The San Francisco call., 1906-07-15

4 Make me a little present of glass,
Mr. Taris, Just to show that you're glad
Of my company"
Vark complied very unwillingly with
this request, and poured as little as he
well could into the proffered bowl
What an engaging man he is!' said
the lawyer, smirking-f;so eonvivial, so,
full of spiritsp'
Your spirits" retorted Jacob, drink
ing his Cruel
What Wit" cried Vark. slapping his
thin knees. -" It's better than punch"
Gin punch. Cruel puncf!' said Xix,
encoura ged by this praise.
He. he 1 shall die with laughingl
I've paid for worse than that at the
theaterw
More fool youi" growled Jacob. TAX
ing up the tongs. you shouldn't pay
for anything. Here. get out! I'm going
to put out the fire I amt going to burn
this expensive coal to warm you. And
the candies half burnt, too" concluded
Jacob. resentfully.
I'm going-rm going" said Vark,
slipping his bottle into his pocket But
to leave this pleasant company-what
wrenchr"
Here. stop that stuff. you inkpot!
Has my son answered that advertise
ment yet?'
Mr.. Dix's son hasn't sent line to
his sorrowing parent" returned the
lawyer. 'Oh, what a hard hearted Off
spring"
You're right there man." muttered
Jacob gloomily "Jimmy's left me to
die all alone. curse him."
Then why leave i'm your money!"
said Vark. changing into the first per-
son, as he always did when business
was being discussed.
Why, you fool2 Cause he's Hagar's
son-the bad son of good mother"
"Hagar Stanley-your wffe-your
gypsy wife! Hey, Mr.. Dix?"
Jacob nodded. "A pure blooded Ro-
many. l met her when l was Crocus.".
'Crocus for Cheap Jack whined
Vark; 'the wit this man has"
she came along o. me to London.
when set up here" continued Jacob.
without needing the interruption, 'and
town killed her; she couldn't breathe in
bricks and mortar after the free air of
the Eoad. Dead-poor soul!-dead; and
she left me Jimmy-Jimmy, who's left
me"
What play of fancy" began
Vark. when, seeing from the fierce look
of Jacob that compliments on the score
of his dead wife were not likely to be
well received, he changed his tone.
He'll spend your money, Mr. Dix"
Let him. Hagar's dead, and when 1
die-let him"
''B1it my generous friend, if you gave
me more power as executor
You'd take my money to yourself"
interrupted Dix with irony. Not if 1
know It, you shark, Your duty is to
administer the estate by law for
Jimmy. l pay YOU"
But so Hitler whined Vark. rising;
If you"
At this moment there came a sharn
knock at the door OF the shop, and the
two villains, always expectant of the
police. stared at one another, motion
less with terror for the moment Vark,
who always took care Of his skin,
snatched up his hat and made for the
back door. whence in the fog. he could
gain his own house unquestioned and
unseen. Like a ghost he vanished.
leaving Jacob motionless until aroused
by a repetition of the knock.
Can't be peeler,'' he muttered, TAX
ing pistol out of a cupboard, but
ii might be thieves. Well. II it is"
He smiled grimly and without finish
ing his sentence he shuffied along to
the door. candle in hand A third
knock came. as the clock in the shop
struck IL
Who is there, so late?" demanded
Jacob, sharply
Il am-Hagar Stanleyw
With a cry of terror Mr.. Dix let the
candle fall,s and In the darkness
dropped also. For the moment-so
much had his thoughts been running
on the dead wife-the unexpected men
ton of her name made him believe
that she was standing rigid in her
winding sheet on the other side of the
door. One frail partition between the
living and the deadi 1t was terriblei
The ghost of Hagar" muttered Dix.
white and shaking. why has she
come out of her grave?-and so ex-
pensiYe it was; bricked; with marble
tombstone"
Let me In let me. in, Mr.. Dix"
cried the visitor. again rapping
She never called me by that name"
said Jacob, reassured, and scramblinE
for the candle; then. having lighted It,
he added aloud: 81 don't know any one
called Hagar. Stanley"
open the door and you will. I'm
your wife's niece"
Flesh and bloodi" said the old man.
fumbling at the lock-"T don't mind
that"
He flung wide the door. and ont of
the fog and darkness a young girl of
20 years stepped into. the shop She
was dressed in a dark red garment
made of some coarse stuff, and over
this she wore short black cloak Her
hands were bare and also her head,
save for a scarlet handkerchief. which
was carelessly twisted round her mag
nifcent black hair. The face was of
the true Romany type. Oriental in its.
contour and hue. with arched eyebrows
over large dark eyes, and "a thine;l
Tipped mouth beautifully shaped ,sunder,I
a delicately curved nose.
so you are the niece of my dead
Hagar?" he said, staring earnestly at
her in the thin yellow light of the can
die. Yes. it's true. She looked like
you when I met her in the New Forest
What dye want?"
Food and shelter" replied the girl,
curtly. But you'd better shut tho
door; IL might be bad for your reputa-
tion If any passer-by saw you speak
ing TO woman at this time OF night"
My reputation!" chuckled Jacob,
closing and boiling the door. Lord
that's past spelling. If you knew how
bad II is, you wouldn't come here"
"Oh, can look after myself. Mr. Dix,
especially as you're old enough to be
my great-grandfather twice over"
Come, come! Civil words. young
woman
I'm civil to those who are civil to
me-" retorted Hagar, taking the candle
out Of her hosts hands. 60 on, Mr.. |
Dix, show me in; I'm tired, and want to
sleep. I'm hungry. and wish food. You
must give me bed and board"
Internal insolence yo1inR womanf