The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15
CHAPTER V.
Which Treats of a Strange Gallery h
 2 Strange Theater.


 it-that the last twenty-four hours had set the world wagsing another way for me.
 There was Fanny Jaekel up In Boston, whom had known so many years, whom I'd have sworn even now was of lhe best a man might ever hope or wish to call his own. And had l. perhaps thought 10 do so some day.
 There's but little good in denying what we know to be so. and t Is quite true that I had thought again and again of dear little Fanny watching for me from a certain window when I came homeward and giving me the doings of her sex at suprer, as gave her those of mine in ex- change.
 Will not man or boy of any age do the sane thing a hundred times in as many months? But Fanny seemed to have been there longest. oftenest. Yet, had I never Sd much as expected in all this what was tearing through my mind now after as un- canny a night as a man might dread to bs repeated.
 There stood Fanny's little white face against every tree as we-Roger and T. rugged on; and somewhat behind if. shining drought 1t. looking strangely at me. another that I had seen but part of a day-nrgIy, proud, kind. humorous, anything but sweet as 1t stared at me with the looks of so many different Fannies and all her friends that I'd ever knnwn swallowed up in something new. I could have dropped of Roger and kick ed myself for a light-headed fool to think such twist could come to me and switch my mind around to so different view.
 And I was like to have been of the horse. at any rat, just then, for through the string of my thoughts rang out clear on the morning air the loud ping of rife. Just ahead. but 50 near that Roger got away across the road little quicker than I. Standing 50 an instant, caught the unmistakable sounds of combat curses, blows. cries and ring of steel; and without thinking overmuch, l put horse tc his run. and covered the short space to a turn where a thicket of shrubs shut out the stretch of the road
 As we turned the corner. there in the middle of the highway stood four men, three of them ragged. one of huge stat ure and better dressed. the latter talking and laughing with rasping sarcasm as the other three set on him, but ever keeping them away with his long sword I was scarce twenty yards from them, and so fetched the lead from my pistol into the side of one, and caught a second on the head with the weapon itself, as Roger flew past the group. The surprise was equal for all five of us but the big one did not appear disturbed in the least. As I pulled up and turned, I heard him cry out
 Now my ragged son of the woods t is evener! Let me cut thy beautiful pate open! So! So again! Ho Here! Stop. you left-handed patriot! Oh, t Is a shame! TT Is shamew And he was off in among the trees after the third of the gang.
 One was dead for sure. and lay there in the mud. But the other got up to a sit- | ting posture. rubbing the side of his head | as I came over; and he gazed up at me | with d dazed surprize in his countenance | so comical to look upon that roared with laughter, to be interrupted with a loud mocking voice:
 Nay, t is no laughing matter. sir Here you have caused me to lose a gen. tleman of great value by your sudden in i terruption!" f'ts <
 'I?'' cried the most astonished of all, 1 now. .I?" My interruption!" sf ''Of a surety said the giant with . laughing face. and he grasped my hand warmly Here was I getting some little morning exercise with my three friends, and you must break in and-''
 T beg your pardon sir," said I, lowing low T fancied you had miscalculated the courtesy of these same friends"
 And" continue he and commit the strange breach in time of war of saving me from furnishing a delicate meal to my friends over there on the trees. But which tree did you drop from yourself?"
 NO such interesting feature of it, said l." the road and the abrupt curve made the whole thing appear over sud- den."
 My devoirs to the abrupt curve" said the young man with mock courtesy. lift ing his cap to the white highway. And now sir, whoever ye may chance to be. the chance is so good for me that would shake you by the hand and thank you for your saving my worthless neck, and say to you that when John Acton can do aught for you-why. by the Lord, call on him and try him. et
 And he held out his enormous hand with a frankness that I had done we'll to have trusted. a
 But I had been to close to failing in my mission more than once in the last twcnty-four hours. and tco close to los ing my own head to try any more experi- onces with strangers; and l, therefore. shook him by tho hand. telling him the whole thing was naught to speak of again, and went no further But as he asked me to accompany him to a hollow off the road where ran a brook. that he might wash the blood from hts face and | hair, I could see that I had hurt him by lacking in the confidence he showed.
 Little was said as he knelt by the stream. till caught the sound of horses feet, and looked up to see a troop of uni formed men coming from the north over a step hill As they clattered down ths ! slope I made up my mind that t was ap preaching the time when I should leave.
 As he raised his hat at the sound h, quickly took me by the arm and stepped across the brook into the shrubbery.
 "'T is a safe thing to avoid two skir mishes in the same hour said he with 6 l jovial laugh; and I agreed with him ir l more ways than one. Then:
 Do you stay here a bit. while I find out who they may be-" for the troop had pulled up where the stream, crossed the road.
 It was my chance now. If ever, and with i the light step I had learned from my ! fathers lessons, got by hard years in the ] Indian wars-a step that never broke a | twig or rustled leaf unnecessarily-I was away in a moment. making for the | direction of the river bank in the hope of | getting to the other side: for. in good ernest. this was too populous acuntry | for me to move in just now.
 As got away. 1 heard hail from the l big lungs of John Acton. but it only add | ed to my speed. and, by the best chance