Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-09-05
CHAPTER XVII.


old in his parliamentary and Journalistic
warfare with the world. 1t all mattered
so little now that he fought listlessly,
He was gayer than ever in manner, and
more sympa thetically charming than ever,
for he lad time to cultivate the friendly
emotions. The little widow stayed on in
Houfoy and kept her own secret.
Maskeyne came striding upstairs with
a supernatural gravity of expression. This
changed for one moment to a delightful
smile when O'Rourke ran out to the land
ing place to meet him, and with both
hands outstretched in friendly welcome.
My dear old fellow ~ said O'Rourke.
Not tired of England yet? have an
idle hour or two to-day, and had re-
solved to come round and take a look at
you
Upon my word" said Maskelyne, you
are a man to be enved. You have the
power of beneftng your fellow creatures.
You are like fresh air"
O'Rourke laughed breezly, and took
stock of his friend with smiling eyes. He
saw that Maskelyne was pale, and almost
haggard.
Come" he said. 1T strikes me that
you want fresh air. You're not looking
well, old fellow"
DO you think not?' asked Maskelyne.
"O'Rourke, I'm going to surprise you"
Are your" asked O'Rourke.
II am causing some unnecessary anx-
iety to the authorities of Scotland Yard
said Maskeiyne. II think it's in conse-
Quence of my having been good deal
with Dobroski of late. At any rate
am being watched. My goings out and
comings in are observed with constant
vigilance"
Stupid beggars." said O'Rourke, with
friendly petulance. "Abominably annoy
Ing. isn't it?"
Il don't know returned Maskelyne.
"It makes me feel nice and safe. But
1t is not worth while to cocker up a mere
private citizen of the United States in
that way. The old country is we'll to do,
but she can't afford it. And l don't think
/ should feel humbled any way if my
bodyguard got told off to some one else
who was more in want of it."
"I'll stop all that for you," said
O'Rourke.
There's good fellow" answered Mas
kelyne, and fell into silence.
At this instant the knocker on the hall
door was brought into play with violence.
There was an audible whirl and scurry in
the hall as the housemaid ran to the
door to answer this unusual summons.
and a second or two later a voice cried
so loudly that O'Rourke and his compan-
lon heard it.
''Mr O'Rourke's within doors Don't
be telling me he's not, for l know he is.
III find the way myself"
THAT is Fraser" said Maskelyne.
did you conjure him here?" O'Rourke
asked Steps flying up the staircase, and
Fraser, perspiring and pale, burst into
the room. holding in his left hand news
paper and a walking stick. He closed |
the door behind him, nodded strangely |
to Maskelyne, and then, striding to
O'Rourke, thrust the journal he carried |
into his face, and fourishing his stick
as if he were trying the temper of |
foil. cried, Look at that, ye voiper."
O'Rourke, with a look of wonder, took
the journal and retired a pace.
''Oho!' cried Fraser, rolling his head
at his ancient comrade so energetically
that he rolled his hat off. Don't be
making your faces of innocence at me,
Hector O'Rourke. Maybe ye didn't write
that? Come, now. Maybe We didn't
write it? Well, ye're loyar, for write
1t ye did. And here's the manuscript in
your own dirty fist, ye smiling snake"
He tugged a little rolled-up bundle of
paper from his breast pocket and stood
in a white heat of passion, fourishing it
and the stick. O'Rourke smiled with
less than his usual Spontaneous charm, and
Maskelyne set himself between the two.
"Ye needn't fear" said Fraser "I'll not
soil me hands with the dirty coat of him.
For tew pins" he added, turning anew
upon O'Rourke, I'D cleave the life out
of ye."
This seems likely to be private af-
fair" said Maskelyne, in his quiet way,
land | won't meddle with it. But we'll
have no fighting"
Private, begorra :" cried Fraser, snort
ing. ITS that private there's a round
fifty thousand copies printed at the very
least Would ye believe it, now, Mas
kelyne? l put it to you. Ye're not the
smartest man alive, but ye're a man of
flODOT, anu put IL " Jou' l1eie . lHiS
dirty villain, here. has been going about
with me for years and damaging moy
reputa ton by calling me his friend, and
borrowing money from me by the handful
whenever | had a sixpence in me pock
etc, and all the tonne he's been attacking
me anonymously. I've had him bring the
orticles-the very orticles he's written
and wonder at me who was the blagyard
that wrote 'em. and making innocent Dyes
and swearing he'd like to know the viii
lain that did it."
Come, come, Fraser" said O'Rourke,
don't make a mountain out of a mole
hill"
There was something in this reply
which so exasperated Fraser that, but
for Maskelyne's interposition. he would
then and there have assaulted O'Rourke
I'll mole hill the villain ~ cried Fra
ser. I'll mountain hint" He struggled
to get past Maskelyne, who held him
back with an unexpected strength and
adroitness. "Ye take that ruffian's part,
do ye?" he said. suddenly ceasing his ef-
forts. "Then l disown ye. Ye're no
friend of mine"
my dear Fraser" returned Maske-
lyme, II am taking your part as much as
O'Rourke's. | know nothing of the mer-
its of the quarrel. but you shan't fight
If / can help it"
"If ever ye speak to me again." said
Erosar stooning for his hat and shaking