Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-06
CONTINUED

Through the crowd Of frightened
servants, augmented by few daring
pedestrians. burly policeman, 81
gantic in waterproof overalls, was ad.
vancing with official buster.
"What has happenedw he demand.
ed. "Is anybody hurt?"
The man answered:
"My horses were startled by the
storm. jumped out and was en-
deavOring to extricate my niece when
this wretched boy got in the way"
"Uncle," protested the girl, "you
closed the door on me, and the boy
"Shut upr he growled curtly. "Go
inside the housew
But his niece shared with him at
least one characteristic. She possessed
the family temper.
q will not go away and let you say
things which are not true. Listen to
me. Mr.. Policeman. Lord Vanstone
did close the door because he thought
the carriage would turn over on top Of
him. For come reason the accident
did not happen Immediately, and the
boy ran round to the other side and
helped me out just in time"
"Confound the brat! ] think he was
the real cause Of the whole affair.
Why was he hiding In my doorway"
Lord Vanstone was more enraged
than ever ry the girls obstinate de-
fense of her rescuer and her lnsistence
on his own seeming cowardice.
81 was not hiding. only took shell
ter from the storm. ! tried to help you
because the footman was struggling
with the horses. l do not claim any
credit for simply opening door and
helping the young lady to alight, but
/ lost both my dinner and my papers
In doing So"
Every one experienced shock Of
surprise at hearing the boys elegant
liction. The policeman was puzzled.
He instantly understood the facts, but
dared not browbeat an earl.
"You do not bring any charge against
him. my lord?" he said.
But his lordship deigned no reply.
He told the coachman to arrange for
the removal of the carriage, grasped
his niece by the arm and led her, still
protesting into the house.
The policeman saw the bundle Of
napers scattered over the roadway and
near th"m the partly eaten bun. After
wrench at his garments he produced
penny
Here" he said to the boy. "Buy
another bun and be of. It's a good
job for You the young lady spoke up
the way she did"
"She merely told the truth. That
man was liar"
Refusing the proffered penny. the
boy turned On his heel. The policeman
looked after him.
That's a queer kid" he thought.
"raiked like regular young gent.
wonde: why he is selling papers. Poor
lad, He lost bob's worth at least,
and snail thanks he got for it,
Passing out Of the square by the
f'st eastward street. Philip Anson,
with his head erect and hands clinched
in his pockets, strobe onward ut a
rapid pace. The lightning was less
frequent now, and the thunder was
dying away in sullen rumblings. He
was wet and hungry, yet, although he
had three 'halfpence, the remaining
balance Of the only sales effected that
evening, he passed many shops where
he could have bought food.
In Piccadilly. where the cessation of
the storm created rush Of traffic he
was nearly run over by reason OF his
own carelessness and received slash
from a whip. accompanied by Il loud
oath from an angry cabman. He sbjv-
cred, but never even looked around.
Crossing Trafalgar square. he plunged
through the vortex of vehicles without
troubling to avoid them in the slight
est degree Once the hot breath of
pair Of van horses touched his cheek
while a speeches. driver pul,nd them
back onto t"nir launches. Again, the
off wheel of an o.lnib, ac:ua:y g"azed
his heel as he sped bc..ilI tie statue
Of Charles !.
At last he reached the comp
seclusion OF the Embankment and
stood for a momcnt to gaze iiXedly
at the swir,..Hc.,. alin;!a': river.
Not here" lie muttercd aloud. Il
must be Bearer to mo:hcr-dear old
mother. S,:c l.; there waiting for me-"
He t.u'i@ei steadily away through
Queen vi, toria street, Cornhill, Lead
enhail street. and SO on to Johnson's
News, IN the Mile Enl road. Pausing
at Il marine store dealers shop kept
by an army pensioncr, an Irishman,
with whom L. had slight acquaint-
ance, he entered. An elderly man was
laboriously reading paper of the pre-
ceding days date.
"Good evening, Mr.. O'Brien," he
said. "Can you oblige me with a
piece of rope? l want strong piece
about three or four yards In length.
l can only spare three halfpence."
"Faix, | dunno. They use nails on
the crates mostly nowadays. If have
a bit it's at yer sarvice. wouldn't be
afther chnrgin' the likes O. YOU"
Philips story was known in that
humble locality, and the old soldier
sympathized with the boy. "He has
rale sp.nk an no mistake" was his
verdict when others said Philip was
proud and overbearing. OBrien mov-
ed automatically about the squalid
shop. At last he found some portion
of clothesline.
"Will that do?" he inquired.
Philip te.S.d it with vigorous pull
ing against his knee.
"Excellently." he said. "Let me pay
you for It."
"Arrah, 60 away wild ye! And, be
the powers isn't the poor lad cowld
an, famished? Luke here, now. In
five minutes Pm goin' to have cup
O. tay."
81 am awfully obliged to you, but
could not touch a morsel. am In a
hurry"
"Are We goin' journey7 Have ye
got job?"
81 think so. 1t looks like perma-
nency Goolby."
"Goodby, an good luck to ye. Sure
the boy looks mighty quare. IT'S grief
for his mother has turned his head en-