Newspaper Page Text
= - jy The jL CHAPTER XV —1 9 — Lady Cynthia ran into Sir Timothy near the end of a dinner dance at Clarldge's, Just when she had about reached the end of her endurance . of boredom. « ( "What brlngé you here alone?" she asked him. "I have an engagement In a few minutes,''"he explained. "My car Is waiting now. I looked In at the club to dine, found my favorite table taken and nearly every man 1 eve» disliked sidling up to tell me that he hears I am giving a wonderful party on Thurs day. I decided not to dine there, after all, and Charles found me a corner here. 1 am going In five minutes " "Where to?" she asked. "Can't 1 come with you?" "I fear not," he answered. "1 am going down in the East End." "Adventuring?" "More or less," he admitted. Lady Cynthia became beautiful. She was always beautiful when she was not tired. "Take me with you. please," she begged. "I'll get my cloak." They drove along the Embankment, i * « cityward. The heat of the city to rise from the pavements. The wall of the Embankment was lined with people, leaning over to catch the lan guid breeze that crept up with the tide. They crossed JjMt and threaded their way through a night mare of squalid streets, where half dressed men and women hung from the top windows and were even to be seen upon the roof, struggling for air. The car at last pulled up at the corner of a long street. "I am going down here," «lr Tim othy announced. "I shall be gone per haps an bony.—The neighborhood Is not a fit one for you to be left alone In. I shall have time to send you home. The car will be back here for I me by the-time I require IL" "Where are you going ?" she asked curiously. "Why can't I come with you?' "I am going where I cannot take you," was the Arm reply. "I told you that before I started." "I shall sit here and wait for yon." «ne decided. "I rather like the neigh borhood. There Is a gentleman In shirtsleeves, leaning over the rail of the roof there, who hag hls eye on me. I believe 1 shall be a success here— which is more than I can say of a little farther westward." Sir Timothy smiled slightly. He had exchanged bis hat for a tweed cap and had put on a long dust-coat. "There is no gauge by which you may know the measure of your suc cess." he said. "If there were—" "If there were?" shq^asked. leaning a little forward and looking at him with a touch of the old brilliancy In her eyes. "If there were," he said, with a little «how of mock gallantry, "a very Jeal ously guarded secret might escape me. I think you will he quite all right he continued. "It Is an open t » here, thoroughfare, and see two policemen at the corner. Hassell, my chauffeur, to*. Is.a reliable fellow. We will be back within the hour." "We?" she repeated. He Indicated a man who bad silently made his appearance during the con versation and was standing waiting on the sidewalk. "Just a companion. I do not advise you to wait. If you Insist— -au revoir !" Lady Cynthia leaned back in a cor ner of the car. Through half-closed eyes she watched the two men on their way down the crowded thoroughfare— Sir Timothy, tall, thin as a lath, yet with a certain elegance of bearing; the man at hls aide shorter, his hands thrust into the pockets of his coat, his manner one of subservience. She wondered languidly as to their errand in this unsavory neighborhood. Then »he closed her eyes altogether and wondered about many things. i -X Sir Timothy and bis companion walked along the crowded, squalid «treet without speech. Presently they turned to the right and stopped In front of a public-house of some pre tensions. "This Is the place 7" Sir Timothy asked. "Yes, sir!" Both men entered. _ V ) Sir Timothy made hls way to the counter, hla com panion to a table near, where he took a seat and ordered ■ drink. Sir Tim othy did the same. He was wedged In between a heterogeneous crowd of shabby, depressed but apparently not Ill-natured men and women. A man In a flannel shirt and pair of shabby • plaid trousers, which owed their pre carious position to a pair of worn-out braces, turned a beery eye upon the newcomer. __ I * « "I'll 'are one with yon. guvnor," he said. "You shall Indeed," Sir Timothy as sented. "Strike me lucky, but I've touched first time!" the man exclaimed. Til 'are x doable tot of whisky." he added, addressing the barman. "Will It run to It, guvnor?" "Certainly," was the cordial reply, "and the same to your friends. If yon will answer s question." Troop np. lads." tbs man shouted. T T "We've a toff 'ere. He ain't a 'tec— ♦ ' 1 know the cut of them. Ont with the ^ question." "Serve everyone who desires It with drinks." Sir Timothy directed the ba. - "My question is easily answered. ■i is this the place which a man whom I understand they cull Billy the Tun ner frequents?" The question appeared to produce an almost uncomfortable sensation. The enthusiasm for the free drinks, however, was only slightly damped, and a small forest of grimy hands were extended across the counter. "Don't you ask no questions about 'lm, guvnor," Sir Timothy's Immediate companion advised earnestly. "He'd kill you as soon as look at you. When BUI the Tanner's In a quarrelsome mood. I've seen Tm empty this place and the whole street, quicker than If a mad dog; was loose. 