The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-03-05
6be Nese, /
Arabian !
By ROBERT
LOUIS
STEVENSON
Mig hts


CSss7vRs ~ ~ rs NJ 9vE3OE - -:
What have you done?" cried Miss
Vandeleur. "He is dead"
The dictator replied in violent whis-
per, so strong and sibilant that every
word was audible to the watcher at the
window.
"Silence" said MI. Vandeleur. "The
man is as well as I am. Take him by
the heels while I carry him by the
shoulders.
z Francis heard Miss Vandeleur break
forth into a passion of tears.
do you hear what say" resumed
the dictator in the same tones, cor do
you wish to quarrel with me? give
you your choice, Miss Vandeleur."
There was another pause, and the
dictator spoke again.
''Take that man by the heels" he
said. II must have him brought into
the house. If I were a little younger,
could help myself against the world,
but now that years and dangers are
upon me and my hands are weakened
I must turn to you for aid"
1T is crime" replied the girl.
81 am your father" said Mr.. Vande-
leur.
This appeal seemed to produce it's
effect. A scuf11ing noise followed upon
the gravel, chair was overset, and
then Francis saw the father and daugh-
ter stagger across the walk and disap-
pear under the veranda, bearing the
inanimate body Of Mr.. ROLES embraced
about the knees and shoulders. The
young clergyman was limp and pallid,
and his head rolled upon his shoulders
at every step.
Was he alive or dead? Francis, in
spite Of the dictator's declaration, in
clined to the latter view. A great crime
had been committed, great calamity
had fallen upon the inhabitants of the
house with the green blinds. To his
surprise, Francis found all horror for
the deed swallowed up in sorrow for
a girl and an old man whom he judged
to be In the height Of peril. A tide of
generous feeling swept into his heart.
He, too, would help his father against
man and mankind, against fate and
justice, and, casting open the shutters,
be closed his eyes and threw himself
with outstretched arms into the foliage
of the chestnut.
Branch after branch slipped from his
grasp and broke under his weight.
Then he caught a stalwart Dough I'M
der his armpit and hung suspended for
a second, and then he let himself drop
and fell heavily against the table. A
cry Of alarm from the house warned
him that his entrance had not been
effected unobserved. He recovered him.
self with a stagger and in three bounds
crossed the intervening space and stood
before the door in the veranda.
In a small apartment, carpeted with
mating and surrounded by glazed
cabinets full of rare and costly curios,
MI. Vandeleur was STOPPING over the
body of Mr.. ROLES. He raised himself
as Francis entered, and there was an
instantaneous passage of hands. 1t
was the business of a second. AS fast
as the eye can wink the thing was
done. The young man had not the
time to be sure, but it seemed to him
as if the dictator had taken something
from the curates breast, looked at it
for the least fraction Of time as it lay
in his hand and then suddenly and
swiftly passed it to his daughter.
All this was over While Francis had
still one foot upon the threshold and
the oti1tS raised in the air. The next
instant he was on his knees to Mr..
Vandeleur
''Fatherv' he cried. Let me, too, help
you. l will do what you wish and ask
no questions. I will obey you with my
life. Treat me as a son, and you will
lind have a sons devotion"
A dep!orable explosion of oaths was
the -ictator's first reply
Son and father" he cried FEATHER
and son? What dashed unnatural
comedy is all this? How do you come
in my garden? What do you want
And who, in Gods name, are you?''
Francis, with a stunned and shame
faced aspect, got upon his feet again
and stood in silence.
Then light seemed to break upon
Mr.. Vandeleur and he laughed aloud.
SSSs N1iSO liz. IL Is Tue SCrVu-
occur. Very we'll, Mr.. Scrymgeour.
Let me tell you in few words how
you stand. You have entered my pri-
vate residence by force, or perhaps by
fraud, but certainly with no encour-
agement from me, and you come at q
moment of some annoyance, a guest
having tainted at my table, to besiege
me with your protestations. You are
no son Of mine. You are my brothers
bastard by a fishwife. if you want to
know. I regard you with an indihfer.
ence closely bordering on aversion, and
from what I now see of your conduct
Il judge your mind to be exactly suit.
able to your exterior. 1 recommend
you these notifying reflections for
your leisure, and, in the meantime. let
me beseecb you to rid us of your pres
ence. If were not occupied" added
the dictator, with terrifying oath, 81
should give you the unholiest drub
hing GRO Won went - -,-'