The Vagrant Duke

d McGuire sitting rigidly in a rocking-chair at the side of the room, facing the windows, a whisky bottle and gla

er?" He whined the question, not an

ook around," repl

id you fin

N

ought you

er's share in the night's encounters, but he knew

mistaken, a man prowling in the dark near the kitchen. Andy thou

A

lmost one of relief at discovering that his eyes had not deceived him, that the face

idn't they

r, Andy thought it

acing the flo

hink. I pay him to act.

place-every tree, every bush-e

er. "A H-- of a mess yo

angrily, but manage

e said. "Then you'd better

sply from his lips. For many reasons, Peter didn't want to go, but

e frightened man came stumbling a

mustn't be so d-- touchy. Come back. You c

ob, and looked down into the man

you meant i

u from the very first-yesterday. Of course you

might have a salutary effect. And so, as his go

ardly expect Andy to shoot the cha

chair near the table, and motion

ryker. So." He poured the whisky with

dream-no hallucination. You know that too, now. I saw him-I would have shot him through the window-if it hadn't been for Peggy-and t

er in the direction of the sou

e having a

New York, I hope. And then we'll meet this issue squ

rush all day, getting the lay of the land, watching what we were doing-seeing where the men were placed. But he must know now

eded to-night," mumb

s silent

to murder you, to get rid of you, he would have shot you down to-night, through the window. From his failur

w himself from his

le. A fellow prowls around here in the dark. He's been seen-if he's shot it's his own lookout. And he

s own words, which came stumbling forth

ng money had succumbed to a more primitive passion which for the time being had mastered him. From what had been revealed, it seemed probable that it was not death or bodily injury that he feared, for Peter had seen him stand up at the window, a fair t

ed by his employer were a justifiable means of preserving it, especially if the strange visitor did not himself use violence to gain his

but doesn't it seem that short of forcible entry of this

responsibili

ds to-morrow. A description of this man would be helpful. For instance, w

re sc

tache. But what difference does that make? N

ss. As he had suspected

est is your property. If we find any person who can't give an account of himse

e after a trivial examination? Little good that

t eyes, and Peter very politely waited for him to go on. But he broug

ee him. That's understood. He's a man I'd ha

ng the floor. For a moment it had almost seemed as if he were on the point of a revelation

ough. You know your duty." And he gestured to

and Stryker unemotionally

e," he said quietly. "I'd advise you to

hand. "Don't mind what I've said to-night. I think we understand each other. Stryker will see tha

d-ni

and at daylight Peter went to his cabin and tumbled into bed, too tired to th

re were two men, one bearded, interested in watching McGuire, another with a black mustache, interested in Peter. And so, after wondering a

ssibilities of the future. It seemed quite certain that the antagonism, whatever its nature, between his employer and the prowling stranger must come to an issue of some sort almost at once. The intruder, if he were the sort of man

hat he would have been much safer amongst the crowds of the city, where he could fall back u

publicity in anything that might happen. And McGuire's insistence upon the orders that the guards should shoot to kill

d in the adventure. But how? He drank his coffee and ate his roll, a prey to a very lively curiosity. Beth interested him. And if Aunt Tillie Bergen, her only near relative, showed signs of inquietude on the girl's account, the myst

he was unaware of the figure that had stolen through the underbrush and was now hidden just outside the door. It was Beth. She stood with the fingers of one hand lightly touching the edge of the door-jamb, the other hand at her breast

re Beth could flee into the bushes

covered she made no

istening,"

cing the name in his thoughts.

t know. N

so

loring ver

ou'd play for me somet

u come in? It's rath

ng at her gingham dre

'd be farmeret

shook

t-yest

ss way of exaggerating minute imperfections. Beth hadn't any minute imperfections except her freckles, which were merely Nature's

g her over to the double window where there was a chin

ed him pro

be talked to. I came t

c," he laughed. "I played you in, witho

t's

iries." And then, with a lau

devils? Yo

d devil too-b

t-but I do like the musi

nsitions into something more quiet, the "Romance" of Sibelius, and then after that into a gay little scherz

ispered. "There were

nly fa

lse-that quiet piece-like t

s called," he e

O

The things that ough

it." And then, as though with a sudden shyness at her self-revelation,

you find

he woods and across the log-jam below the pool. T

don't know when I'

eally? You

t I pl

used her

e said d

will you t

f cours

wha

re that I oug

y n

ind of-

uldn't be you, if y

ed at him

don't know y

lusive in Black

xclusive whether we want

ou think

have come, but I jus

did. I wante

hastily. "I had to hear you p

or you whene

gain, now. It makes me

o you feel that w

comes out

ng for me, Beth?" he

't think

and went t

do you

d and she didn't re

when you're

st comes out-things I've

on't know that I can acco

ed to sing for him-to be a part of this wonderful drea

encouraging her by running his fingers sl

ted up and joined

and in a moment was singing softly. He had hea

ong, long tr

land of m

nightingal

ight moo

flattered. Her voice was untrained, of course, but it seemed to Peter that it had lost nothing by the neglect, for as she gained confidence, she forgot Peter, as he intended that she should, and sa

ng ended he

hings, don't you?"

othing and was the truth? You

over the moon if I

o be manage

appointed in the way

as only the dormant artist in her seeking the light, but he thrilled warmly at her nearness, for she was very lovely. Peter's acquain

esse oblige! It was one of the mottoes of his House-(not always followed-alas!). With a more experienced woman he would have said what was in

of his tone disconcerted her, fo

kind," she

e was about to slip away

u sing ag

ent that had run between them was broken. As she

t. I want to

with a whimsical smile, "And you ou

ere's a lot of

an again and sat, her fingers d

of you the other day," s

mind in

rection of the piano. "Now-I'm comin' to think you do. Even Shad says

ry to he

anybody but himself and Goda'mi

have been impersonal but one could h

th-where do

ed at him

ith a laugh, "I just

ast derogation of Shad Wells. Somehow

ake him very unha

lookout,"

rather full underlip ending in a precipitous dent above her chin. He liked that chin. There was courage there and strength, softened at once by the curve of the throat, flowing to w

yesterday-the day before. She belonged elsewhere. And yet to Peter it would have seemed a pity to have c

my calling you

ed a glan

t everybody

me is

" And then, "

un

your name ought

e asked,

of a man in a book I read-an Engl

lish," sa

the othe

e ought to be lying to he

ssians all had long ha

. The half of me that's English is

hate to think of you

So wou

? The band leader at Glassboro is a Russian. He can p

gerous ground and so it w

c has no nationality. Or why would

om nowhere," she

telling me? You weren't born here, were you

r come to Black Rock just because the

Tillie? Is your fat

a moment and then cl

to talk about

, I

gently,

k about them

ercurrent of sadness in her voice. "I didn't

ece with the sad, low voices, under the melody. It was like somebody

-Forgive me

look that she turned him found his face sober, his dark eyes warm with sympat

ore easily. "Everybody around here knows about me-about us. Aunt Tillie

her intently. As she glanced up at him, something in

. We lived up near New Lisbon. He used to get drunk on 'Jersey Lightnin'' and tear loose. He was all ri

rri

hurt-hurt so bad-cut with a knife-that he never was the same again. And my-my father went away cursing us all. Then my mother

ing, sordid story of primitive pa

ment of an arm across her brows,

d you," she said. "I never

so so

And Beth knew