'E's a fair and 'oly terror, 'e Is. 'E about killed 'Is wife, three nights ago. but there ain't a living soul as 'd dare to stand in the witness-box about It," "Why don't the police take a hard In the matter If the man Is such a nui sance?" Sir Timothy asked. Hls new acquaintance, gripping a thick tumbler of spirits and water with a hand deeply fncrusted with the stains of hls trade, scoffed. "Police! Why. 'e'd fake on any three of the police round these parts!" he declared. "Police! You tell one on 'em that Billy the Tanner's on the rampage, and you'll see 'em 'op It. £heero, guvnor, and don't you get curi ous about Billy. It ain't 'ealthy." The swing-door was sujJJenly opened. A toiiSle-hatred urchin shoved bis face In. "Billy the Tanner's coming!" he shouted. "Cave, all ! He's been 'avln' a rare to-do In Smith's court." Then a curious thing happened. The little crowd at the bar seemed some how to melt away. Half-a-dozen left precipitately by the door. Half-a dozen more slunk through an Inner en trance Into some room beyond. Sir Timothy's neighbor set down hls tum bler empty. He was the last to leave. "if you're going to stop 'ere. guv nor." he begged fervently, "you keep a still tongue In your 'ead. Billy ain't particular who It Is. 'E'd kill 'Is own mother. If 'e felt like It. 'E'll swing some day, sure as I stand 'ere, but •e'll do a bit more mischief first. 'Op It with me. guvnor, or get inside there." "Jim's right." the man behind the bar agreed. "He's a very nasty cus tomer, Bill the Tanner, sir. If he's coming down. I'd clear out for a mo ment. You can go In the guvnor's sitting-room. If you like." Sir Tlmofh" «hook hls head. "Billy the Tanner will not hurt me." he said. "As a matter of fact, I came down to see him." His new friend hesitated no longer, out made for the door through tvhlch most of hls companions had already disappeared. The barman leaned across the counter. "Guvnor." he whispered hoarsely, "I don't know what the game Is, but I've given you the office. Billy won't stand no truck from anyone. He's a holy terror." - Sir Timothy nodded. - "1 quite understand." he said. si There was a moment's lence, The barman withdrew to the farther end of hls domain and busied himself cleaning some glasses. Sud denly the door was swung open. man entered whose appearance alone was calculated to Inspire a certain amount of fear. He was tall, but hls height escaped notice by reason the extraordinary breadth of hls shoul ders. He had a coarse and vicious face, a crop of red hair, and an un shaven growth of the same upon hls face« He wore what appeared to be tRê^ popular dress in the neighbor hood—a pair of trousers suspended by a belt, and a dirty flannel shirt. Hls hands and even hls chest, where the shirt fell away, were discolored by yel low stajns. Be looked around the room at first with an air of disappoint ment. Then he caught sight of Sir Timothy standing at the counter, and he brightened up. "Wheres all the crowd, Tom?" he asked the barman. "Scared of you, I reckon," was the brief reply. "There was plenty here a few minutes ago." "Scared of me, eh?" the other re pea ted. staring hard at Sir Timothy. "Did you 'ear that, guvnor?" "I heard It," Sir TliWhy acqui esced. \ Billy the Tanner began ta cheer up. He walked all around this stranger. "A toff! A big toff! I'll 'sve a drink with you, guvnor," he declared, with a note of incipient trdculence In his tone. The barman bad already reached np for two glasses, but Sir Timothy shook hls bead. "I think not," he said. There was a moment's silence. The barman made despairing signs at Sir Timothy. Billy the Tanner was mois tening hls Ups with hls tongue. "Why not?" he demanded, "Because I don't know you and I don't like you." was the bland reply. Bl|ly the Tanner wasted small time upon preliminaries. He spat upon bis hands. "1 dnnno yop and I don't like yon," he retorted. "Dyer know wot Pm going to do?" "I have no idea." Sir Timothy «re ferred. Tm going to make yon look so that yonr own mother wouldn't know yon then I'm going to pitch you into the street," he added, with an evil grin. That's wot we does with big toffs who come 'anglng around >rc "Do your Sir Timothy said calmly. By • • L Phiifips Opi "Perhaps my friend may have some thing to say about that." The man of war was beginning to oe worked up ...... , ' ., . , . .