Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-09


bright eyes and black mustache sug-
gested some sort of contradiction to
his gray hair. and thus tended to make
him look out of the common, l could
not at first say, but as l stared up at
him l was conscious that there was
something unusual. If not of distinc-
ton, about the man.
"Well-now that you have got your
senses back-don't you think that you
ought to be ashamed of yourself for
obstructing the thoroughfare, pitching
me off upon my head, not to speak OF
the damage you've done to the bicycle
and TO my arm?"
He held up his left arm as he spoke.
and l saw that the sleeve was ripped
up, showing an ugly cash at the elbow.
I'm very sorry" l said, unmindful
Of my own hurts, and with a want of
spirit which was probably due to the
fact that my brain was still a bit con
fused.
tut! tut, man." he suffered, al if
disarmed by Ivy meekness; 1.-The fault
was as much mine as yours, for | had
no right tc be travelling at such pace.
you hand up"
l took the proffered hand and leapt
to my feet; but my haste cost me dear,
for my right ankle twinged to such
purpose that l Squealed with pain, and
speedily sank to the ground, where l
sat groaning and squirming till the
pang passed.
so bad as that, is it," said the col
lider. Poor chap. How far off do you
live?"
"a long way" / replied CT couldn't
get there if 1 Travelled all night"
why? Where do you live, then?"
Nowhere" 1 answered, thinking
vaguely that it was possible Number
shot, and that | had best sustain the
role l had assumed.
Great heavens! And they call this
Christian countryi Never mind.
We can make up a bed for you at my
place. and then I'll see what can be
done. Are you out of work?''
Yes l replied. 81 was one of Lord
Cranthorpe's mill hands and we're all
out on strike"
What" he cried. "are YOU one OF
that rascally. skulking crew?-a set
of rufIians who are driving the trade
out of the country into the hands of
Germans, and cutting their own throats
into the bargain, at the bidding of a
lot of scheming agitators who wouldn't
be tolerated for a moment anywhere
but in England. If I'd have known
but there, l expect you're more fool
than knave. That's my house Just
past the lamp-post. l am the blood
sucking tyrant, Lord Cranthorpe, who,
according to your friends the agila-
tors, am battening and fattening on
the brow sweat Of the starving poor
Here, lend hand-you with the cart
l mean-and wei carry this poor chap
over. Wen make up a bed for him
somewhere in the basement, so that
he won't have 10 strain his foot by
hobbling upstairs You take his head
and I'll tale his feet. It's the first
house past the lamp-Post, and be care
full how you so down the area steps,"
Fly foot was so painful that l WINGED
nervously as he stopped to raise me,
but no woman could have been DETER
OF hand or more tcnderly considerable
than he, and my transit was accom-
plished painlessly. They carried me
through sort OF passage opening upon
the street. 10 an inner room, where 1
was propped up on a huge wicker
chair. my injured foot resting luxuri-
ously upon another chair. Then Lord
CranthorEe explained the situation to
the servants, telling them that | was
to remain in the house until my foot
was healed, and giving strict injunc-
tionS that they were TO make me as
comfortable as possible during my So
journ under his roof.
Comfortable, however, | cannot say
| was. for, with one exception, the
whole stalf of servants appeared to re-
sent my advent as an intrusion. They
were civil enough in attending TO my
wants, and in their own phrase,
passed the time of day with me" when
they had cause to enter the room
where ! was located. But though l
did my best. for obvious reasons, to
set upon sood terms with them, they
never seemed at ease in my company.
This was especially noticeable in the
matter of meals. for once or twice,
when | asked TO be allowed to take my
food with them, their awkwardness
and silence were most oppressive.
They watched me furtively. as if to get
an opportunity of conveying fork,
spoon or knife to their mouths at the
precise moment when my attention
was engaged elsewhere, and on one
occasion | detected the cook in the act
of taking lunch on the stairs rather
than join a party of which ! was
member | tried to solace my vanity
by telling myself that this might be
due TO some instinct which warned
them that they and 1 were not upon
the same social plane but as the only
member of the staff who was at all
inclined to accept my advances was a
wiSp of scullery-maid named Amelia,
whom the others persiStently snubbed,
and to whom | heard them allude as
of no class" il seemed likely that