The San Francisco call., 1905-03-26
ms tour de force had lifted this lik-

have heard their chorus Of deep dam
nations once," Gordon added ruefully.
But no doubt they've long ago for
gotten my infantils ferecities-"
Sheridan shot a keen glance Hnder
his bushy brows. Could the other, ne
wondered, have so undervalued the
vicious hatred his cutting Satire had
raised in the ranks of the prigs and
pamphleteers il pilloried? In his long
foreign absence had he been ignorant
Of the flood of tales so assiduously
circulated IN the. London newspapers
and Magazines
His thought snapped. Gordon had
halted before a bookshop which bore
the sign of THE Juvenile Library,
his eye caught by printed words on a
pasteboard placard hung in its WIN
dow.
Ing prismatically. Look thereG
The sign read:
Queen Nab"
For writing the which Mr.. Percy
Bysshe Shelley stands lately expelled
from University College, oxford
Is Cd.
English Bards and Scotch Reviewers"
A Political Satire
BY Noble Lord Travelling Abroad.
few copies OF this work
Suppressed bY the Author at great
expenee) which can be bought nowhere
else in London-1 guinea
Devil take the blackguardi" blurted
Sheridan. He followed the other into
the musty shop. where a stopped,
agste-eyed old man laid aside a black
letter volume of Livy's Roman His
tory and shuf1ed forward to greet
them.
Gorocn's face was pallid and his eyes
were sparkling. He had written the
book the pasteboard advertised in
Mt OF rage that had been cooled to
shame Of its retaliative scorn. He had
believed every copy procurable de-
stroyed before he left England He had
thought Of this fact often with self
cCngratulation, dreaming this monu-
ment Of his youthful petulance rooted
out To-day it was almost the first
thing he confronted. The sedulous
greed that hawked his literary indis-
cretiCn to the world reused now an
old murderous fury that had some
times half-scared him in his child
hood. He was battling with this as he
pointed out the second item of the
sign.
How many OF these have you?" he
asked the proprietor shortly.
Twelve
Il will take them all" Gordon put a
bank-nOte on the counter.
The bookseller regarded him sagely
as he set the books before him. It
was a good days bargain.
A doorway led from the shop into a
bridegroom, where stood a stove
with glue pots heating upon it. With
a word 10 Sheridan, Gordon seized his
purchase and led the way into this
room. The dealer stared and fol-
lowed.
He saw the purchaser tear the
books cover from cover, and thrust
them one by one into the fiery NAV
Of the stove. And now, at the
strangers halting step and the beauty
OF his face, sudden intelligence came
to him. Five-ten-twenty guineas
apiece he could have got, if he had
only found the wit to guessi The
knowledge turned his parchment Wis
age saffron with suppressed cupidity,
anger and regret
The bell in the outer room an
nounced a customer. and the book
seller went into the shop. leaving the
door ajar. Through it came a voice
a l2dys inquiry. She was asking for
a copy Of the Satire whose pages were
shriveiing under Sheridan's regretful
eye.
Gcrdon's hand held the last vol
urne. He had turned to look through
the door-a fine. tall, spirited-looking
erl he thought His observant eye
noted her face-a cool, chaste classic.
and her dress, rich. but with a kind Of
Quiet and severity.
WELDING to some whimsical i'm
pulse. he went rapidly out to the pave
nent. She was seating herself in her
carriage beside her companion as he
approached.
4 had just secured the last copy"
he stated gravely, almost apologetic-
ally. I have. another. however, and
shall be glad if you will take this"
A 2liInFnEF OF surprise had
shadowed the immobile face. but it
passed
You are very kind" she said. 1T
seems difficult to procure. We saw
the sign quite by accident," She was
demurring-on prudential grounds.
She hesitated only a moment-just
long enough for him to become aware
Of another personality beside her, an
impression Of something wild, Ariel
Ike. eccentric yet pleasing-then she
searched he1 nurse and held out to
him golden guinea.
THAT is the price. think" she
added. and with the word Melbourne
House" TO the coachman, the carriage
merged in the stream of the highway.
Apnabel Mlbanke's complaisant
brow was undisturbed. She was very
SELF possessed, very unromantic, very
correct. AS the chestnut bays whirled
on toward Hyde Park corner, she did
Imagination to ask herself: Who is
he. ] ygonder2"
Her fragile, overdressed companion
might have answered that mental
question. AS Gordon had come from
the doorway. his step halting. yet so
slightly as &c be unnoticed by one
who saw the delicate symmetry of his
face. quick tinge had come to Lady
Caroline Lambs cheeks. The brown
curis Diled on the pale oval of brow,
the deep gray eyes, the full chiseled
liH,s and strongly modelled chin-aH
brought hack 10 her a pencil sketch
she had once seen under a table lamp.
The tinge grew swiftly on. but she
said nothing.
Gordon had seen neither the flush
nor the backward look. His eyes, as
lie surveyed the golden guinea in his
hand. held only the picture of the calm
girl who had given ii TO him.
Melbourne House." he repeated
aloud What stately beauty she has