Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-03-25
THE SPLENDID SPUR
THE ADVENTURES OF JACK MARVEL.
By ARTHUR T. CUTLER coUcH.:

' Aefttsn Sn0o
room
Left hand. on the nrst landing
The staircase
"Just OUTSIDE the door
Then sing-gO on singing for yOm
nfer'
But"
sing
"Dear heart. ,heyn murder thcss
Oh. for PHYS sake. let 20 my wrist.
lament. ye maids an dartcrs---
stole 10 the door and pe~pcd ont
F \ lantern hung in tho passage ans
7 showed the staircase directly :. front
I OF me- I stayed Tor a moment % pull
I OF my boots. and holding them IN ms
I left hand crept up the stairs In the
I kitchen the girl was singing and clat
tcring tho glasses together. Behind
7 the door. az the head OF the stairs 4
heard voices talking. I slipped 90
my boots again and tapped on the
: panel
( Come in
Let mo try % describe that on which
my eyes rested "a pushed the door
wide. Twas long room. walnscotei
] half up the wall In some dark wood.
/ only. which now was hung with red
curtains BY the fireplace. where a
brisk wood fire was cracking. leaned
the young genuewomnn had met az
Hungcrford. who. as she now turned
her eyes upon me. ceased lingering the
guitar or mandolin that she held
against her waist. and raised her
pretty head not without curiosity.
But twas on the table Ia the centre
OF the chamber that nay gaze settled.
and on two men beside il. 81 whom 4
must speak more particularly.
The elder. who sat in high backed
chair was little. frail. deformed
gentleman or about nifty. dressed very
richly in dark velvet and furs. and
wore on his bead velvet skullcap.
around which his white hair stuck
up like a ferret's. But the oldest
thing about him was "a complexion
that any maid ~ sixteen would give
her ears for-of a pink and white SD
transparent that 10 seemed soft
light must De- glowing beneath his
skin. On either cheek bone this deli
81 cate coloring centred in r. deeper dush
b This Is as much as I need say about
l II
were very bright and sharp. aud his
chin stuck out Hike vicious mules.
The table before him was covered
, with BOTTLES and TASKS. in the middle
!. or which stood a silver lamp burning
!. and over lt a silver saucepan tha'
sent up -rare fragrance as the uQul,
within 10 simmcr'd and bubbled Sd
eager was the old gentleman i'm watch
Ing the progress OF his mixture thaf
? he merely glanced up az my entrance
Y and then. holding up hand for 81
lcnce. turn'd his eyes on the saucepan
again.
d The second man was the broad
shouldered lackey l had seen riding
, behind the coach. and now stood owe
, the saucepan with twisted flask ii
! his hand. from which he pour'd a re
syrup very gingerly. drop by dror
81, with the tall OF his eye mrn'd on hi
= masters face. that he might knov
- when 90 cease.
I, Now IL may Doe that my entrance uT
set this experiment in strong drink.
4, AT any rate. l had scarce come %
~ stand about three PAGES inside IN
= door. wha the little old gentlema
boun-,s mp in fury. kicks over h
b. chair. hurles the nearest bottles
:, left and right. and sends the siiv,
q, saucepan spinning across the table
my very feet. where il scalded u
"A clean through the boot. and made a.
y. hop with pain.
"spord - spolrd" ne screame'
IN "drench'd in filthy liquor. when
2 should have breathd but "A taste"
And. 20 my amazement. ne spraT
a. on the strapping servant like a wi
x. cat. and began To bear. cum and b
~ labor him with all the strength OF b
~ puny limbs.
Twas like a scene out OF Bedlar
ID Yet all the while the girl lean'd qule
ry " against the mantel-shelf. and soft
70 touched the strings OF her instrumer
while the servant took the rain
blows and slaps as though 'twere
Z summer shower. grinning all over
llc face. aud making no resistance at al
US Then. as stood dumb with perple
be tty. the old gentleman let 80 his no
nd OF the fellows hair. and. dropping
IN the door began ~ roll about IA a
OF coughing. the like OF which no IA
he can imagine Twas hideOus. I
gh bark'd. and writhed. and bark'd aga
ed. till the disorder seem'd TO search a
de rack every innermOSt inch OF hts SIN
frame. And in the intervals OF cOua
nd ing his exclam-siOns We're terrible
his listen 10.