__ •Where s your big frlendr he .hout ed. 'Come on I I II take on the two of you . The man who had met Sir Timothy In the street had risen to hls feet He strolled up to the two. Billy the Tan ner eyed him hungrily. "The two of you, d'yer 'ear?" he shouted. "And 'ere's Just a flick for the toff to be going on wlthl" Be delivered a sudden blow at Sir Timothy—a full, vicious. Jabbing blow which had laid many, a man of the neighborhood in the gutter. To hls amazement, the chin at which he had aimed seemed to have mysteHoualy disappeared. Sir Timothy himself was standing about half-a-yard farther away. Billy the Tanner was too used to the game to be off hls balance, hut he received at that moment the sur prise of hls life. With the flat of hls I I Ulli Ulll Ooprrlfiit by LittK Brm »4 Company . hand full open. Sir Timothy struck him across the cheek such a blow that It resounded through the place, a blow that brought both the Inner doors ajar. ■ftntt"brought peering eyes from érary diifctton. There was a moment's st lence. The man's fists were clenched i.ow, there was murder In hls face, bit Timothy stepped on one side. / "I am not a fighter." he said coolly, Leaning back against the marble table. "My friend will deal with you." Billy the Tanner glared at the new comer, who had gilded to between him and Sir Timothy. "You can come and Join In, teo." he shouted to Sir Timothy. "I'll knock your big head Into pulp when I've done with this little Job!" The bully knew In precisely thirty seconds what had happened to him. So did the crowds who pressed back Into the place through the Inner door. So did the barman. So did the tand lord, who had made a cautious appear ance through a trapdoor. Billy the Tanner, for the first time In hls life, was fighting a better man. For two years he had been the terror of the neighborhood, and he showed now that at least he had courage. Hls smatter ing of science, however, appeared only ridiculous. Once, through sheer strength and blundering force, he broke down hls < pponent's guard and struck him In tho place that had dis patched many a man before—Just over the heart. Ills present opponent scarce ly winced, and Billy the Tanner ■ynid the penalty then for hls years of bully ing. Ills antagonist paused for a single second, as though unnerved by the blow. Red fire seemed to stream from hls eyes. Then It was nil over. With a sickening crash. Billy the Tanner went down upon the sanded floor. It was no matter of a count for him. He lay there like a dead man, and from A of streamed Into the room. Sir Timothy laid some money upon the table. "This fellow Insulted me and my friend," he said. "You see, he has paid the penalty. If he misbehaves again, the same thing will happen to hlm. I am leaving some money here z V rf\ % k f (1 S -A ToffI A Big Toffl I'll 'Awe a Drink With You. Oiiv'nor," Ha Oaclarad. with your barman. I shall he glad for everyone to drink with me. Presently, perhaps, yon had better send for an ambulance or a doctor." ► A tittle storm of enthusiastic excite ment, evidenced for the most part in expletives of a tnrld note, covered the retreat of Sir Timothy s$d bis panion. Out In the street a small crowd was rushing toward the place. A couple of policemen seemed to be trying to moke op their minds whether It was a fine night An inspector bor ried up to them. "What's doing In The Rising Son'?" he demanded sharply, "Someone's giving Billy ths Tanner a biding." one of the po(Icemen replied. -•Hooeetr "A fair, ripe, knock-out hiding," «os COŒ the emphatic confirmation. "I looked in at the window." The Inspector grinned. "I'm glad you had the sense not to Interfere." he remarked. * 1 ' 7'™ olhy hls compn " lon °* r ' la J, ter J 00k ./ seat by the chauffeur. Sir Timothy * , . . ■ .. . , . stepped In. It struck him that Lady Cynthia was a little breathless. Her eyes we re marV eioualy bright, wra , iped around ber knwa w „ Uie chauffeur's coat. -Wonderful !" she declared. haven't had such a wonderful live mln ut „ slnce , can renlemb ^ r! You alv a dear to have brought me. Sir Tlm othy." "What do you mean?" he demanded "Mean?" she laughed, as the car swung around and they glided away. "You didn't suppose I was going to sit here and watch you depart upon a mysterious errand? I borrowed your chauffeur's coat and hls cup. and slunk down after you. I can assure you I looked the most wonderful female apache you ever saw! And I saw the fight. It was better than any of the prize fights I have ever been to. The real thing Is