Evening journal., 1911-04-01
THE BAR
SINISTER
BY FRED L. YOUNG
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.


inclined to marry foreigners with titles
is that titles are not an American In
stltuuon. what gives them their CLAM
our is that they are not American.
When on visit 10 England / visited
the Earl OF Bannerton. We were sit 1
ting one evening together drinking port
wine and smoking The walls were
covered With portraits OF his ancestors. /
I'VE Americans" said. ENVY you
your family histories. your blood your
ancestral homes. What a fine thing
II is to feel that you have pure blue
blood I'm your veins. especially when
there Is no taint In H."
The earl smiled. What would you
say" he replied. III told you that my
grandfather was highwaymanT"
81 should say you were amusing
yourself"
"He was
"A highwaymanT"
Eyes. Come. will show you his
portraits and that OF his wife. my
grandmother"
He led me into n room used exclu-
sively for family likenesses and stop
ped before two portraits. a young
man and a 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 I'm
/ 81 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 n courtier. Captivated by
Clarissa's beauty. be swung his hat
in Difference TO her like the hero OF a
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
Der. If the young lady viii give me
that bit OF lace she wears about her
} throat win ask no more
"Glad 90 escape with so little dam
, age, Sir Roger bade his daughter give
up her lace. She obeyed like a duti
! ful child. handing It to the highway
man.
az only ask It as a Loan he said
!. and will bring Il to you in person.
o "If you do. said Sir Roger. 'yo
Z win be taken and hanged to the higl
est gibbet In England.
"'That prospect win only enhan'
p the zest Of the visit replied the ma
. Besides. to see this beautiful 81
q once more I would be willing to da
gle from a ropes end
'The coach was driven on and Il
p highwayman left behind.
Several months after that Sir Rogt
and Lady Smartleigh gave a maske
& ball. The dancing was at its heigh
when Clarissa observed figure dress
ed as a Spanish toreador which seem
y ed 10 her the acme OF manly form
b Determined TO discover II possible Wit
he was. as soon as the dance was I'm
ished she resolved TO Join him. WheT
he parted from his partner he mad
her a bow, sweeping the floor with hi
hat, and she knew there was but on
| man in England who could make 81
grand a salute.
"She stood undecided. her heart beat
ing like a kettledrum. for she kne'
the highwayman had come on hi
promised visit. and she remembers
her fathers threat. At the momer
the highwayman turned and. seein
her. came toward her. thrusting int
her hand a bit Of lace. His own han
0 touched hers. and he felt hers tren
m bic.
, THAT touch. that culver. preeipita
ed a love affair. The man knew sf
: was trembling for him. and she wa
infatuated by the frightful risk he ra
TO visit her He drew her hand throug
his arm and led her out on to the din
ly lighted terrace.
'There was the usual melting OF n
woman under the warm sun OF low
At frst she demanded in an assume
tone OF severity what right he ha
there. and when the rascal told h'
that he had come to see her and d
she threw her arms about him an
begged him to Zee for his life. Ho
he could fee when she wouldn't Il
him go I don't know. Sir Roger ha
got a glimpse Of the fellow when
was making bis cOurtly bow and. ha
= ing seen It before. knew his guest. I
made his way through a crowd
4 dancers as fast an he could. but befo
he reached his man the latter had dl
appeared. for Clarisss. hearing her
ther roaring and swearing and cryii
Where is the yillalnT opened h
arms. and the robber was IN the 81
den and over the fence like the boy
twenty-five he was.
"Clandestine meetings between {
lovers followed the ball. and a secI
marriage followed the meetings. T
highwayman-the handsome chap W
the second son Of my great-grandf
taer-did not live with his wife I
two years after their marriage. for
he had showed himself he would ha'
got the rope. But after his elder brot
- er died chiidless and he inherited q
- title he got pardon and acknowledge
his wife. and / am one OF their d