Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-14


tainer lifted his glass: and his bright
hazel eyes deep in mine: From ST.
Germains?" he said in a sharp whis-
per.
Holyrood."
Hereupon the watchful intensity,
that sat so curiously on his boyish
face, vanished. He drew a deep breath
80 may it be-" he cried solemnly,
and I realized that his toast was no
other than proper, loyal one. upon
which. none being more loyal than
myself. thought myself bound to look
mighty knowing, to echo so may it
be-"
You landed this morning." queried
Aye" quoth I. with modification.
thinking 1 must indeed bear foreign
err" stamped in my hair.
You're before time," he added,
drawing his watch.
Aye" said I. speaking of the fair
winds; "'tis all piece of mighty
luck"
"Luck?" echoed he with a quick
frown. "Twould be a dangerous COM
rade to trust! I marked you, sir, from
the first in the Lawnmarket."
And you. SIR" cried I. hattered out
of my suspicious. I uttered few
words about the delay of my meal, at
which his temper seemed to rise. Con-
trolling himself with an effort, he add
ed:
You are right to be cautious. no
doubt. But surely" Again he
paused and leaned across to me. Did
all go off we'll? Was the landing safe:'
why. doubtless" I laughed. "since
I am here"
And he?'-his lips were nearly on
my ear.
"He-?" echoed; and from sheer
vagueness laughed again.
by the roods, you are young to be
so cautious!'' he said constrainedly
Let us exchange credentials before
another word passes"
deemed this a fair opening. at last,
for the smoothing of matters out be-
tween US; and my smile was ingratia-
ting as answered him:
willingly, my dear sir" 80 that you
crafty me first with your creden-
tials.''
"Impostor" he shouted. Spy" and
was at my throat.
We had a silent death grapple; and
then 1 shook him off, He raised a sec
ond screech before he was for me
again.
Duncan. Robbie! Here. lads!-a
spy! A traitor"
Whether it was the meanness of his
calling for aid when he had only one
to deal with, or whether that tussle for
sheer life had reused the fighting devil
within me-you have had it from me
that my instincts are quicker than my
reason-but here q rage such as I had
known but seldom before in my life
time came upon me.
My sudden enemy had his blade out
as he shouted. I never knew how I
closed with him, but the next instant
1 had a weapon in my hand and had
struck him with it, With a deep Rroan
he staggered and then fell across the
table.
Ava with ye"' cried q voice. 1t
was the girls. She clapped the door
behind her and held it with both hands.
I ran out of the black room. up the
steps. into the lane, and down into
it's deeper shadows. I fed at first
blindly, like the mere instinct Of con-
cealment.
After a while, however, an extraordi-
nary lucidity succeeded stupid panic.
/ halted a second and deliberately took
my bearings; then doubled round the
first opening, traversed a network of
lanes. emerged into an empty court.
Here / caught sight of gaping door
way in a garden wall in which stood a
woman with a tartan shawl flung over
her head, but not SO closely as to hide
the powder Of her massed-up curls. AS
1 approached she flung the door wide.
and. dropping her tartan, stretched out
both hands to me.
"Oh, come in, come in.' she cried.
She spoke in sweet, monotonous
drawl; yet there was a desperate ur-
Rency in her gesture. hesitated. From
bewifderment to bewilderment this day
was leading me. She caught my wrist
with her little fine hand: 1t had
strength in it, but it was more the pas
sion of her gaze which compelled me.
let myself be drawn into the inclo-
sure and watched her close the door
and push the bolt. Then she stood with
her back against it. finger on lip. pant
ing little.
AS 1 gazed stupidity heard rumor
grow in the street without and some
shouting and running footsteps pass
up and beyond us, then drop away
again into the distant hum of the city.
Still she stood a moment or two-the
taper finger at her pretty mouth. laces
and silks Of her gown a-hutteripe
family with her auickened breath.
Would God" i exclaimed bitterly
Il had never set foot on this treacherl