The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-04
CHAPTER xxlIi.--contInued.
A New Compact.

A New Compact
But the first feeling was the stronger.
She was one who was not afraid to look |
danger In the face. Nay she preferred
to know the worst rather than be kept in
suspense.
But in spite Of her courage she had
a feeling of detection which it took all her
resolution to combat The conviction that
wherever she went she was being followed
was intolerable She remembered her
sensation In Kensington Gardens after the |
! episode with Hargrave Denton, when she !
was haunted by the suspicion that some
body was shadowing her That fear ended
by the chance meeting with the man she
most dreaded. Could it be he who was
eternally pursuing her?
In spite Of her repugnance she felt
sorely tempted to test the thing prac-
tically Suppose she went out and looked
cautiously about her? 1t was scarcely
possible this man could escape her keen
vision. ..s.r
She sould not resist the temptation
and, dressing herself, she left the house
and walked down Piccadilly, flushed and
agitated.
The sinister appointment she intended
that evening to keep was Of course up
permost in her mind. but contending with
that was the fact that before long she
would be struggling like thousands Of
other young women to gain her livelihood
wanted for nothing.
But this was mot the only thing which
harassed her She had made up her mind
to find some way of helping Frank Holt
and his mother. It could be done easily
enough. If he objected to receiving money
from her-and secretly she was glad he
had SO objected-there was nothing to
prevent her buying his pictures thru
dealer. No names would be mentioned,
and he would not have the least suspicion
who the purchaser was.
But this project would have to be
abandoned. She was almost entirely with
out means, or soon would be. It was a
sad disappointment, for Frank Holt had
suffered terribly thru his innocent connec-
ton with the Tremaine tragedy, and she
felt in justic, If for no other reason, she
ought to do something to compensate him.
| But there was the Gainsborough. That
was her own, together with the other pic
lures. Both Mr.. Gwynne and the solicitor
had told her so. If she suffered that to
go she would be injuring Frank still more,
for he had a definite commission to copy
it, and that meant money. Fl,
Eyes, I'll keep the Gainsborough for a
time, she murnlured.@ And when he has
made copy it can be solo, &c., ...
It was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
and for the month of November fairly
light. 1t was too late for the park, and
she turned eastwards towards Charring
Cross. She purposely walked slowly, and
lnow and again stopped to look in the shop
windows, not to gaze upon the treasures
within but to give her opportunities Of
turning her head in different directions
and see If she were being followed.
But she saw no one who appeared to be
Swallowing her, and certainly no one who
at all resembled the man whom she so
much feared. True, there was a low
trampish-looking fellow selling matches,
slouching along at about the same pace as
herself; but this was an accidental COIN
cidence, as every now and again he
stopped to offer his matches to the pass
ers-b and these delays occupied about
4 the same time as her eloiterings at the
shop windows. ,&S*4lASzth5Sis14s
This man, with his pallid. unwholesome
complexion his closely cropped, light,
straw colored hair. his white eyelashes
and absence *of eyebrows, was repelant
enough but no worse than many monde
scripts one sees in the streets Of London,
and Eleanor took very little notice of
him.
Suddenly, however, just as she was
about to cross Piccadilly circus, someone
dashed past her and seized the fellow by
the throat. The next moment the two
men went down on the pavement with a
sullen thud, then one bounded lightly tc
his feet and in flash was lost to view.
The whole thing was so unexpected nc
one interfered; indeed, there was scarcely
time to interfere before the struggle was
ished and the other lying stunned on the
ground. But only for a second. Before
anyone could assist him he, too, was OF
his feet asking wildly which way thu
tramp had gone.
Half a dozen of the crowd which hat
gathered like magic volunteered informa
ton. The statement Of each was diff
ferent. r -,
whats up?" said stolid policeman
who came running from the fixed point
'That man I tried to stop is muir
derer," was the startling answer, deliv
cred in a breathless whisper to the police
-. man alone. --- '..
No one else heard the words. TIL
constable stared, as we'll he might.
"You had better tell that story to tn
inspector at the station" said he, and h
le beckoned to a comrade who was hurry
to ing towards the crowd
ct whats the use of that? I want til
l. man. Did no one see where he went?
90 was the frenzied reply.
at Its no good asking that question,
s. "retorted the police, grufhy. "Ain't Their
is half dozen different ways here? Who
to say where he's gone? If he's whs
" you say he Is We'll have him. Quickes
way is to give description Of him a
IL the station . ..-
The crowd gathered around, pressin
In close to the bare-headed young mai
or trembling with excitement, eager to cate
la, every WOrO out UNDERSTANDING IOINlnS
IS what they heard.
ul Now then, pass along-pass alon
at there"
The crowd surged backwards, takin
with 1T Eleanor, who had In vain trie
to get near the central, figure, for ST
had recognized in him Frank Holt.
A London crowd Is mysterious cor
gregation Of human atoms. It gathers
an instant and in it's curiosity is VI
satisfied it adheres to the object of i
pursuit with persistency truly remark
able. The crowd in this case certain
passed along, but In the direction take
by the policeman and his companion, t,
it wanted to hear more.
Eleanor, swept aside by the hums
wave, was utterly powerless. She he
been a witness of the strange encount
between Frank and the tramp, but VIII;
happened afterwards she had no idea, Fl
she was quite on the fringe of the CROW
and heard nothing. She tried to get son
information, but those she question:
were the latest Corners, and they kne
even less than she did,
For few minutes she stood, still owe
come by a fright which paralyzed al
numbed her brain. This tramp, who WI
he? Could he have been shadowing he
after all? If SO, then Hargrave Denton
warning was well founded. But VIII
had Frank Holt to do with him?
Yet she was not to be turned from h
resolve to meet Hargrave Denton in thr
hours time. She had formulated h
plan and was determined to risk ever
thing-ever her life.