Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-08-05
THE BAR
SINISTER
By FRED L. YOUNG
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

F OduSuleIS OIL Ous uuIl4LAIII4OAa4IS 0iO
inclined to marry foreigners with titles
is that titles are not an American in
stitution. What gives them their CLAM
our is that they are not American.
When on a. visit to England visited
the Earl of Bannerton. We were sit
ting one evening together drinking port
wine and smoking. The walls were
D.. covered with portraits of his ancestors
. eve Americans" l said, envy you
your family histories, your blood, yout
ancestral homes What a fine thing
it is to feel that you have pure blue
blood in your veins, especially when
there is no faint in it,
The earl smiled. What would you
say" he replied. IF l told you that my
grandfather was highwayman|
Il should say you were amusing
yourself"
"He was"
"a highwayman"
Eyes. Come, I will show you his
portraits and that of his wife, my
grandmother"
He led me into a room used exclu-
sively for family hkenesses and stop
ped before two portraits, young
man and young woman. The man
must have been extremely handsome.
We sat down, and he told me their
story while / was looking at them as
they were when the events narrated
occurred
"The young bloods of England in
olden times were not as vicious in
some respects as they are today. They
drank pretty hard, but they were not
effeminate. When they were not
fighting foreign enemies or engaged in
cruel warfare an outlet was required
for their surplus vitality. One day Sir
Roger Smartleigh was driving on a
road with his daughter Clarissa-the
girl faced lady you see before you
when his coach was stopped A horse
man appeared at the window and de-
manded what he called aims He
was masked, of course, but he had the
manner of a courtier. Captivated by
Clarissa's beauty, he swung his hat
in Difference to her like the hero of
! sixpenny novel of the present day.
Sir Roger emptied his pockets. holding
out the contents, with his watch, to
the highwayman.
"'Never mind those said the rob-
ber If the young lady will give me
= that bit of lace she wears about her
throat I will ask no more
"Glad to escape with so little dam
age, Sir Roger babe his daughter give
: up her lace. She obeyed like a duti-
: full child, handing it to the highway
S man.
g "I only ask it as a loan he said,
and will bring it to you in person.
, eff you do said Sir Roger, you
will be taken and hanged to the high,
y est gibbet in England
S "That prospect will only enhance
e the zest of the visit replied the man.
f Besides. to see this beautiful girl
once more l would be willing to dan
gle from ropes end
1.-THE coach was driven on and the
II highwayman left behind.
Several months after that Sir Roger
and Lady Smartleigh gave masked
ball. The dancing was at its height
~ when Clarissa observed figure dress
ed as a Spanish toreador which SEEM
ed to her the acme of manly form.
: Determined to discover If possible who
he was. as soon as the dance was nm
ished she resolved to join him. Wnen
# he parted from his partner he made
her q bow, sweeping the floor with his
10 hat, and she knew there was but one
H. man in England who could make so
l. grand a salute.
l. "She stood undecided. her heart beat
If ing like a kettledrum, for she knew
the highwayman had come on his
promised visit, and she remembered
her fathers threat. At the moment
W the highwayman turned and. seeing
n her, came toward her, thrusting into
,e her hand a bit of lace. His own hanc
r touched hers, and he felt hers trem
BILE.
THAT touch. that culver, preclpltat
ed a love affair. The man knew she
u was trembling for him, and she was
lc infatuated by. the frightful risk he ran
Sc to visit her. He drew her hand through
v his arm and led her out on to the dim
ly lighted terrace.
>, There was the usual melting of the
woman under the warm sun OF love
" At first she demanded in an assumed
e tone Of severity what right he hao
/, there, and when the rascal told hei
that he had come to see her ana Ole
she threw her arms about him anc
begged him to fee for his life. How
: he could fee when she wouldn't lei
him go l don't know. Sir Roger hac
got glimpse of the fellow when ne
RI was making his courtly bow and. hav
ing seen it before, knew his guest He
made his way through a crowd OF
" dancers as fast as he could, but before
ID he reached his man the latter had dis
appeared. for Clarissa, hearing her IA
Their roaring and swearing and crying
d. Where is the villainT opened bel
re arms. and the robber was In the gar
m den and over the fence like the boy OF
ly twenty-five he was.
Is "Clandestine meetings between the
lovers followed the hall and q secret