Willmar tribune., 1904-03-02

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so, protesting with profusion of oaths
that l was ready to listen to anything
that promised to make more terrible
the vengeance that was to be meted
out to Lord Cranthorpe, invited him,
in suitable language, to tell me what
ne wanted me to do. Evidently graft
fed, and perhaps not a little relieved
by the success of the stratagem by
which the decree which he dared not
disObey could be carried out without
risk to his own precious person, he
took my arm, and leading me towards
the shadow of some trees at the cor
ner of the square, began to unburden
his mind of the business Scarcely had
we got our heads we'll together, how
ever, when suddenly, silently, and
without a moments warning, some-
thing whizzed between U.S. Though l
was not conscious of any direct blow,
l found myself flung forward as
forcibly as if 1 had just been dis
charged from an enormous catapult,
and after Whirling, a confused tangle
OF arms and limbs, in sort of human
catherine wheel, and executing couple
of somersaults, landed finally on the
pavement, where I lay listening to the
music of the stars that were singing
in my ears as we'll as staggering away
before my eyes. A bicycle, going at
racing pace, had run into us, and had
knocked the conspiring pair of us apart
as neatly as a couple of kissing" bill
lizard balls are knocked spinning in op-
posite directions by the impact from
a ball which comes piping hot from
the stroke of the cue. I grieve to say
that when l began to get some breath
back in my body the first mouthful
was put to no better use than the ut
terance-the emphatic utterance-of
the single and sinful word. "Damn!"
Il quite agree with you," said a
voice, the owner of which l was still
too dazed to see. "A most sensible
remark, I'm sure, and my own senti-
ments entirely. Say it again. 1t will
do you good"
l said it again.
Precisely the voice went on; Its
not generally considered word to
make glad the heart of man, but in
the present instance you couldn't have
hit upon one to crafty me more It
was quite soothing in fact, for
thought at first l had killed you, and
that word was the best assurance
could have that you hadn't yet gone to
Heaven and become an angel. 1t was
too human"
sat up, rubbing the back of my
head ruefully, and looked around.
Number Three had gone-whither
there was nothing to indicate; but a
tradesman's cart had drawn up to the
curb, and by the light of the lamp 1
saw standing over me, with what in
spite of the levity with which he had
spoken, was face of concern, a tall,
dark, determined looking man. Two
of his fingers were clipping the UNDER
cuff of his coat sleeve in order to
stretch the cloth sufficiently tight to
form an improvised brush, with which
he was gingerly scraping away at the
dust on his brown bowler hat; and l
saw that his hair, which he wore short,
was, though thick and curly, quite
gray. Whether his fresh complexion,
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 stared up at
him l was conscious that there was
something unusual, if not of distinc-
ton, about the man.
"Weu-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" I 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, as if
disarmed by my meekness; "the fault
was as much mine as yours, for had
no right to be travelling at such pace.
1 hope you're not hurt? Let me lend
you hand up"
I took the proffered hand and leapt
to my feet; but my haste cost me deaf
for my right ankle twinged to such
purpose that squealed with pain, and
speedily sank to the ground, where I
sat groaning and sQuirming till the
pang passed.
ITO Be Continued