The Vagrant Duke

and sworn her to secrecy, advising her to say nothing to Mrs. Bergen about the events of the previous night. And she had agreed to respect his

nd touching his hat, had obeyed. The familiarities tolerable in such a wilderness as Black Rock could not of course be considered in the halls of the fashionable hotel where Miss Peggy lived in New York, and where by dint of great care and exclusiveness she had caugh

ut of town, so Peter put in the remaining period before his train-time in a music store where he spent all the money that remained of his salary, on books, a few for the piano but most of them for Beth. Peter had wasted, as he had thought, two perfectly good years in trying to learn to sing. But those two years were not going to be wasted now-for Beth was to be h

's query, he moved his right shoulder half an inch in the direction of the door, and then spat in the geranium bed. So Peter knocked

might have let me know! Come in, Mr. Nichols. Excuse my appearance.

e visitor, "I just came

ed, hurriedly wiping

hem in N

ermissible in the parlors of Black Rock only on state occasions, for t

ted softly. "I didn'

d here's one on The Lives of the Great Composers.

will be. Thank yo

t yet-not without a piano-to get the pitch-t

" Beth broke in excitedly. "It

ked the bewildered

corner of the room. There were several books on the top of it-Gospel Tunes-Moody a

--," said Beth, "bu

!" he said

egan pumping vigorously with her feet and presently the instrument em

I've told you what to do you can

dded.

d then, "What's the matt

ed me to marry him. It's

h-

on wash-day-or any other day," she

that nobody would ever make her d

yesterday," she said in a l

t, glancing at the books

laim on you, perhaps--," h

"I'll do as I please. And he'd b

ha

laug

through the cl

ost looks as though yo

hought I ought to tell you about Shad. Wh

e'll-er-swallow me at

d with a full throat. "I hope he don't-at

promise you tha

sappeared. And in the "Lizzie," which had been panting by the side of the road

r warning been posted, for Stryker, released for this duty, had searched

creature could ever have lost his self-control. It was difficult to understand this metamorphosis unless it could be that, having come to a decision and aware of the prospect of immunity, if only a temporary one, McGuire had settled down to make the best of a bad job and await with stoicism whatever the future was to bring. This was Peter's first impression, nothing else suggesting itself, but

efully locked the combination and

-night. I don't think you'll be needed." And then, as Peter's look showed hi

his brows unpleasantly. Courage of a sort had come back to him, th

vation towers and he explained in detail his projects. But McGuire

thought so for a long time. In a few days we will speak of t

id Peter, "but ever

he broke in abruptly. "I want

d the woods narrowly and walked with a hand in his waist-band, which Peter knew held an Army Colt revolver, but the whine was gone from his voice, the trembling from his hands. He walked around the maple with Peter, regarding it wi

when they reached the portico, "you

t me meet him-wi

re with a touch of his old alarm, "there can'

Peter, "it's not my

Nichols. I-I've

nciple--" pr

principle," gro

away. So far as he could see, for the present he was merely McGuire's handy man, a kind of upper servant and messenger, whose duties could have been performed as capably by Stryker or Shad Wells, or even Jesse Brown. The forest called him. It needed him. From what he had heard he knew that down by the sawmills they were daily cutting the wrong

table to finish his drawing, a plan of the observation towers, when Beth appe

here?" she aske

N

he'd get here before me. I took

s the

as going to brea

ts! Me

says I oughtn't

then, with a grin, "and what

So long as I think it's all right. W

let's bother then. Did

them. She had com

afraid-when he c

d Peter. "Do you th

what they call a He

a-er-H

scrap

fightin

es

ike this!" he laughed. "Isn't it ugly, Beth-that's what fighting is-I had it day and

e war?" asked B

ss of the "Revolutionary étude." She sank into a chair and sat silent, listening, at first watchin

d when Peter paused, and then he h

olution-the people-angry-mumbling-crowding, pushing ... a crowd with guns and

ted. Peter had lived that scene again and again, but how could Beth know unless he had made her see it? There was somethi

man who was appealing to

hem toward him, shaking her head.

I played. That i

She questioned, st

ar is like that, Beth," he went on quietly after a moment. "Like the motif in the bass

came out o

ght?" sh

, y

think I understand now

aid in the war. Because Death is always waiting just around the

Beth. Peace. This!" he finished, and his roving

ished he turned

do you see in

rom a dream. "Oh, happi

o one knows what it is to be

king at him in wonder. "I never knew what

nor note in her

id, "we'll have o

ut the

ll try br

athi

m the di

rom the stomach-not from the che

urally, as though she had nev

on the piano. "Now sing it. Throw it

he doorsill, followed in a moment by the figure of Shad Wells. Beth's "Ah" cea

anced at him ov

politely. "Won't you come in?

n, "Take the chair by the door, old man. T

ew that Shad was there for no good purpose. Peter caught her look and tur

he began coolly, "no

ed Shad. And then to the gir

rtainty, she found her spirit now, for her ey

where I come or go

stood h

ugh to know what's wha

-," said Pe

ter. And I've got somethin' to

"Perhaps you'd better go. Bring th

d only looked at Peter ap

disagreeable to you. Has he any

asily, "but I don't

the door and fac

d then, as if a new thought had come to him, he said m

, all right. Are

nodded toward the path,

ck, Shad,

N

ou do I'm through wit

l by the arm and l

flung over his shoulder at the

er fear or anger. The forester-piano-player showed neither-only careless ease a

g fortified himself with a cigarette was now returning. Wells advanced into

Peter alertly, "you

ingin' -- -- -- ----." And suiting the action t

weakness. Shad was a rough and tumble artist of a high proficiency, and he had a re

Also he had practiced the Savate and was familiar

he rushed. The only damage he had done wa

ight like a man

aid Peter, calmly stu

in't t

throw down his guard, Peter landed hard on his midriff. Shad winced but shot out a blow which grazed Peter's cheek. Then Peter countered on

ow," gasped Peter,

for he suspected that somewhere

b. It didn't do to fight Shad "rough and tumble." But he got away at last

asked again, as

ulped t

lay quiet. It had been ridiculously easy from the first and Peter felt some pity for Shad and not a little contempt for

rned he saw Beth standing

ed with a glance a

er face with her han

avoid it," h

as his own fault.

not. But you'

hy

ke matters worse

turned and van

ome water from the creek, played the Samaritan. In a whil

eter, "but you

njured eye and rose,

evolver," said

it h

has no business carrying

n managed to g

ter again, and held out hi

nt. "I'll fix you, Mister. I'll fix you yet

one friend he had

uld have been, under the circumstances, nothing less than ignominious. For if Shad Wells had succeeded in vanquishing him, all Peter's authority, all his influence with the rest of the men in McGuire's employ would have gone fo

was sure that the air had cleared amazingly. He was aware too that the fact that he had been the champion of Beth's independence definitely stood forth. Whatever the wisdom or the propriety, according to the standards of Black Rock society, of Beth's visits to the Cabin, for the purpose of a musical

ecision. He was not at all certain that Beth wouldn't tell everybody what had happened for he was aware by this time that Beth

ge, stopping for a moment at the Bergen house, where Beth was sitting on the porch reading The Lives of the Gre

etly, glancing up a

e said, "that it w

e 'gobbling,'" he said with a

ss he's gone in his hole a

say that perhaps you'd better say no

to-but it serv

your coming to the Cabin, I thought perha

didn't miss the note of d

disapproves, perhap

moment and then she l

said quietly. "It's like-like a different world-with your playin'

ht I ought to consult you, that's

of co

t to find out, if possible, how Beth could be concerned (if she was concerned) in the fortunes of the mysterious gentlema