better than the sham, Isn't It?" "I Sir Timothy leaned back In hls place and remained silent. Soon they passed out pf the land of tired people, J of ..stalls decksd.cxt vrtth ungntotj provender, of fetid smells and un wholesome-looking houses. They passed through a street of silent warehouses on to the Embankment. A stronger breeze came down between the curv tag ore of lights. "You are not sorry that you brought me?" Lady Cynthia asked, suddenly holding out her hand, Sir Timothy took It In hls. For some reason or other, he made no an * wer at a11 - The car stopped In front of the great house In Orosvenor square. Lady Cyn thia turned to her companion. "You must come In, please," she said. "I Insist, If it is only for five minutes.' Sir Timothy followed her across the hul' to a curved recess, where the footman who had admitted them touched a hell, and a small automatic lift came down. "1 am takmc yon to my own quar ters," she explained. "They are rather cut off, but I like them—especially on hot nights." They gilded up to the extreme top of the house. She opened the gates and led the way Into what was prac tically an attic sitting room, decorated In black and white. Wide-flung doors opened onto the leads, where comfort able chairs, a small table and an elec standard were arranged. They were far «hove the Tops of the other houses, and looked Into the green of the park. "This is where I bring very few people," she said. "This Is where, even after my twenty-eight years of fraudulent life. I am sometimes my self. Walt"^— There were feminine drink» and sand wiche« arranged on the table. She opened the cupboard of a small side board Just Inside the sitting-room, however, and produced whisky and a siphon of soda. There was a pall of ice hi a coot corner. From somewhere In the distance came the music of vio lins floating through the window of s house where a dance was In progress. They could catch a glimpse of the striped awning and the long line of waiting vehicles with their twlh eyes of fire. She curled herself up op a settee, flung a cushion at Sir Timothy, who was already ensconced In a lux urious easy-chalr, and with a tumbler of Iced slt^rlx« In one hand, and a cigarette In the other, looked across at him. "I am not sure," she said, "that you have not tonight dls|M>lled an Illusion." "What manner of one?" he asked. "Above all things," she went on. have always looked upon you as wick ed. Most people do. I think that Is the reason why so many of the women find you attractive. I suppose It I» why I have found you attractive." The smile was back upon hls lips. He bowed a little, and, leaning for ward, dropped a chunk of Ice Into hls whisky and soda. "Dear Lady Cynthia." be murmured, "don't tell me that I am going to slip hack In your estimation Into some nor mal plaça." 'T am not quite sure." she said de liberately. upon yon as a kind of amateur crimi nal. a man who loved black things and dark ways. You know how weary one gets of the ordinary code of morals In these days. You were such a delight ful antidote. And now. 1 am not sure that yon hare not shaken my faith In yon." "In what way?" "Von really seem to have been en gaged tonight In a very sporting and philanthropic enterprise. I Imagined you visiting some den of vice and mix ing as an equal with these terrible people who never seem to cross -toe bridges. I was perfectly thrilled when I pul- on your chauffeur's coat and hat and follows«! you." "The story of my little adventure Is h simple one," Sir. Timothy said. "I do not think It greatly affects my char acter. I believe, as • matter of fact that I am Just as wicked as you would have me be. bat I beve friends In every ««.Ik of life, and. as you know, I like to peer Into the unexpected places. I bad heard of this man Billy the Tsn I I have always looked 1 ner. lie beats women, and has estab lished a perfect reign of terror In the court and neighborhood where he lives. I fear I must agree with you that the-e were some elements of morality—of conforming, at any rate, to the recor nlted standards of Justice—In what I did. You know, of course, that I am a great patron of every form of box ing. fencing and the various arts of self-defense and attack. I Just took along one of the men from the gym nasium who I knew was equal to the Job, to give this fellow a lesson." "He did It all right," Lady Cyntbl« murmured. "But this Is where I think I re establish myseff," Sir Timothy con tinued, the peculiar nature of his smile reasserting Itself. "I did not do this for the sake of the neighborhood. * did not do it from any sense of Jus tlce at all. ! did It to provide for myself an enjoyable and delectabl' spectacle." She smiled lastly. "That does rather let you out," she admitted. "However, on the whole \ am disappointed. 