The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-18

knowledge the presence of her cham
pion. t
Yet when Hargrave Denton was grow
cling on the ground, he did not fail to
note all that took place, and while the
girls words of thanks were few there was
an eloquent look IN her eyes that sent a
shaft Of envy into his very soul.
+ Within couple OF minutes Of the angry
encounter the three actors of the episode
had disappeared. While Eleanor went in
one direction, the young man from whose
fist he was smarting went in another, but
this, to Hargraye's jaundiced view, meant
nothing. They could easily meet elsewhere
in the gardens. Indeed the fact of their
vanishing so rapidly gave color to this no
ton. 5s
He was conscious his face must betray
the punishment to which he had been sub
jected, and, fearful lest some one might
pass along the glade and gather what had
happened by his disordered dress, the
marks on his clothes and his ruffled APP
pearance generally, he stepped into the
shelter afforded by the big elms bordering
the avenue. There, muttering curses, he
began removing the greenish muddy
! stains from his coat and restoring the
shape of his hat.
IA neat bit O. work, reckon,'' said a
voice behind him. "The youngster can
/ use his fists, anyhow
What has it got to do with your"
wrathfully demanded Hargrave, without
| turning round. sc
| II dunno. Maybe 1t has, and maybe it
hasn't"
| The voice was Of a, distinctly unpleas-
antly rasping and aggressive character. In
some Of it's accents there was a peculiar
| hoarseness which told Of long drinking
bouts and exposures to all kinds Of weather.
4 but more than anything else was signih-
cant on an innate, ferocity of character.
Something IN it compelled attention, and
involuntarily Hargrave turned his head.
His gaze met the glance Of a pair Of
I eyes which combined cunning and fierce
ness. For the moment the disagreeable
glitter in those colorless orbs prevented
one seeing the entire ugliness of the fea-
| lures, and 1t was only after the first sur
prise was over that the hideously sha ped
| mouth, with one corner twisted upwards
into an eternal sheer, became apparent.
| If the left side Of the face were turned
towards you the frightful scar told at
once the cause, and, repulsive as was this
scar, it was better to- see it than to look
only at the sheer, and, unconscious Of the
reason Of the distortion; imagine that the
man was meditating some horribly SIMS
ter design.
The churlish words which were on Har-
grave Denton's lips died away when he
| saw this mans face He could only stare,
and instinctively moved back pace.
| Il STEADY. matey. / amt a-gong to give
you another hiding, The fust one was
enough guess.
!. The familiarity Of the mans manner
! Jared horribly upon Denton, but some
how he dared not resent It, The fellow
laid a thick, stumpy forefinger, aits dirty
nail bitten down to the quick, on, the silk
| facing Of the others coat. Denton felt
/ the pressure, slghtzas it, was,i and a
crawling sensation seemed to go over
him. %s',..<% - S1'ss@ .:
II shouldn't wonder If you and me
wasn't going to, be great pals drawled
the stranger. He had the slow American.
way Of speaking, but had not the nasal
| twang. ..a IKE
What do you mean?" rejoined Denton,
sullenly. i never saw you before. What
have, you to, do with me?" -
I That's as 1t may be. What was the
name Of the girl you was spoilt Of kiss
ing just now? Tren1aine, wasn't it?'' ~
Hargraye Denton started What could
this singularly eNil-looking man. know of
Eleanor Tremaine?s$ i -
and suppose it vas" he rejoined, hur-
riedly. What do you know about her?,,
Fine straight wench, and got some go
In her, too. I like 'em that way my:
SELF eEEa A' -
The manner in which this coarse, vul-
gar fellow spoke Of Eleanor, the half
closed eyes, the suppressed chuckle in his
voice were most offensive.
Under other circumstances Hargrave
Denton would have turned on his heel
and walked away, but there was some
thing ne felt, underlying the mans words
and looks which compelled him to remain.
If you've anything to say to me con-
corning Miss Tremaine, let me hear It at
once" he .rejoined.
The fellow did not reply for nearly half
a minute. He appeared to be revolving
something IN his mind. yet he never took
MS eyes from his companion. Denton re-
turned his gaze, but it was to wonder
how such a repulsive Individual could
know Eleanor Tremaine
Hitherto he had only regarded his face,
! ne now looked at his body, his deep chest,
ms long arms, too long in proportion to
his somewhat thick-set figure, and his
thick bull neck. He wore suit of black,
and the incongruity Of his dress made him
still more noticeable. One could fancy
him In jersey and fustian trousers, in
the nondescript dress Of a navy, in the
; serge shirt and belt of the gold miner, in
corduroys-a of these costumes would
, be suitable, but not a suit Of black and
, silk hat. s.r - r ~ p t..z
, He must have bought everything ready
made, for, tho quite new, the coat was
| in creases about the waist, was baggy. on
!, the shoulders, and came away from the
back Of the neck, disclosing space of
quite two inches. He wore collar turned
down all around, and black necktie with
flowing bow, and these were about the
, most suitable things In his attire.
'Have got anything to say about Miss
Tremaine?" said he at length. Eyes,
have, young gent, and It seems to me
! you'd better hear it. take it you're in
, love with the gal, and she won't have
nothing to say to you-'specially after the
other chap turned up. Amt that about
, the size Of it?''
"WelI--" f2ls
well, maybe can do you a good turn
in that direction; but amt a-going I'd
say here what's in my mind. I'd like to
4 have talk with you in my own shanty.
VIII you Gomez"
f1argrave Denton hesitated. AT heart
he was an arrant coward. Might this
not be a plot for inveighing him to some
lonely place for the purpose Of robbing
him? AS to the man knowing Eleanor 5
name, did that really mean anything?
Might he not have heard him address her ?
But for all his forbidding appearance the
fellow did not look like London rough.
Could there be something in what he had
to say worth listening to?
Where do you 1ive?" said he, after a
pause.
II amt going to tell you that straight
OFT, !" answered the man, shortly Meet
ma at London bridge, just by King Will
Inns starture at s. O'Clock tonight. It'll
be worth your while, you take my word
, for IT,
Very well, I'll be there" said Denton
after a few moments consideration.