The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 10, 1903, Page 2

THE SUNDAY CALL. o e s = w a then he stopped . . 5 at* a8 piping ¥ the s figure was . waiting the court e ekly twisting the golden o 13 shed young n who had poke k er deserter drew an en- k s from his pocket w v caution, while e Mr. Bar . id; and € § & ghing crow i his ay e of hs She ® > Harkless at a y it 181”7 s.e luughed. *J g Know peo . saiu, “The further more convinced I am East. s s the im- g stheast Cotton- g . said Heler m In g o W el a 24 he e you friends who . e was a classmate of as his name? Perhaps | know She stole a glance at him. His 1 es, and he k a »me up the > alloway s a happy day g0, W have been rocession s & K at the e parade ame of B 4 struggled to get in the alr to catch a going on. Harkless on the top step, his hand the shoulder of the pale and »ered Hartley. In the clear dlock was standing with nging head, and between less were the two gamblers shells. The journalist held hand the implements of their pio- feesion Give it all up,” he was saying in his sieady voice. “You've taken $86 from this Loy Hand it over.” The men began to edge closer. to the crowd, giving little, swift, desperate, scarching looks from left to right, aud right to left, moving nervously about, like weasels In a trap. “Close up there tight,” Harkless sharply. “Don’t let taem W'y can’t we git no square treatment Lere?” one of the gamblers whined; but s eyes, blazing with rage, belied (he plaintive passivity of his tone. “We've been running no skin, W'y d'yve say we gotter give up our own money? You got- ter prove it was a skin. We risked our money fair “Proye it! Come up here, Eph Watts. Friends editor turned to the crowd, smilin, nds,. here's a man we ran out of town once, because he knew, too much a ut things of this sort He's c back to us again and he's here to stay. He'll glve us an object lesson on the shell game. t's pretty simple.” remarked Mr. Watts. The best way is to piek up the vail with second finger and the back part of yo mb as you pretend to lay the shell down over it; this way.” He ii- strated, and showed several methods of manipulation, with ional sang froid: and as he in the easy swindle by which many had been duped morning, there arose an angry and atening murmur 1 all see d Harkless, raising his a 1. Yet a lot of you st lost your own money and d idiots. and let Hartley ose eighty odd dollars on a shell i not one of you lified a How hard you worked for wh se two cheap crooks took Ah!" he cried, “it is be- se you were greedy that they robbed so casily. You know it's true. IUs when you want to get something for thing that the ‘confidence men’ steal e money you sweat for and make the a stock. And you, Jim ek shal!'—you, who con- that in the game sixty « s" worth His eyes were lit with wrath as he raised his accusing hand and leveled it at the unhappy mu- nic'pal. The Town Marshal smiled uneasily and deprecatin about him, and, meeting nly angry glantes, hearing only words of condemnation, he passed his hand un- =teadily over his fat mustache, shilted from one leg to the other and back again, looked up, looked down, and then, an amiable and pleasure-loving man, be- holding nothing but accusation and anger in heaven and earth, and wishing noth- ing more than 1o ‘sink Into the watei under the ea but having no way of reaching them, finding his troubles quite unbearable, and unable to meet the mani- fold eye of man, he sought relief after the unsagacious fashion of a larger bird than he. His burly form underwent a series of convulsions not unlike sobs, and he oot “THE fi{]LDEN PflEASANT." THIS PICTURE WILL BE IN TREMENDOUS DEMAND. ORDER NOW. shut his eyes tightly and held them so, presenting a picture of misery unequaled in the memory of any spectator. Hark- less’ outstretched hand began to shake. “You!" he tried to continue—‘you, a man elected to——"" There came from the crowd the sound of a sad, high-keyed voice, drawlini “That's a nice vest Jim's got on, but it ain’t hardly the feathers fiten for an os- trich, is it?” The editor's gravity gave way: he broke into a ringing Jaugh and turned again to the shellmen. “Give up the boy's money. Hurry." “Step, down here and git one who had spoken There wi a turbulent crowd, and a cry Ride 'em on a rail! ‘em out o' town! 1 wouldn’t dilly-dally long you.” said Harkless, and seemed good to the