Evening star., 1911-08-20

Il L.
I'll warrant. even in the purlieus of Lon
don town."
''You will mott" he cried You refuse?"
| AYE, a thousand, times, You muck
| worm! l said. and raped on the table
loudly with my barker. Forth then.
with your treasury. Disgorge, old satyr,
or will blow your carcase into sithers-
Up, man. and deliver
/ / shouted this loud in my anger at his
baseneSs, and then turned my head sharp
1y, for a noise caught my ears. 1t came
from a door t'other side of the room, and
fastened my eyes on it. As l did so IL
opened and there was IA light on the
stairs and behind the light a figure of a
woman, robed in some white night rail.
and white and frightened face above
it. crowned with golden hair.
| Damn my boots!" said l, open mouthed
! at this appariton.
Joan. All, Joan, my dear! cooed the
old man.
''S'life!'' cried !, and gaped again. for,
| If you will believe me. twas other
than the girl had met In the tavern that
had looked SO sweetly me, and was
with the young schoolmaster.
| Father, what is this? Are you ill?"
she asked. and then her eyes, travelling
across the intervening space to me, she
| Mistress Joan,' said I, recalling my
wits. "you need fear naught from me.
Twas point of argument your father
and had together. l pray you, go back
\
| "Ah is she not pretty" whispered the
| old fiend. nearing me.
Get you gone" said / curtly to him.
Get you away. lest 1 forget your age
and strike you.
What is it. sir?'' says the girl Joan.
| coming down a step into the room. why
speak you so roughly to my father?"
At that notion came to me. seeing her
| there in her beauty the more enhanced
by her nocturnal habit; and so said L
with sharp cunning to old hunks.
Get you away, fool. l would have
some talk with her.
Yes, yes" said he eagerly, as IL see
| ing his wishes carried forth, and the gold
reclaimed; and he made off. But / was
wise enough to see him locked safely in
further room. Then l came back to
Miss.
.'Oh, what is all this sir?" she de-
manded fearfully.
"My angel. It's a clear case of rum
padding" said 1 briskly with a long con-
gee to her. But 1 swear you shall sit
in Paradise. and be no worse for it a
whit-only old stingy sobersides yonder.
II do not understand, SIR says she,
looking puzzled Have you robbed my
father?"
You may call it that" | answered.
"An that he hath is mine. But It's You
want l said. You with your pretty
eyes and little smiles. and cajoling hu-
mors.''
.Sir." she drew back alright II do
cannot mean it,
why, It's all agreed 'twixt old hunks
and me- 1 said, encouraging her to lose
her fears.
in a faint. but 1 am promised, sir, to
oh" she wrung her hands. II cannot
understand this. l fear you. And 1
thought you had SO generous a face."
Now this touched me on the raw, and
twas plain also that / had mistook her,
and that she was other than her smiles
and glances would prove her. Lord, It's
as hard to know women as tbs to win "a
battle. But 1 have sharper eyes than
most men, and / soon spied what was
wrong. She was indeed the innocent her
miserable father had proclaimed her.
And, faith, she loved young Sheep-face
and was true to him. But that's the SHY
way Of women. So said !, In wnimsical
voice:
.'Well, maybe, / know when bargain
should be dropped and I'll keep that face
you speak of, Mistress JOAN
What bargain" she asked, opening her
why. twas an exchange of beauty for
gold, and well worth it: SO you can keep
that for smiles in your mirror.
with my father? You? A bargain?
der and then disnay: and then. as was
silent. she flushed red, and buried her face
in her hands. "Oh, he hath outraged
me- she cried. "Oh. tbs the last the
very last and WORST Ifdt cOuiu pedi
1t was like the cry of child that is
hurt and hath no refuge from hurt.
HE is a dung-fork not worth tears
said I. consolingly. But she wept on.
is this schoolmaster of yours. and damme,
will set you up with your fathers gold.
He has lost his all to me. and ! will exact
1t from him to the uttermost farthing.'
MY fathers gold.'' she said, and
stared There was change on her face.
| and she drew back. .'The gold you have
stolen from him. she exclaimed.
Rot me. it's better with you than with
him. I said, with some impatience at
such scruples.
She shook her head. Perhaps you mean
me WELL" she said dolefully. Il know not.
But may not take that which is wicked
ly taken
The girl put me out of temper, and /
saw now pretty clearly that she was not
such a doxy as would have served me.
+, But she was handsome enough. and ap-
pealing too. like helpless kitten. And
was come to an end of my endurance.
"Oh, we'll. said j, taking sudden reso-
luton to be quit of all at blow, "have it
| your own way. But ] am master of the
| situation, and will do what / will with
| my own.
| l went to the door of the room where
the miser was and unlocked it.
Come FORTH ! said. We may now
| come to terms
! He came out, with a frightened face
| looking at one and the othef of us.
You will take herr" he hoarsely whis-
pered
AYE" said 1; Il will give ye back
| your money for her, and here 'tis''
| l slapped the purse and the bag upon
/ the table. which he greedily seized on
And now the girls mine. l said.
Yes, YES" he assented, counting up
| his guineas. to see if they were right but
| Miss looked with mighty scared
| face.
| why. then" said l. IF she he mine,
| she is mine to do what | will with"
| Yes. yes said he. still counting
You shall set that down on paper" l
| said and forthwith made him furnish the
/ implements of the craft.
tSir!"-began the girl. trembling, but
! hushed her with my hand.
Mistress. by this token. duly signed
ye're mine,' / said. lifting the document
| And so i can dispose of you as | will
I So go you To your jacxanapes of a
| schoolmaster and weep on his bosom. :"
I said.
She gaped; and the Old mans jaw
| dropped.
"'Tis trick he began in shril and
| wheezy voice.
IF you shut not your mouth l will
| close ii by other means" | cried .'You
( have your money, which is more to YOU
| than flesh and blood. And the innocent
| beauty is mine to bestow She shall to
| her lover, If / say So
| He was silent and then resumed fur
| lively on his guineas. But the girl came
| toward me. white of face. II misunder-
| stood you, sir-you are''-She stopped
Here's your liberty-here's your war
rant" l said, giving her the paper her
father had signed And what happiness
you may get by exchanging a skinflint
for a popinjay take in Gods name"
Il ASN4 wryt1 -. tlaaf