The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-09

NO, Sir Jasper"
extreme of fashion. He minced for
ward, bowling and waving white hands
with delicately crooked fingers.
His respects he presented to Sir Jas
per. He had not up to this had the
pleasure and honor of Sir Jasper's ac-
quaintance, but was charmed of the
oppOrtunity-any which
should afford him that pleasure and
honor. Might he, might be? He
extended a snuffbox, charmingly en-
ameled, and quivered it toward his
host. Sir Jasper had risen stiff1y. In
his dull eye there was no response.
''You do not, them" queried Captain
Epicer, himself extracting a pinch and
inhaling 1t with superlative elegance
and the very last turn of the wrist.
"And right, my dear sir! A vicious
habit. Yet positively" said he, and
smiled engagingly, without it, vow,
could not exist from noon to mid
night. But then it must be pure Mac
abaw. Anything short Of pure Maca-
baw, fie, fie."
Sir Jasper shook himself and inter-
rupted with a snarl:
ITO what, sir, do owe the honor?"
81 come" said Captain Spicer, "of
course you have guessed, from my
Lord Verney. There was a trif1e,
believe, about-ha-the shape of his
neither limbs. Upon so private a mat
ter, sir, as his-ahem-nether limbs a
gentleman cannot brook reflection.
mil hot wi
verney felt hurt, Sir Jasper; nurt:
myself, familiar as l am with his lord
ship, have never ventured to hint to
him even the name of a hosier, though
/ know a genius in that line, sir, a
fellow who has a gift-a divine in
spiration, 1 may say-in dealing with
these intimate details. But, sir, deli
cacy, delicacy!"
Sir Jasper meanwhile had lifted the
letter from the table and was advanc-
ing upon Captain Spicer, ponderingly
looking from the lock of hair in his
hand to that young gentleman's head,
which, however, was powdered to such
a nicely that it was quite impossible
to tell the color beneath.
Sir interrupted he at this juno
ture, excuse me, but should be glad
to know il you wear your hair or
wig?"
Captain Spicer leaped a step back
and looked in amaze at the baronet's
earnest countenance.
"Egadv' he thought to himself. "Ver-
ney's in the right of it, the fellows
mad. Ha! ha.' said he aloud. Every
good, Sir Jasper, very good. A little
conundrum, Ell? Rat me, 1 love a
riddle" He glanced toward the door.
Sir Jasper still advanced upon him as
he retreated.
Il asked you, sir" he demanded,
with an ominous rise in his voice, ''if
you wore your own hair?" c'The fell
low looks frightened he argued in
ternally. Ills monstrous suspicious.O
'.I!' cried the captain, with his back
against the door, fumbling for the han
die as he stood. ''Fie, fie! Who wears
a peruke nowadays. unless it be your
country cousin? He, he. How warm
the night Isl
Sir Jasper had halted opposite to him
and was rolling whitening eye over
his countenance.
the unhappy baronet to himself. that
devil take him If can guess the color
Of the fellow" His hand dropped ir-
resolute by his side. Beads of per-
spiration sprang on Captain Spicer's
forehead.
IF I ever carry a challenge to a
mailman again. thought he.
"Your hair is very well powdered"
said Sir Jasper.
"Oh, it Is SO. 1t is as you say
poudre la Marechale, sir,'' said the
captain. while under his persevering
finger the door handle slowly turned. |
An aperture yawned behind him. In
a twinkling his slim figure twisted,
doubled and was gone.
Hey, hey" cried Sir Jasper. stop. |
but just begun
street door.
Look to your MASTER said he to the |
footman. HE is i'll, very ill.,
Sir Jasper came running after him |
INTO the hall.
stop him. foolsr' cried he to his |
and then In the next breath,
Back he ordered. And to himself he l
Ills never he. That sleek,
auttering idiot never grew so crisp a
,url, nor wrote so sturdy hand-no,
1or kissed a dimple. Kissed a dimple,
S'deathi"
CHAPTER v.
a IS he stood turning the seething
"a brew Of his dark thoughts
III there came a pair of knowing
raps upon the street door and |