The San Francisco call., 1903-12-13
CHAPTER XIX.
IN WHICH A LAWYER HATH HIS
FEE

FEE
What Richards most natural resent
ment would have led to. in what new
tangle of the net Of bitterness we might
have been enmeshed. we were spared the
knowing For when he said She is not
here" two happenings interviewed to give
US both other things TO think OF.
The first was the advent. at the far
end of the oak-lined avenue. Of a troop
of British light horse. trotting leisurely:
the second was the swinging inward OF
the door Of unwelcOme. with old Anthony
grinning and bowling behind II.
Now when you have fairly surprised
fox IN the open, he asks nothing more
than a hole to hide in. There were the
hunters coming up the avenue: and here
was our dodge hole gaping before US.
So. as hunted things will. we took earth
quickly; though, truly, twas an ostrich
trick rather than a fOx's. since We left
the horses standing without TO advertise
our presence to all and sundry.
1t was Richard who first found the
wit to realize the ostrich play.
The horsesl We may as well have left
the town crier outside to ring his bell
and tell the redcoats we are here" he
would say; and before knew what he
would be at he had snatched the door
open and was whistling softly to his big
gray.
Hearing his masters call, the gray
pricked his ears and came obediently.
with the sOrrel tagging at his heels.
A moment later. when the up-cOming
troop was hidden by a turn IN the
avenue. we had the pair of them in the
hall with the door shut and barred be-
hind them.
so far. so good" quoth Dick Then
to the old black. who had stood by,
saucer-eyed and speechless. the while:
Anthony, do you be as big numbskull
as you were born to be, and hold these
redcOat gentlemen in palayer till we can
win out at the back"
The old majordomo nodded his good
viii, but now my slow wit came in play.
tfeafxr no ali n
horses will go out as they came in. or
not at all. Had you forgotten the stair
at the back?"
Judge for yourselves. my dears. II this
were the time. place or crisis for man
to fling himself upon the hall settle, grip
his ribs and laugh like any lack wit. Yet
this is what Richard Jennifer did.
1t was in the very midst Of his gust OF
i'll timed merriment. while the horses
were nosing niftily at their strange sur
roundings. and the hoof strokes Of the
redcOat troop could be plainly heard on
the gravel of the avenue. that I CHANGED
to lift my eyes to the stair. There look
ing down upon US. with speechless as
toundment in the blue-gray eyes, stood
our dear lady.
stamping her foot and crying: Mon
Dieu. What is this? Are you gone mad.
both Of your
Dicks answer was another burst Of
laughter, loud enough. you would think,
to be heard by those beyond the door.
Behold four witless brute beasts.
Mistress Madge-two horses and two
asses" he said And then to old An
thony: "Open the door, Tony, and invite
the gentlemen in"
But Margery was before him All. my
dears. a mans wit is like a matchbox
fixing and sputtering it's way nOisily to
find the powder while the enemy hath
time to ride up and saber the musketeer:
but woman's is like the spark in tin
derbOx-e quick snip Of flint and steel
and you have your fire. In a flash nv
lady had torn down the heavy curtains
from an inner doorway and was carpet
ing a horse path for US to the rear.
Quick" she cried; lead them gently,
for the love of heavenP
She went before US. padding the way
with whatever came first TO hand rugs.
curtains. table-cOvering. and I know not
what beside; and by the time the Brit
ish troopers were hammering at the
outer door. we were deep within the old
mansion and had made shift to drag the
unwilling horses by one and two-step
descents to a room half under and half
out of ground, which served as a sort OF