The Washington herald., 1914-01-25

"a
yond grew stronger. beginning to shake
tne mountain road and voice could
be clearly heard calling out orders.
"A scuer cried Muscari, spring.
ing to his feet and waving his hat. The
gendarmes are on theml Now for
freedom and blow for it! Now to
be rebels against robbersi Come.
don't let Us leave everything to the DO,
lice; that is so dreadfully modern. Fan
on the rear of these ruffiansl The gen.
darmes are reseuing u.s. Come, friends,
let US rescue .he gendarmesr'
And, throwing his hat over the trees.
he drew his cutlass once more and he,
gan to escalade the slope up to the
road Frank Harrogate jumped up and
ran across to help him, revolver In
hand, but was astounded to hear him
self imperatively recalled by the rau-
cous voice of his father, who seemed
to be in great agitation
Il won't have it." said the banker in
a choking voice; Il command you not
to interfere"
But, father" said Frank warmIy,
an Italian gentleman has led the way.
You wouldn't have It said that the
English hung back"
1t is useless said the older man,
VINO was trembling violently. at is
hopeless. We must submit to our lot"
Father Brown looked at the banker !;
then he put his hand instinctively as if
on his heart, but really on the little bot
tie of poison; and a great light came
into his face, like the light of the rev.
elation of death.
Musrari r,ea,uvb,f. ID.
Tor support, had crested the bank IN
70 the road and struck the brigand
Sing heavily on the shoulder, causing
MIN TO stagger and swing round. Mon
tano also had his cutlass unsheathed,
and Muscari, without further speech,
sent slash at his head which he was
compelled to catch and parry. But.
even as the two short blades crossed
and clashed, the King of Thieves de-
iiberately dropped his point and
What's the good. old man. h.
said in spirited Italian slang. This
farce will soon be over"
What do you mean, YOU shuf1er ,,
painted the fre-eating poet. rs your
courage a sham as well as your hon
esty"
Everything about me is a sham" re-
sponded the ex-courier, in complete
good humor. Il am an actor; and if |
ever had private character, have
forgotten it. | am no more a genuine
6rigand tEan | am a genuine courier.
L am only bundle of masks, and YOU
can't fight a duel with that" And he
laughed with boyish pleasure, and fell
INTO his old straddling attitude, with
his back to the skirmish up the road.
Just as he was rolling his eyes in
bewilderment, the poet felt a touch on
his elbow, and found the odd little
priest standing there, like a small Noah
with large hat, and requesting the
favor of a word or two.
"Signor Muscari," said the cleric. in
this queer crisis personalities NAV be
pardoned. You will permit me the i'm
pertinent intimacy. But do you care
about that girl-care enough TO marry
her anc make her good husband, I
mean?"
Yes" said the poet quite simply.
Does she care about your"
i think So was the equally grave
reply:
Then go over there and offer your
SELF" said the priest. Offer her
everything you can; offer her heaven
and earth if you've got them. The
Why asked the astonished man of
letters.
Because" said Father Brown, "her
doom Is coming up the road.
Almost as he spoke the hedges were
broken all along the ridge by a rush
OF the escaping brigands. They Owed
into bushes and thick grass like de-
teated men pursued; and the great
cooked hats OF the mounted gendarm-
erie were seen passing along above the
broken hedge. Another order was
gwen; there was a noise of dismount-
ing, and a tall officer with a cooked hat.
a gray imperial, and paper in his
hand, appeared in the gap that was the
gate of the Paradise of Thieves. There
was momentary silence, broken in an
extraordinary way by the banker, who
cried out in a Strangled voice:
Robbed I've been robbedP
Why, that was hours ago." cried bis
son in stonishment-"when YOU were
robbed of two thousand pounds"
Not of two thousand pounds" said
the financicr, with an abrupt and ter
rlble composure; only of small bot
tie"
The policeman with the gray imperial
was striding across the green hollow.
Encountering the King of the Thieves
in his path, he clapped him on the
shoulder with something between a
caress and buffet, and gave him
push that sent him staggering away.
You'll get into trouble, too" he
said, IF you play these tricks
Again, to Muscari's artistic eye, it
seemed scarcely like the capture OF
great outlaw at bay. Passing on, the
policeman halted before the Harrosate
group and said:
Samuel Harrogate, l arrest YOU, ii
the name of the law, for embezzlement
OF the funds of the Hull and Hudders-
field Bank"
The great banker nodded with an odd
air of business assent, seemed to re-
fleet moment, and before they could
interpose took half turn and a step
that brought him to the edge of the
outer mountain wall. Then, fiinging
up his hands. he leaped. exactly as he
had leaped out of the coach. But this
time he did not fall into a little
meadow just beneath, but fell a thou
sand feet below, wreck of bones in
the valley.
The anger of the Italian. policeman,
which he expressed volubly to Father
Brown, was largely mixed with admir-
Il