The midland journal., 1914-06-12

gan himself must have reasoned out
the cause for such asinine plays as
he had executed In the game OF check
ers. How many times had the old
man called out to him to wake up and
move? In spirit he had been across
the lake, a spirit in Hades. He was
not only fool, but coward likewise.
He had not dared to
.. put it to the touch
To gain or lose it all.
He saw it coming; before long he
and that Italian would be at each 9TH
er's throats.
Come int" he called, in response
to sudden thunder on the door.
The door opened and a short, en-
ergetic old man, purple-visaged and
hawk-eyed. came in. why the devil
don't you join the Trappist monks,
Abbott? If wasn't tough should
have died Of apoplexy on the second
landing
Good morning, Colonel!s Abbott
laughed and rolled out the patent rock
er for his guest. Whats on your
mind this morning? can give you
one without ice"
"TH take it neat, my boy. I'm not
thirsty, I'm faint. These Italian archi-
tects; they call three ladders flights
Of stairs! Ha! That's Irish whis-
ky, and jolly fine. Want you to come
over and take tea this afternoon. I'm
going up presently to see the Harri-
gans. Thought I'd go around and do
the thing informally Taken a fancy
to the old chap. He's little bit of
all right. I'm no older than he is, but
look at the difference! Whisky and
soda, that's the racket. Not by the
tuDful; just an ordinary half dozen a
day, and dem climate thrown In"
Difference in training"
Rot! It's the sized hat a man
wears I'd give fifty guineas to see
the old fellow in action. But, say;
recall the argument we had before you
went to Paris?'
'sYes."
well, win. Saw him bang across
the street this morning"
Abbott muttered something.
What was that?"
Nothing"
Sounded like dem IT. to me-"
Maybe it did"
Heard about him in PARISH"
NO"
sThe old boy had transferred his
regiment to lonesome post in the
North to cool his blood The young
ster took the next train to Paris. He
was there incognito for two weeks be-
fore they found him and bundled him
back. OF course, every one knows that
he Is but a crazy lad who's had too
much freedom" The colonel emptied
his glass. Il feel dem sorry for Nora.
She's the right sort. But woman
can't take man by the scruff Of his
neck and chuck him"
But l can," declared Abbott saw
agely.
Tut, tut! He'd eat you alive. Be
sides. you will find him too clever to
give you an opening. But he'll bear
watching. He's capable Of putting her
on train and running away with her.
Between you and me, don't blame
him. What's the matter with sticking
the Barone on him? He's the best
man in southern Italy with foils and
broadswords. Sic 'em, Towser; sic
'em!" The old fire-eater chuckled.
The subject was extremely distaste-
full to the artist The colonel, rough
soldier, whose diplomacy had never
risen above the heights Of clubbing
a recalcitrant hillman into submis-
sion, badly inferred that he under
stood the artists interest in the rose
of the Harrigan family. He would
have liked to talk more in regard to
the interloper, but it would have been
sheer folly. The colonel, in his blum
dering way, would have brought up
the subject again at tea-time and put
everybody on edge. He had, unfor-
tunately for his friends, reputation
other than that of soldier; he posed
as a peacemaker. He saw trouble
where none existed, and the way he
patched up imaginary quarrels would
have strained the patience of Job. Still,
every one loved him, though they lived
in mortal fear of him. So Abbott came
about quickly and sailed against the
wind
by the way" he said, II wish you
would let me sketch that servant OF
yours. He's got profile like me-
dallion. Where did you pick him up?"
In the Hills. He's Sikh, and
tirst-class fighting man. Didn't know
that you went for faces"
Not as usual thing. Just want it
for my own use. How does he keep
his beard combed that way?"
I've never bothered myself about
the curl of his whiskers. Are my
clothes laid out? Luggage attended
to? Guns shipshape? That's enough
for me. Some day you have got to
go out there with me"
Never shot q gun in all NV life