The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-09-21

DdIliGb Win oO MUM hO56f0
ness that he had been rewarded by
baronetcy without ever having had TO
expose the defects OF mis- early eduCn-
ton by making long speech in the
house.
Whatever his party did was right;
that was his motto. and he had lived
up to it with simplicity which had
brought its inevitable reward
The consequence was that his only
son was able to give up any active
share in the business, and to play at
being country gentleman Of patri-
archal descent, while his wife could
assume the airs Of a Lady Bountiful
on the one hand, and, outshine all the
great ladies of the neighborhood by
her diamonds. on the other.
Peterscourt, the country seat Of the
distinguished pair, was of course an
old place where many generations Of
ancestors-of somebody else-had
lived their little day.
It was large, rambling, two-storied
building, dating from some far away
period, and altered in the castellated
style in the early years of Victoria's
reign
Beautifully situated in the southern
part of the country of Dorsetshire, it
was little too far away from London
to be quite to the taste OF Lady Peters,
vino was ambitious Of playing a great
part in society, and who would often
run up to town for a few days at
time, while her husband was enjoy
ing his dignified scclusion within the
we'll wooded grounds and park of Pet
erscourt.
It was on one Of these occasions,
when the baronet was sitting in soil
tary state in dis great library after
dinner, ais little electric lamp on he
table behind him and a pile Of litera-
ture suitable to a country gentleman
by his side. that he was disturbed
in his leisurely perusal of his pape:
by the sound Of a footstep on the
gravel outside.
He had scarcely raised his head,
when. to his surprise and alarm. a
man In the unmis akabie dress OF a
convict, painting. GREATNESS, with
starting eyes and hanging jaw, leape1
upon the window ledge from outside,
and then fell, exhausted, upon The
carpet.
by Jove!" cried Sir Jasper as he
sprang up and made for the bell.
But the man was 100 quick for him.
Painting still, indeed, bat recovering
himself sufficiently TO stagger TO ais
feet and across the floor, the unwel-
come visitor threw himself upon the
terror stricken baronet, and STOPPING
at the same moment for the poker,
which he was near enough to reacil,
he growled out between his set teeth
Q threat TO "do for" that unhappy
gentleman IL he so much as uttered
a call for help
Sir Jasper gurgled OUT promise to
refrain. which he did not mean keep.
and the man thereupon let him down
again into the armchair from wAich
be had risen, and suddenly altered his
threatening tone for one of abjeet en-
treaty
look ere. gunner" said ne, in a
thick, hoarse whisper, moisteniag his
mouth as ne spoke, still standing near
and holding the poker in his hand,
but no longer menacing his unwilling
host. 81 don't want fo~ to do yer no
arm. I'm not so bad as what you'd
think for to look at the dress I've got
on.
"Youre a c--c-eonvict! STAN
mered Sir Jasper half timorous and
half surly you've escaped from
Portland
The man frownel uneasily.
We'll. SOS a many more than me
been convicts. and many as deserve
it a precious sight wus nor what
do" said ,he man. And as he spoke
he threw from time to time an an
xious glance toward the window by
which he had entered But this amt
no time for to throw my failings in
my face I'm a united man, that's
what am. The warders is after
me"
what cried Sir Jasper, with
something so like relief in his face
that his guest seowled him promptly
into silence.
Surely. guvIor. you wouldn't go for
to betray united man. noble gentle
man like you. With everything and
some and comfortable about him! You
wouldn't go 10. to give up a poor
wretch that hegs you to give aim
change OF clothes. would ycu?
Ah--h--h!'
The SQUAD he uttered was an indie
scribable enc. as he suddenly straight
ened himself and listened with strain
ing ears TO the unmistakable sound of
rapid footstep on the gravel.
They're coming They've traced
me ere. For mercy's sake, sir, don't
give me ua,H
The baronet locked at The close
cropped head, with the ugly ears
standing out on each side, and the
coarse features distorted with fear,
with disgust ne found it hard to
hide. He. too. heard the approaching
footsteps. and secretly congratulated
himself upon his prospective deliver