The Vagrant Duke

int. Saintly attributes were not usually to be found in young men of his class, and Peter's training had been in the larger school of the world as represented in the Continental capitals

ould have stood an excellent chance of going to the devil along the p

en he had known, Parisian, Viennese, Russian-and one, Vera Davydov, a musician, had enchained him until he had discovered tha

interested him even more than the drama that lay hidden with McGuire's Nemesis in the pine woods. And he couldn't deny the fact that this rustic, this primitive Beth Cameron was as fine a little lady as one might meet anywhere in the wide world. She had amused him at first with originality, charmed him with simplicity, amazed him later with talent and now had disarmed him with trust in his integrity. If at any moment the idea had entered Peter's head that here was a wild-flower waiting to be gath

d resolves toward Beth and adding another tie to those of sympathy and admiration. The situation, while not altogether of his making, was not without its attractions. He had given Beth her chance to withdraw from the arrangem

k, or at his watch, and Peter knew that his obsession had returned. Outside, somewhere in the woods, "Hawk" was approaching to keep his tryst and McGuire could think of nothing else. This preoccupation was marked by a frowning thatch of brow and a sullen glare at vacancy which gave no evidence of the fears that had inspired him, but indicate

opened carefully and took out the money that Peter had brought. Then he went to a

ed, Nichols

r mysterious visitor should take a pot at me," he said

you to follow my instructions carefully. I've trusted you this far and I've got to go the whole way. This man will

ldn't be d

his hand and went on in an abst

his face, so that you can see him when you talk to him, and so that he can count this money and see that the amount is correct. I do not want you to go too close to him nor to permit him to go t

rmured Peter in amazement. And then, "But suppose he want

rimly. "I want you to watch him carefully,

do you

you can't, you'd better have your gun in your pocket, keep

thought you said, Mr. McGuire," he put in coolly, "that I wa

aid the old

oting a defenseless man a

ew up his h

o shoot him, did I?" he whined. "I'm just warning you to b

uld he a

might be angry because

ter go, sir. Then you can

he clung, his face gray with apprehension, f

been obvious to me from the first night I came

o it. Y-you must be dreaming. I-I'm merely making plans to assure your safety. I don

little out

ered hoarsely. "You can't let me down now. I can't see this man. I can't tell Stry

fraid of any enemy of yours. Why should I be? But I'm not going to

handed it to Peter, who counted it carefully and then put it in an inside pocket. "I don't see why you think I wanted you to kill Hawk Kennedy," McG

eason to believ

an't say

I want it understood that I'm not

s unde

re to be seen. Peter went out across the dim lawn into the starlight. Jesse Brown challenged him by the big t

o be comin' to life,

do you

s out here when you went to

said Peter i

what the countersign was and said mebbe we'd al

od. You're pretty tire

ood. But what did he mean

o me about it," said Pete

f the privet hedge and sent him down

said Pete

to-night, there ain't no one at the back

ho

. He ain't

lighted a cigarette, "Oh, well, we'll get a

e insistent Hawk seemed to fall into this classification,-it was both sinister and contemptible. To be concerned in these dark doings even as an emissary was hardly in accordance with Peter's notion of his job, and he had acceded to McGuire's request without thinking of possible

a hand in it, but he couldn't deny that the interest with which he had first approached Black Rock House had now culminated in a curiosity which was almost an obsession. Here, close at hand, was the solution of the mystery, and whether or not he learned anything as to the facts which had brought McGuire's discomfiture, he would at least see and talk with the awe-inspiring Hawk who had been the cause of them. Besides, there

irst seen the placard, made his way to the maple tree. There was no one there. A glance at his watch under the glare of the pocket torch showed that he was early for the tr

the distant lawn and, in the distance, a light which he thought must be that of McGuire's bedroom, for to-night, Peter had noticed, the shutters had been left open. It was very quiet too. Peter listened for the sounds of approach

