The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-09-18
Ey CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY


first speaker, Lord Luftdon. one of
the young bloods who had been hav-
ing high carouse with Sir Geoffrey for
the past week at the castle, bent over
him.
Well" continued the drawler non
chalantly-as for me. l hated them
both. but the latter speaker the more,
if possible, for reasons which you will
presently understand - this relieves
me greatly
What do you mean? After such a
night as we had to come upon-this is
enough to unsettled any man"
Pooh, pooh, man; you're nervous!
"Well. don't know how it relieves
you. And after all's said and done,
Wilberforce was a gentleman. a good
player and gallant loser"
Exactly, and he lost his all like a
gentleman"
And you got it, at least most of it. !"
Patience, my friend; you had your
share"
II don't know but | would give it
back to have poor old Geoff with us
once again." said Luftdon, with some
heat
THAT is a perfectly foolish state
ment, my buck" returned the other.
Somebody was bound to get it. Will
berforce has been going the pace for
years. We happened to be in at the
death, that's ALL"
"Well, how does it relieve you.
then? Do you think Wilberforce
would have attempted to get you to
support him?"
The drawler laughed.
"Of course not This"-he pointed
to the dead body-"is proof enough of
the spirit that was in him. But. of
course, cannot marry the girl now"
you can't"
Certainly not Her father a bank
rupt, suicide"-
But the castle and this park?'
"Mortgaged up to the hilt. Speak
ing of hilts"-he stopped down and.
daintily avoiding contact with the
corpse. drew from the scabbard the
diamond hilted sword-"this belongs to
me. It's worth taking. You remem-
ber he staked it last night on the last
deal"
Good God. man." protested the
first speaker, don't take the mans
sword away! Let him lie with his
weapons like gentleman"
Tut, tut! You grow scrupulous, it
seems. We will provide a cheaper
badge of his knighthood, if necessary"
"Andsabout the girlT
"'Tis all off"
"You will have some trouble break
ing your engagement with her, / am
thinking"
mot |. To do her justice, the girl
has the spirit of her father. A whis-
per that / am disinclined to the match
will be sufficient"
AYE, but who will give her that
whisper"
I'VE will arrange that some way.
Truth to tell. am rather tired of the
mink. She bores me with her high
airs. She does not know that she is
penniless and disgraced, And as for
her good looks. it's country beauty,
after ALL"
Poor girl" began Luftdon. whose
face, though bloated and flushed, still
showed some signs Of human kind
ness.
At that point | intervened. could
bear no more. When they spoke so
Slightingly of my mistress it was more
than | could stand. / burst out of the
brush and stood before them-mad. en-
ragged all through | will admit that
! lacked the composure and breeding
of these precious two. They started
back at my sudden appearance. from
which he Of the slow speech speedily
recovered.
"Now. who may you be. and what
may you want?" he said.
"Who am matters nothing" said
!, but what | want matters a great
deal"
"Ah! And what Is 1t that you want
that matters sop
I'm the first place that sword"
''This?" said the man, holding Sir
Geoffrey's handsome weapon up light
ly by the blade.
That" said l.
/ am accustomed to move quickly
rs well az to think quickly. and be-