Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-02-20

LII " Adt way OAu L " CO11SlIuc yOur
attitude. sir?" demanded Vandeleur.
'Why, sir, as you please" returned
Pendrag0n.
The general once more raised his
cane and made cut for Charles head,
but the latter, lame foot and all, evad-
ed the blow with his umbrella, ran in
and Immediately closed with his for
midable adversary.
run, Harry; runv' he cried. "Run.
you dolt!" 49,.
Harry stood petrifed for a moment,
watching the two men sway together in
this fierce embrace; then he turned
and took to his heels. When he cast
glance over his shoulder. he saw the
general PROSTATE under Charles knee,
but still making desperate efforts to re-
verse the situation, and the gardens
seemed to have filled with people, who
were running from all directions to-
ward the scene Of fight. This spectacle
lent the secretary wings, and he did
not relax his pace until he had gained
the Bayswater road and plunged at
random into an unfrequented bystreet.
To see two gentlemen of his acquaint-
ance thus brutally mauling each other
was deeply shocking to Harry He de-
sired to forget the sight; he desired,
above all, to put as great distance as
possible between himself and General
Vandeleur, and in his earnestness for
this he forgot everything about his
destination and hurried before him
headlong and trembling. When he re.
membered that Lady Vandeleur was
the wife Of one and the sister of the
other of these gadiators, his heart was
touched with sympathy for woman so
distressingly misplaced in life Even
his own situation in the generals house
hold looked hardly so pleasing as usual
in the light of these violent transac-
TONS
He had walked some little distance,
busted with these meditations before
slight collision with another passenger
reminded him of the bandbox on his
arm.
"Heavens:" cried he. "Where was
my head, and whittier have l wander
ed?"
Thereupon he consulted the envelope
which Lady Vandeleur had given him.
The address was there, but without
name. Harry was simply directed to
ask for ''the gentleman who expected
a parcel from Lady Vandeleur," and If
he were not at home to await his re-
turn. The gentleman, added the note.
should present receipt in the hand
writing of the lady herself. All this
seemed nightly mysterious, and Harry
was above all astonished at the omis-
sion of the name and the formality of
the receipt. He had thought little of
this last when he heard it dropped in
conversation; but, reading it in cold
blood and taking it in connection with
the other strange particulars, he. be-
came convinced that he was engaged
in perilous affairs. For half a moment
he had doubt of Lady Vandeleur
herself, for he found these obscure pro-
ceedings somewhat unworthy of so
high lady, and became more critical
when her secrets were preserved
against himself. But her empire over
LILO OCAAC was lOU CO"DlCtC, ne ulS-
missed his suspicious and blamed him
self roundly for having so much as en-
tertained them.
In one thing, however, his duty and
interest, his generosity and his terrors,
coincided-to get rid of the bandbox
with the greatest possible dispatch.
He accosted the first policeman and
courteously inquired his way. 1t turned
out that he was already not far from
his destination, and a walk of few
minutes brought him to a small house
in lane, freshly painted and kept
with the most scrupulous attention.
The knocker and bell pull were highly
polished, Towering pot herbs garnished
the stills of the different windows, and
curtains of some rich material con-
cealed the interior from the eyes Of
curious passengers. The place had an
air of repose and secrecy, and Harry
was so far caught with this spirit that
he knocked with more than usual dis |
erection and was more than usually
careful to remove all impurity from his
boots.
A servant maid of some personal at !
fractions Immediately opened the door
and seemed to regard the secretary
with no unkind eyes.
"This is the parcel from Lady Vande-
leur," said Harry.
II KNOW" replied the maid, with a !
nod. But the gentleman is from |
home. Will you leave it with me?'
Il cannot" answered Harry. 81 am |
directed not to part with it but upon |
a certain condition, and must ask you,
am afraid, to let me wait"
"Well,' said she. II suppose l may
let you wait. I am lonely enough, I |
can tell you, and you do rot look as !
though you would eat girl, But be
sure and do not ask the gentleman's
name, for that am not to tell YOU"
DO you say SOP" cried Harry. "Why,
how strange! But indeed for some
time back I walk among surprises.
one question think may surely ask
indiscretion- he the master