Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-29
By JEFFERY FARNOL

You. can go-for Lewis sake-if you
will give me your word TO live honestly
henceforth."
You have It, sir-I swear it-on the
Bible n you like"
Then let us seek the owner OF this
purse SO. coming In a while TO where
the quack doctor was still holding forth
there, yet seated upon the shaft OF the
/ cart puffing at his great pipe, was the
venerable man. At sight OF him the piok-
pocket stopped and caught my arm.
Come, MASTER" said he, come, you
never mean to give up all that good
money-there's 50 guineas. and more. m
that pursei"
AN the more reason to return IL"
said l. o.. ..- ~.
mo. don't--don't 60 a-wasting good
money like that--it's like throwing Il
away But shaking Off the fellows Inn
Fortunate hand, / approached. and saluted
| the venerable man
Sir" said !, you have. had your
pocket picked"
He turned and regarded me with pair
Of deep-set. very bright eyes. and blew
a whiff of smoke slowly into the air.
Sir" he replied. IT found that out nve
| minutes ago "
The fact seems TO trouble you very
little," said 1.
There. sir, being young, and judging
exteriorly. you are wrong There Is re-
I
altogether incredible story Of a Spartan
youth and fox: the boy, with the
| animal hid beneath his cloak preserved
| an unruffled demeanor despite the
animals tearing teeth, until he fell down
and died. In the same way, young sir.
no man can lose ffty-odd guineas from
his pocket and remain unaffected by the
loss"
Then, SIR" said l. "I am happy to be
able to return your purse to you" He
took II, opened II, glanced over It's con-
tents looked at me, took out two guineas,
looked at me again. put the money back.
closed the purse. and, dropping II into
| his pocket, bowed his acknowledgements,
| Having done which, he made room for
me to sit beside him. ~ ~ ,
Sir" said he, chuckling "harlx TO that
lovely rascal In the cart. yonder-hark to
MN; Galen was an ass and Hippocrates
Ounce beside this fellow-hark to him Z"
We listened a while, and as we sat
! son became engrossed in conversation.
denly
What is, sir?'
While I listened to you have ac-
tually let my pipe go out-a thing which
! rarely happens to me-" AS he spoke he
thrust one hand into his pocket, when he
glanced slowly all round. and back once
more to me.
Remarkable" said he again.
/ What now, sir?"
MY purse has gone again.
"What!-gonev' I calculated.
"Nanished!' said he. and, to prove
his words, turned inside out first one
pocket and then the other.
Come with me-" said I. springing up,
there is yet a chance that we may pos
sibiy recover IT." Forthwith led him ia
where had stood certain gaily-painted
caravan, but 1t was gone-vanished as
utterly as my. copanion's purse.
Most annoying!' said he. shaking his
venerable head, really most exasperat-
ing-l particularly wished to secure q
sample of that fellows pills-the coilec-
tion of quack remedies is a fad of mine
as it is" -. ....., VIII.
MY purse is entirely at your disposal
SIR said I, though. to be sure, a very
But there / stopped. staring, in my turn
blankly at him. ...
'Ha?" he exclaimed, his eyes twin.
Yes" nodded, 'the rascal made of,
with my purse also; We are companions
In misfortune"
Then as such. young sir come anG
ittie aifH witS wOH o9p %e; my ha0itatiOn is but
Thank you sir, but am half expect.
Ing to meet with certain good friends OF
mine' though am none the less honored
by your offer"
80 be it. young sir; then permit me tc
|
touching the brim OF his hat with tht
long stem Of his pipe, the Venerable Mar
turned and left me.
Howbeit, though looked diligently or
all hands. I saw nothing of Simon or IN,
Ancient; thus evening was falling as
oeneing my steps homeward, came to q
partNaf the fair where drinking booth.
had been set up, and where they were
preparing to roast an OK whole, as /!
the tmmemorial custom. Drinking wal
going on, with its usual accompaniment
. OF boisterous merriment and rougi
horse-play-the vulgarity of which evei
annoys me. Two or three times / wal
rudely jostled as I made my way along
so that my temper was already some
thing the worse, when, turning aside L
avoid all this. i came full upon two fel
lows. well-to-do farmers. by their look
who held struggling girl between then
to each of whom l reached out a hand
andS gripping them firmly by their cor
lars, brought their two heads together
with a sounding crack-and then / saw
that the girl was Prudence. Next mo
ment We were running, hand in hand
with the two fellows roaring in pursuit
But Prudence was wonderfully fleet ant
light Of foot, wherefore, doubling anC
turning among carts, tents and booths
we had soon outstripped our pursuers
and rid ourselves OF them altogether. II
spite OF which Prudence stlll ran on TIL
| CdtchlnB ner IOOt IN some OBSTACLE, she
tripped, and would have fallen but fol
my arm.
And looking down into her flushed face
glowing through the sweet disorder Of hei
glossy curis. / could not but think how
lovely she was. But, as / watched. ths
color fled from her cheeks, her eyes
dilated, and she started away from me.
Now turning hastily, 1 saw that W,
were standing close by a certain small
dirty and disreputable-looklng tent, tn,
canvas Of which had been slit with :
knife-and my movement had been qulcl
enough TO enable me 20 see face vanisf
thTough the canvas. And. feeting though
the glimpse had BEEN yet, In the lowerine
brow, the baleful glare OF the eye. anc
the set OF the great jaw. / had seen
Death.
And, after we had walked on. n with,
together looking at Prue, / noticed tina
she trembled.
"oh, Mr.. Peter" she whispered. glane
ing back over her shoulder, "did We see p
Yes. Prudence, l saw" And, speak
ing, ! also glanced back toward the vii
lainous little tent, and though the fac
appeared no more, / was aware. neverthe
less. OF a sudden misgiving that wa
almost like a foreboding OF evil 10 come
for in those features, disfigured thouEl
they were with black rage and passion
had recognised the face Of Blacl
| George. -,I7