The San Francisco call., 1908-04-26

that If Richard Escombe does shoot himself
VIII he said that he debt of honor?
remind you that he was member of this place before
some of had heard of it. Do think that such
man will put fHmself into the power of drunken
loafer who to point the finger hirn?"
Here point of view which had occurred to
any of them, and black We're the faces when White
combe. refusing the clemency of cowards determined
that his honor demanded my lords claim?
made fool of many in those days, and this big
hearted celt better than his fellows when
In that case help us" said Ailsa dryly IF
the man is mad enough to shoot himself we are as good
Life is not so cheap that barter it for suts
eAnd Sir Richard Escombe must know something of
SANDER" said Churchill dryly. What do you say,
The fat fop had opened his until this
The figure of the moribund appalled, him. An
awakened imagination told him that the day must
when lay--in the
shF0es n OF d. death tn with g9ssps I'M in the m
ths? Truly the drops of sweat rolled from Cum
II say little" exclaimed as we'll as his parched
tongue would permit him; "a bottle of wine would be
what cursed light for such time! Fore
gad could drink bottle with any man"
yawning in spite of all that had happened set couple
Of bottles of wine before them and they began to
drink, the shining brightly through the great
archeshe wounded man turning restlessly raising
nsel up TO repeat the cry. me penalty' tne pen
kept vigil about the terrible bed
upon roads to make sure he did not ride out
tell his story before others could tell it for him They
might well have spared their pains Escombe had no
thought of quitting Medmenham taking
journey to America He knew that he must answer
to these the rule dictated. Let him refuse
and they would take that all London knew of his
refusal tomorrow.
He, Richard Escombe a cowardi He a man who
had fed from DEATH Ironical almost and yet, with
tragedy Of irony about it ALL he admitted the
position which he had placed himself and under
stood his My lord claimed the penalty What
answer to that the answer John Wilkes had
named for the salvation of the club security
of those who visited it?
Let the be misunderstood Richard Es-
combe was not the man to die in the heroic mood a
giant Hercules visiting the Shades, Achilla
defying the social lightning.
He despsed this place. Although he had a
member of 1t many years ago, the occasions OF his
one of the elect claimed the privilege of the inner
cotere.
When he thrashed Harborne because of Willy Fen
tons death in the club he had blamed the youth
for bowling to decree rogues admitting that
honor
he die
The alternative was laughter and jeers of his
leow men, the cry of cravens the hand withheld and
the head averted Oh be Dick understood all
this as he walked by the river and watched the glory
OF the golden east He had played a great stake
and had lost 1t might have been so different
The day had broken by this time; the day come
IN glorousiy All the woods about the abbey
the still air with their river rip
ped and splashed against the Jnossy banks though
1t also had awakened from refreshing sleep
Instantly across the mead a farmhouse forth
nonest laborers following their eisurely horses
harvest fields barge there were children
awake and singing in the cuddy Greater contrasts
were not to be imagined the temple nature the
temple or man, the gaud unsurpa ssa Bile
coloring of field and flower thiclxet
foScombe looked down these knew that it
would have reached her house long since and Won
dered IL she were sleeping. And here certain con-