San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-15
Begin Here Today.

Colonel HOLES, soldier and advcn
turer, returns TO England. his ma
tive land, when war with HOLLAND
is declared. 1t is dangerous fol
HOLES TO secure commission il
the English army because the namt
lof Randall HOLES, father of the
colonel, appears on the warrant fol
the execution of the late king.
The plague is spreading rapidly
in London. A friend of the colonel
named Tucker. is arrested for plot
ting against the government. Be
cause. HOLES has been seen in
fuckers company a warrant is out
for his arrest.
His Grace of Buckingham plots
with a rogue to abduct the beautiful
actress, Sylvia Farquharson. Buck
ingham sends his man Bates to rent
a furnished house i'll Knight Ryder
street to which place the Duke
means to arrange TO have Sylvia car
ried by force. Now go on with the
story.
| "1f things continue as at present,
your grace should have no cause for
complaint on that score. Soon the
city will be the most depopulated
spot in England. Already more than
half the houses in Knight Ryder
street are empty. trust your grace
is not thinking Of residing there"
Not :. not exactly" His grace
was frowning, thoughtfully. There's
no infection in the street, | hope?"
mot yet. But there's an abundant
fear of it, as everywhere else in the
city. This merchant in Fenchurch
street didn't trouble to conceal the
opinion that / was crazy to be seek
ing house in London at such a
time"
"Pooh. pooh.' His grace dis
missed the matter of fearcontemptu-
ously. These cts frigMen them
selves into the plague. It's Opportune
enough. 1t will serve to keep mems
minds off the concerns Of their
neighbors. / want no spying on me
in knight Ryder street. Tomorrow.
Bates. you'll seek this merchant and
engage the house-and ye're to ac-
quire the tenancy of it in your own
name. Ye understand? My name is
not TO be mentioned. To avoid qucs-
tions you'll pay him six months rent
at once"
Bates bowed. perfectly, your
grace"
His grace leaned back in his great
chair. and considered his servant
through half closed, slyly smiling
eyes.
You'll have guessed, of course,
the purpose for which L am acquir-
ing this house"
Il should never presume TO guess
any purpose of your grace's."
by which you mean that my pur-
pose BATTLES you. That is an admis-
sion of dullness. You recall the little
comedy we played month ago for
the benefit Of Mss FarQuharson?"
81 have occasion to. My bones
are still sore from the cudgeling l
got. 1t was a very realistic piece of
acting on the part OF your grace's
cursed French grooms."
well introduce a more serious
note fSto the comedy. Well carry
the lady off. That is the purpose for
which l require this house"
Il -. it's a hanging matter"
"Oh, damn your Stiffness. A hang
ing matter! When I'm behind you?"
"That's what makes it so. They'll
never venture to hang your grace.
But they'll need n scapegoat. if
there's trouble. and they'll hang your
instruments to pacify the rabble's
clamor for justice"
Are We quite mad?"
I'm not only sane, your grace; I'm
shrewd. And if | may presume to
THAT would, indeed, be a presump-
"That fould, indeed, be a presumj-
ton, you impudent rogue" The
Dukes voice rose sharply, n heavy
frown rumpled his brow. "You for
get yourself, l think"
81 beg your gracc's pardon? But
he went on. none the less. Your
grace. perhaps. is not aware of the
extent of the panic in the City over
this pestilcnce. The cry everywhere
is that it is a visitation provoked by
the sins of the Court. That's what
the canting Nonconformist preach
ers have put about. And if this thing
that your grace contemplates . -
Listen, Bates. If we are ill
served on the one hand by the pesti-
lence, We are very well served on the