The San Francisco call., 1903-01-18

brown head to the tip of her little pink
heels.
"Oh, if l had only taken your advice,
ed place: and to think. too. that I came
here only to learn the worst. Shall We
ever get home alive, do you think?'
taking less care TO remain unseen than he
did when coming; Marys fears grew
his form persistently following them, and
she clutched Jane by the arm.
"It is all up with us. / know. ! would
have ON earth for-for Master Brandon at
this moment" She thought Of him as the
one person best able to defend her.
This was only too welcome an oPpOrtu-
Brandon following us If we wait few
seconds he will be here" and she called to
him before Mary could interpose.
Now this disclosure acted in two ways
Brandon's presence was, 1t is true, Just
what Mary had ardently wished. but
the danger, and. therefore, the need, was
gore when she found that the man who
was following them had no evil intent.
Two thoughts quickly flashed through the
girls mind. She was angry with Brandon
for having cheated her out of so many
favors and for having sighted her in
love. she had succeeded in convincing
herself the case. all of which Grouche
had confirmed by telling her he was false.
Then she had been discovered In doing
what she knew she should have left un-
dCne and what she was anxious to con-
eeal from every one: and. worst of all
had been discovered by the very person
from whom she was most anxious TO
hide it,
So she turned upon Jane angrily, "Jane
BoIingbroke, you shall leave me as soon
as we get hack - F'-~~r'-vich for this be-
tTayal of my confidence"
She was not ana 80. ..4 - that the danger
was over. and feared no new danger with
Brandon at hand to protect her. for in
her heart she felt that to overcome a few
fiery dragons and a company or so of
rfaar afe he mo 81 frna to hi
yet see how she treated him. The girls
had stopped when Jane called Brandon,
and he was at once by their side with un-
covered head, hoping for. and. of course.
expecting, a warm welcome But even
Brandon, with his fund of worldly phiIOs-
ophy had not learned not to put his trust
in Princesses, and his surprise was be-
numbing when Mary turned angrily upon
him.
Master Brandon, your impudence in
following us shall cost you dearly. We
thank you to leave us to our own affairs
as we wish you to attend exclusively to
yours
This from the girl who had given him
so much within less than week! Poor
Brandon
Jane. who had called him up. and was
the cause of his following them. began to
"sir." said she. forgive me; 1T was not
my fault; she had just said" Slap came
Mary,s hand hand on on James mouth: and Jane
The girls had started up toward East
Cheap when they left Grouche's, intend
ing TO go home by an upper route, and
now they walked rapidly in that direction
Brandon continued to follow them. not
withstanding what Mary had said. and
she thanked him and her God ever after
that he did.
They had not been walking more than
f1ye minutes when. just as the girls
turned corner into a secluded little
street winding its way among the fish
warehouses. four horsemen passed Bran
don In evident pursuit of them. Brandon
hurried forward. but before he reached the
corner heard screams of fright. and as he
turned into the street distinctly saw that
two OF thOmen had dismounted and We're
trying to overtake the fleeing girls
Fright lent wings to their feet, and their
short skirts affording freedom to their
limbs, they were giving their purSuers a
warm little race, screaming at every steI
to the full limit of their voices. How they
did run and scream 1t was but mo-
ment till Brandon came up with the pur-
suers, who, all unconscious that they In
turn were pursued. did not expect an at
tack from the rear. The men remaining
on horseback shouted an alarm TO theiI
comrades. but 50 intent were the latter in
their pursuit that they did not hear. One
OF the men on foot fell dead, pierced
through the back Of the neck by Bran
don's sword before either was aware oil
his presence. The other turned. but was
a corpse before he could cry out. The
girls had stopped short distance ahead
exhausted by their flight. Mary haC