shellmen. bills, which he counted and turned over to the elder Bowlder, was suilenly placed in his hand. The fellow who had clutched it,”” said the motion in arose, “Run ‘em Tar and feathers! th ou R it T were his advice A roll of not yet spoken the journalist's sleeve with his dirty hand “We hain't done wit' youse.” he sald hoarsely. “‘Don’t belief if, mot fer a min- ute, see The Town Marshal opened his eyes briskly, and placing a Land on each/ of the gamblers, said: *I hereby do arrest vour said persons, and declare you m prisoners.” The cry rose again, louder: “Run 'em out! String ‘em up! Hang them! Hang them!” and a forward rush was made. *“This way, Jim. Be quick,” said Hark- less, quietly, bending down and jerking one of the gamblers half-way up the steps. t through the hall to the other side and then run them to the lock-up. No one will stop you that way. Watis and 1 will hold this door.” . Bardlock hus- tied his prisoners through the doorway and the crowd pushed up the steps, while Harkless struggled to keep the vestibule clear until Watts got the double doors closed. “‘Stand back, here!” he cried; “it's all over. Don't be foolish. The law is good enough for us. Stand back, will you!” He was laughing a little, shoving them back with cpen hand and elbow, when a small, compact group of men suddenly dashed up the steps together, and a heavy stick swung out over their straw hat with a gay ribbon through the air. The Jjournalist's iong arms went out swiftly from his body in several directions, the hands not open, but clenched and hard. The next Instant he and Mr. Watts stood alone on the steps, and a man with a bleeding, blaspheming ry mouth dropped his stick and tried to lose himself in the crowd. Mr. Watts was returning something he lad not used to his hip pocket. “Prophets of Israel!"” liam Todd, ruefully, “it wasn't Eph Watts' pistél. Did you see Mr. Harkless? I was up on them steps when he begun. I don't belleve he needs as much takin’ care of as we think.’ exclaimed Wil- “Wasn't it one of them - Cross-Roads devils that knocked his hat off?” asked Judd Bennett. “I thought I see Bob Skillett run up with a club.” Harkless threw open the doors behind him; the hall was emnprty “You may come in now, " he sald. “This isn't my courthou CHAPTER VIIL GLAD AFTERNOON-THE GIRL BY THE BLUE TENT POLE. They walked slowly back along the plke toward the brick house. The white- ruffed fennel reached up its dusty vellow heads to touch her skirts as she passed and then drooped, satisfied, against the purple .ron- weed at the roadside. In the noonday silence no cricket chirped nor locust raised its lorn monotone; the tree shadows mot- tled .the road with blue, and the level fields seemed te pant out a dazzling breath; the transparent ‘‘heat-waves' that danced above the low corn and green wheat He was stooping very much as they walked; he wanted to be told that he could look at her for a-thousand years Her face was rarely and exquisitely mod- eled, but, perhaps, just now the salient characteristic of her beauty (for the sa- llent characteristic seemed to be a dif- ferent thing at different times) was the coloring, a delicate glow under the white skin, that Wewitched him fn its seeming a reflection of the rich benediction of the noonday sun that blazed overhead. Once he had thought the way to the Briscoe homestead rather a long walk; but now the distance sped malignantly; and strolled they never so slow, it was less than a “young bird's flutter from a Wwood.” With her acquiescence he rolled & cigarette, and she began to Aum lightly the air of a song, a song of an Ineffably gentle, slow movement. That, and a reference of the merning, and, perhaps, the smell of his tobacco mingling with the fragrance of her rose: awoke again the keen reminiscence of the previous night within him. Clearly out- lined before him rose the high, green slopes and cool cliff walls of the coast of Maine, while his old self lasily watched A Japanese Bird of Glorious Plumage. Reproduced in All Its Natural Colors. the sharp little waves through half-closed lids the pale smoke of his cigarette blow- ing out under the rail of a waxen deck where he lay cushioned. And again a woman pelted his face with handfuls of rose petals and cried: “Up, lad, and at ‘em! Yonder is Winter Harbor.” Again he sat in the oak-raftered Casino, breath- less with pleasure, and heard a young girl