The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-23
The.Amateur Gentleman
BY Jeffrey FarnoI

4 so much-deuce take it! Aud
that's not all, you know"
"Not?"
No Bev, dare say could make
you zip another three or four hun
dred or so If I we're to rake about
a bit. but six thousand is enough
70 go on with, thank you!"
Six thousand pounds is a deai
of money to owe" said Barnabas
Yes" answered the viscount
scratching his chin again, though
mark me, Bev. it might be worsel"
INSTALLMENT EIGHTEEN
LIS lordship abruptly turned
l. Il down an unexpected and very
narrow side lane, where, screened
behind three great trees, was a
small inn. or hedge tavern with a
horse trough before the door and
sign wherein was legend, THE
Spotted Cow" with a representa-
ton of that quadruped below sure
ly the very spottiest of spotted COWS
that ever adorned an inn sign
Not much to look at, my dear
Bev," said the viscount. with a wave
Of his hand toward the inn, but
it's kept by an old sailor, a ship
mate Of the bo'Sun's. I can at least
promise you a good breakfast, and
the ale you will find excellent. But
first I want to show you a very
small demon of mine. particular
ly diminutive fiend; follow me, my
dear fellow"
So, by devious ways, the Viscount
led BarnabaS round to the back of
the inn, and across a yard to where
beyond a gate, was a rick yard, and
beyond that again, small field or
paddock. Now. within this paddock
the admired of a group of gaping
rustics. was the very smallest groom
BarnabaS had ever beheld, for, from
the crown of his leather Positions
hat to the soles of his small top
boots, he could not have measured
more than four feet at the very
most.
There he is, Bev, behold hin1!"
said the viscount, with his whim-
steal smile, the very smallest fend
the most diminutive demon that
ever wore top boots!"
THE small groom was engaged in
Il walking a fine blood horse up
and down the paddock. or rather the
horse was walking the groom, for
the animal being very tall and
powerful and much given to divers
startings, snortings, and tosSings of
the head, it thus befell that to every
step the diminutive groom marched
on terra firma, he took one in mid
air, at which times, swinging pendu-
lum- like, he poured forth a stream
of invective that the most expert
enced ostler, guard, or coachman
might we'll have envied, and all in a
voice so gruff, so hoarSe and gut
tural despite his tender years, as
filled the listening rustics with much
apparent awe and wonder.
And he can't be day older than
/ IA, my dear Bev," said the viscount,
with a complacent nod as they
/ halted in the perfumed shade of an
adjacent rick. That's his stable
4 voice assumed for the occasion, and,
/ between you and me, I can't think
how he does it. Egad! he's the most
! remarkable boy that ever wore liv-
4 cry, the sharpest, the gamest.
picked him up in London, ragged
urchin-caught him picking my
/ pocket. Been with me ever since,
and wouldn't part with him for his
weight in gold"
Picking your pocket!" said
Barnabas, "hum!"
THE viScount looked a trifle un-
Il comfortable. Why you see, my
dear fellow" he explained, he was
/ $3.50 deuced-Small Bev, a wretch
ed little pale-faced, Shivering atomy,
peeping up at me over a ragged ell
bow waiting to be thrashed, and I
liked him because he didn't SWIVEL,
and he was too insignificant for
prison. so, when he told me how
hungry he was, forgot to cuff his
shrinking, dirty little head, and
suggested a plate of beef at one of
the la mode shops.
To Be Continued
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