worship of new gods that were no gods at all-not even those of brass or gold-only visions-will-o'-the-wisps.... The madness had shown itself here too. Would the fabric of which the American Ideal was made be strong enough to hold together against the World's n

over the woods. If McGuire's mysterious enemy was approaching he was doing it with the skill of an Indian scout. And it occurred to Peter at this moment that Hawk Kennedy too might have his reasons for wishing to be sure that he was to be fairly dealt with. The placard had indicated the possibility of chicanery on

large sum of money in his possession. The trees were his friends. Peter's thoughts turned back again, as they always did when his mind was at the mercy of his imagination. What was the use of it all? Honor, righteousness, pride, straight living, the a

seedling from the twisted oak, he was going to grow straight and true-to be himself, the son of his mother, who had died with a prayer on her

drinking in great drafts of the clean night air. The forest was so quiet that he could hear the distant tinkle of Cedar C

, clear, distinct. Peter t

you, Hawk

a little louder now and from directly overh

d a low voice among

and a body, emerging from the gloom above. Pet

," commanded a

e torch Peter couldn't make out the face under the brim of the cap, but he could see that it

nd Peter was so astonished at the extraordinary mode

Guire?" asked t

es

't he com

Peter thought, but there was some

. Why didn

r la

more than you'd tell me wh

hin'-listenin'," said the other grimly. "Well, w

in uncertainty, but accustomed as both men now were to t

t. He sent me here to meet y

across. Good.

he told me to tell you first not to forg

recoiled

e muttered. And then, "McGu

es

hing

That'

nd then he demand

ive me t

ole incident had happened before? That this man belonged to another life that Peter had lived? Pet

," said Peter, as the

--?" asked Hawk's

one

mone

in New York my

certainly fingering the package, peering into the bushe

color of it. Swit

. "You'd bet

ring the bills, and Peter saw for the first time that his left hand held an automatic

nnedy. "They're real enough, a

r shot! Peter's startled finger relaxed on the button of the torch and they were i

wk's voice in a fury, "bu

shot went wild. They struggled for a moment, each fighting for the possession of the weapon, McGuire's money ground under their fee

pparent when Peter's hand touched

as muttering, as h

which followed the issue of his struggle with Kennedy, came a dull rage at McGuire for placing him in such danger, which only showed his employer's desperate resolve and his indifference to Peter's fate. For Hawk Kennedy had been within his rights in supposing Peter to be concerned in the trick and only the miracle of the expiring torch which had blinded the intruder had saved Peter from the fa

d again. "What did you w

invective and so, having possessed himself of Hawk's automatic,

to lie there cursing me. G

shoulder," mu

n me," said Peter, "whic

," groaned Hawk, getting

n't," repl

flashing it around on the ground wh

or this," groan

lanced

here in a moment. You'

me to talk. But I'll squeal if they bother me." Peter was aware that the man was watching him as

give it to you. D

he injured man's face. Even then Peter didn't recognize him, b

nd then, "You here! 'Cré n

ed back in

ast!" h

rambled to his feet, halfway

I'm d

recovered bills loose in his hand. J

e demanded. "T

lood dripping from his fingers and soiling them, but he wiped them off with a dirty handk

you, I'd like you to take me to some place w

m Coast who had bunked with Peter on the Bermudian, full of smirking assertiveness and sinister suggestion. Peter was too full of astonishment to make a

led, "goin' to be sta

be off," said

hy

in a minute. You'

ey'll have to tak

ck-up at E

e will wish that Hell would open for him." And then, "See here

that he f

him you'll steer these guys away f

Jim Coast meant what he said and that he would mak

hidden in the woods down

ere you li

wel on the washstand. I'll be there to

ew steps and the

y busine

like. I don't care. I only tho

right.

is light here and there that the men who must be approaching now might be guided to h

n'?" queried Jesse

m looking for him," sai

n't it be

y from the house," said Peter as the tho

e! No.

hurry back. See if he's a

at thing. I could a got ye

to the house. I'll poke arou

eyed him and Peter turned hi