sing “The Angels’ Serenade,” a yvo'ng girl who looked 80 bravely unconscious of the big, hushed crowd that listened, look- ed so pure and bright and gentle and good, that he had spoken of her as “Sir Galabad’s little sister.” He recollected he had been much taken with this child; but he had not thought of her from ‘that time to this, he supposed; had almost for- gotten her. No! Her face suddenly stood out to his view as though he saw her with his physical eye—a sweet and vi- vacious child’s face with light-brown hair and gray eves and a short upper lip. * * * And the voice. * * * He stopped short and struck his palms together. “You are Tam Meredith’s lit- tle cousin!” “The Great Harkless!” she answered, and stretched out her hand to him. “I remember you!" Isn't it time?” 0 ‘““Ah. but T never forgot you,” he cried. “I thought I had. 1 didn't know who it was | was remembering. 1 thougiht it was faney, and it was memory. 1 never for- got your voice, singing—and | remembered your face, too; though I thought I didn’t.” He drew a deep breath. “That was why— om Meredith has not forgotten you,” she said. as he paused. “Would. you mind shaking hands once more?” he asked. She gave him her hand again. “With all my heart. Why?" “I'm making a record at it. Thank you. hey called me ‘Sir Galahad's little sister’ all one summer beeause the Great John Harkl called me that. You darced with me in the evening.” Did 12" Ah,” she said, shaking her head, “vou were too busy being In love with Mrs. Van Skuyt to remember a waltz with only me! I was allowed to meet you as a re- ward for singing my very best, and you— you bowed with the indulgence of a grandfather, and asked me to dance. Like a grandfather? How yvoung I wa: then! How time changes us! T'm afraid my conversation did not make a great impression upon you,” she continued. “But it did. I am remembering very fast. If you will wait a moment, I will tell you some of.the things you s The girl laughed merrily. Whenever she laughed he realized that it was becoming terribly difficult not to tell her how ador- able she ‘was. “I wouldn't risk it, if I were you,” she warned him, ‘“because 1 didn’t speak to you at all. I shut my lips tight and trembled all over every bit of the time 1 was dancing with you. 1 did not sleep that night, because I was so unhappy, wondering what the Great Harkless would think of me. I knew he thought ne unutterably stupid because I couldn't talk to him. T wanted to send him word that I knew I had bored him 1 couldn’t bear for him not to know that I 'knew I had. But he was not thinking of me in any way. He had gone to sea again in a big boat, the ungrateful pirate, erulsing with Mrs. Van Skt “How time does change us!" said John. “You are wrong, though; I did think of you. 1 bave al—'"" Yes,”" she interrypted, tossing her head in airy travesty the stage couquette, you think so—I mean you say so—now. Away with you and your blarneying!” And so they ,went through the warm noontide, and little he cared for the heat that wiited the fat mullein leaves and made the barefoot boy, who passed by, skip gingerly through the burning dust \’ YDE MEN WHUT SHOT MARSE HAWKLISS with anguished mouth and watery eve. Litle he knew of the locust that suddenly whirred his mills of shrillness in the ma- ple-tree, and sounded so hot, hot, hot; or those others that railed at the country quiet from the dim shade around thebrick house; or even the rain crow that sat on the fence and swore to them in the face of a sunny sky that they“should see ra: ere the day were done r dinner they went out to the ve- and the gentlemen smoked. The set his chait down on the ground. tilted back in it with his feet on the steps, and blew a wavery domed city up in air. He called it solid comfort. He liked to sit out from under the porch roof, he szld; he wanted to see more of the sky The others moved their chairs down to jein bim in the celestial visian. There bad blown across the heaven a' feathery, ttin clous or two, but save for these, there was nothing but glorious and ten- der, brilllant blue. “There aren't any others anywhere that ever seemed much llke them to me. They've been company for me all my life I don’t think there are any others half as beautiful, and T know there aren't any as soclable. They were always so.”” . He sighed gently, and Miss Sherwood fancied his wife must have found the Indiana skles as lovely as he had. in the days of long ago. ‘‘Seems to me they are the softest and bluest and kind in the world. “I think they are' said Helen. “and they are more beautiful than the ‘Ttalian skies.’ though I doubt many of us Hoosiers 1ze it; and—certainly 1o o else does. The old man leaned hand chuckled Hoosiér, life have Hf osiers answered when I g one th. Tow oung lad “Us Hoosiers “You're a great The bu around, and t in, Harkless the Jud front of the Miss Sherw gathered up t You'll m right a the girl Y 1 gue my Whe he spoke e horses Wait,” sald the ge, still ho 3 the girl's hand. Y oosier some day .| r ead very beau bent white head and kissed her, gallantjy. J “Good aft Judge”; tha w cracked like a p shot, and the bu board dashed off in a c once in a wh old fellow ed after remember to The enc a hazy low light reserve his arm 1 gentleman on about the level of Jim's head: “How are ve? I reckon we were a leetls too smar fer ‘em this morning, huh?" Five or six A people—every one within hearing—turned k< at Jim; but the gentleman addressed was engaged in eon- v ation with a nd did t notice. Hi! Hi Mrs. Harkless bellowed J 3 T people turned to look at Harkless. His at on was ar an reek grew red a asked, a little com- 1 annoyed what ye say shouted 1 to his ear ecated the young man w to-night,” he added Ll Some one ought to W fortably he sh in fer “Hain't the age was you sitting M the expressi tight trapeze: f gs tted arlous ring lady came p and kissed him on the street. and to exploit his hilaritles during the short Intervals of rest for the ath- letes. When it was over John and Helen found themselves 1 e midst of a densely packed crowd. and separated from Miss Briscoe and Lige. People wers pushing and shoving, and he saw her face grow Dale. He realized with a pang of sympa- thy how helpless he would feel if he were as small as she. and at his utmost height could only see big, suffocating backs and huge shou ssing down frem abo He was kee them from crowding heavily upe r with all his strength and a roval feeling of protectiveness came er him. She was so little. And y ut the remotest hint of hardness, ve him such a distinet impression ise and equilibrium, she seemed so to meet anything that might come— and it—even to laugh at it—so e and sure of the g Il ble and slack; nea Be ark frer the nis = sawdust ellipss rings, to ight behold the folded e word—it was & ck, broadly smiling ) depression, ay me and you cer- this Hooslers i them two et up yet? indfgnantly ie young couple, a sympathy was em and many ot 2 fte semanship and horsewe- hair-raising exploits on glddy tricks on the high an a brazing calf th his sweethear t 'em says they're g > eated Mr. Bardl “Swear ens, with ye rose again. “Dom’t git ave town, Mr. Harkless,” he protect you.” £ man’'s relief the slay. and the eques s capered out from the r the “Grand Entrance.’” ¢ commenced. Through oon went on; wire eats of leaping and tumbling in while spirt < leste g! aster what e would do if a youn, tireless musiclans through only up- all allow that clown ¢ her pale cheek he gould quits so protective as he wished to He managed to get her to one of the tent.poles, and placed her with her dack ot 'Then he set one of his own hands( against over her head, P\ himself and stood, keeping a littls space Wbout her, ruggedly letting the owd surge against him as it would: no one should touch her in rough careless- Thank you It was rather trying she sald, and looked up Ir n ves with a divine gratitude. «Please don’t do that,” he answered In a low voice Do what?" “Look like that."” She not only looked like that, but more so. “Young man, young man.” she sail. fear you're wishful of turning a § s head The throng was thick around them rulous and nolsy, but they two wer richly alone together. to his appr than if they stood on some far of Mars. He was not ml forget ent, and he kept P e ¢ : ::‘.4 leaned against the big blue tent pole, there, in his heart; the clear gray cyes lifted to his, the delicate face with the color stealing back to her cheeks, and tho brave little that had run so straight to him out of the night shadows thing about her., and In There was the moment, with a sadder be borne; the that forg idenly touched nim etness too keen to not finger of the WPWW. BEAUTIFUL ART SUPPLEMENT READY FOR FRAMING. Free Next Sunday Call, May I7. to ask the 7k over and patted har Harkless gasped By