The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-02-12

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you say; he was your fathers friend,
and owed much to your father. as all
know. Did he offer you his purse to
tide you over present stress, until
opportunity permits him to fulfill his
promise? Did he?"
81 could not have taken advantage
of it if he had"
THAT is not what I ask you. Did
he offer it? OF course he did not Not
he. Yet would not a friend have
helped you at once and where he
could?"
II say again. you are unjust to
him. You forget that. after all, he
was under no necessity to promise
anything
ooh, yes he was. There was his
Duchess. as you've told me. Dirty
Bess can be importunate. and she
commands him. He goes VIGOROUSLY
IN terror of her. Yielding to her i'm
portunities he promised that which
he will avoid fulfilling
He grew conscious that Colonel
Holes was staring at him, amazed
10y LIS NHdNAC NCA1CAtACil1E. 4 CA&CAhEd
abruptly, n laughed.
Il grow hot for nothing at all.
Nay. not for nothing-for you, old
friend, and against those who put
This deception upon you. You should
not have come back to England. Ran
dial. But since you're here, at least
do not WOO disappointment by nour-
ishing you hopes on empty prom
ises." He raised his glass to the
light, and looked at the Colonel sol.
EMMY ere the top of it. II drink
to your better fortune. Randall"
Mechanically. without answering a
word. the Colonel dram with him.
His heart was turned tc lead.
IF you are right" he said slowly,
his eyes upon the table. Il may as
well take your advice, and hang my
self"
almost the only thing left for a
self-respecting man in England" said
Tucker.
"Or anywhere else. for that matter.
But why s0>bitter about England in
Particular
Tucker shrugged. You know my
sentiments, what they always were.
1 am no trimmer. 1 sail a steady
course"
Holes regarded him se~archingly.
He could not m-isunderstand the mans
words, still less his tone.
rs that not Is it not a danger
Gus course?" he asked. Tucker looked
at him with wistful amusement.
There are considerations an hon
est man should set above danger"
"Oh, agreed"
There is no honesty save in stead
fastness. Randall, and I am. I hope,
an honest man"
by which you-mean hi am
not" said HOLES slowly.
Tucker did not contradict him by
more than a shrug and a d-eprecatory
smile that was "A mere p~oliteness. The
Colonel rose, stirred to vehemence by
his friends manifest opinion of him.
Il am a beggar, Ned; and beggars
may not choose. Besides, for ten
years GOV 1 have been a mercenary,
neither more nor less. My sword is
for hire. That is the trade by which
l live. l do not make governments; I
do not plague myself with questions
of their worth; 1 serve them. for gold"
But Tucker. smiling sadly, slowly
shook his head.
IF that were true, you would not
be in England now. You came. as
you have said, because Of the war.
Your sword may be for hire; but you
still have a country, n the offer
goes to her. Should she refuse it, the
next will not go to an enemy Of Eng
lands. So why belitttle yourself thus?
You still have a country. and you
love it. There are many here who
are ready to love you, though they
may not be among those who gov
ern England. You have come back to
serve her. Serve her. then. But first,
ask yourself how best she may be
served"
Whats that?'
Sit down, man. Sit and lsten.'
And now, having first sworn the
Colonel to secrecy in the name Of their
old friendship-to which and to the
Coloners desperate condition, the other
trusted in opening his heart-Tucker
delivered himself OF what was no less
than treason.
He began by inviting the Colonel to
consider the state to which m~isgovern
ment 0y a spendthrift, lecherous, vim
dictive, dishonest king had reduced the
country. He came in the end to deal
with the war to which the country
was committed; he showed how it had
been ~p1 evoked by recklessness, and
how it had been rendered possible by
the gross. the criminal neglect of the
affairs of that navy which Cromwell
had left so formidable.
I'VE touch the end at last" he CON
cluded with fierce conviction. white
hall shall be swept clean Of this
Charles Stuart and his trulls and
pimps and minions. They shall be
flung on the foul dunghill where they
belong, and a commonwealth shall be
restored to rule this England in a sane
and cleanly fashion, so that honest
men may be proud to serve her once
again." -
My God. Ned. you're surely ma
I Holes was aghast as much at the
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