sir
Arthur. Take no fear. He carries, a
good blade.''
"Sir Arthur" said the girl lis there
no way to stop this foolish matter? Is
there not yet timer
"Why, as to that said Sir Arthur, cit
all depends upon the speed Of my own,
horse. I should think myself cen let off
cheaply if he took the horse and rode on
out of London, and never turned up
again. Yet, I bethink me, he has way
Of turning up. If so, then we are too late.
Let him go. For me, I'd Hefer sit me
here with Lady Catharine, who, perceive
Is about now to save my death Of hunger,
| since now l see the tea, tray coming.
Thank thee prettily.''
a hand none too steady. "Sir Arthur"
said she, you know why have this con-
Germ over such quarrel. You know we'll
enough what the duello has cost the house
Of Knollys. OF my uncles, four were
killed upon this so-called field Of honor
My grandfather met his death in that
same way. Another relative, before my
time, Is reputed to have slain a friend
In this same manner. AS you know but
three years ago, my brother, the living
representative of our family, had the mis-
fortune to STAY his kinsman in duel
which sprang out of some little jest.
say to you, Sir Arthur, that this quar-
rel must be stopped, and we must do thus
much for our friends forthwith. It must
not go on" =: -; 49,:
For our friends! Our friends!" cried
Sir Arthur. "Ah, ha! so you mean that
the old beau hath hit thee, too, with his
ardent eye. Or-hang! What-you mean
not that this stranger, this Scotchman, is
a friend of yours?'
IT speak but confusedly," said the Lady
Catharine. "'Tis my prejudice against
such fighting, as you know. Can we not
ing?"
i 20, I doubt if, there be much need of
haste" said Sir Arthur, balancing his cup
in his hand judicially. This matter will
fall through at most for the day. They
assuredly cannot meet until tomorrow
This will be the talk of London if it goes
on in this pellmell, hurly-burly fashion,
AS to the stopping of it-well now, the
law under William and Mary said that
one who Stays another in duel of pre-
meditation is nothing but a murderer
and may be hanged like any felon; hanged
by the neck till he be dead Alas, what
a fate for this pretty Scotchman!"
Sir Arthur paused A look of wonder
swept across his face. "Open the win
dow, Annie!" he cried suddenly to the
servant. "Your mistress is ILL.,"
i (To be continued to-morrow.)