1 am afraid that you are not so bad as people think." "People?" he repeated. "Francis Ledsarn. for Instance—my son-in-law In posset" "Francis Ledsarn la one of those few jw.tJmrArtlMMMgrwnt;- srtey wht X 4 » ■ ^ f flfCM** 'My Narvaa Ara Going With My Old Ags," Ha Apetogliad. "That Sup port Seems Teo Fraglla," trlved to keep sane without becoming a prig." «he remarked. "You know why?" he reminded har. ■'Francis Ledsarn has been a tremen dous worker. It la work which keeps a man «ana Brilliancy without the capacity for work drive« people to the,, madhouse." "Where we are «II going, I suppose," •he sighed. "Not you." he answered. "You have Just enough—I don't know what we moderns call t t—g CBt shall I say?—to keep you from the muddy ways." She rose to her feet and leaned over the rails. Sir Timothy watched her thoughtfully. Her figure, notwith standing Itssuggeetlonsof delicate ma turity, was still as slim as a young girl's. She was looking across ths tree-tops towards an angry hank of clouds—long, pencil-like streaks of black on a purple background. Below, In the street, a taxi passed with grind ing of brakes and 'noisy horn. The rati against which she leaned looked very flimsy. Sir Timothy stretched out hls hand and held her arm. "My nerves are going with my old age," he apologized. "That support seems too fragile." She did not move. The touch of uis fingers grew firmer. "We have entered upon an allegory," she murmured. "You are preserving me from the depths." He laugheo harshly. "I !" he eAclulmed, with a sudden touch of real and fierce bitterness which brought the light dancing Into her eyes and a spot of color to her cheeks. *T preserve you! Why, you can never hear my name without thinking of sin, of crime of some sort! Do you seriously expect me to ever preserve anyone from anything?" "You haven't made any very violent attempts to corrupt me." she reminded him. "Women don't enter mnen Into my scheme of life," he declared. "They played a great part once^ It was a woman. I think. wBo~first headed me off from the pastures of virtue." "I know," she said softly. "It was Margaret'a mother." (TO HE CONTINUED.) Kill* and Cure• in Coal Healing medicines and deadly explo sives He latent In every lump of coal, and science is extracting one or the other In a thousand laboratories over the world each day. Half the drugs In the phormacopla probably are coal-tar products. While one laboratory may be extracting salicylic add. for gout, for Instance, or aspirin for congestion and rheumatism, another chemist will he distilling the products from which TNT Is mads or even lyddite, the pew erfui explosive 0rat need to the Mu KILLS FHUR PEOPLE TEARS THROUGH THREE MILES OF TRACK AT HIGH SPEED STRIKING AUTO OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE CASE Pour Men Held In Inquiry Int* Causa of Starting Switch Engine Chicago, Ill.—Police end railroad of ficials have begun an Investigation Into the starting of the Baltimore & Ohio switch engine, which tore at high speed through three miles of switch tracks early Sunday, April 20, killing four persons and Injuring two others before It wrecked Itself. The engine, starting at the com pany's coal shute In the soutMpide switching district, soon gathered a speed of more than 50 miles an hour. The killed and Injured were occu ltants of an automobile the engine tossed aside at a grade crossing In its runaway path. Hoza Lattle, negro, one of the four men held In the Investigation, said he fired the engine and was waiting near by In a shanty for the crew to take it over. Suddenly he saw It start the thought crew charge, he said, until he saw a man Jump from the cab. Elmer Howard, Calk# and Max Orr, alt In the shanty at the time, also are being held. A derail wrecked the runaway en gine Just before it reached the main passenger track of the railroad. VOLCANO MENACES ISLAND IN PHILIPPINE GROUP Manila P. I.—Inhabitants of Batan Island are menaced by the eruption of a volcano three mîtes northwest of San Dionlslo village, according to a wireless message from the yacht Apo, on which Governor General Leonard Wood la Inspecting the northern Islands of the Philippine archipelago. The report describes the eruption as violent, with stones and ashes and devastating clouds of gas rolling down the mountainside. The Inhabitants have taken refuge in shelters near the water's edge. The people are terrorised bnt loath to leave their homes. Food and medical supplies have been furnished by the governor general's yacht The message from the yacht came In confirmation of perslatent rumors of volcanic activity on Babuyan Island, near by. Run Dl-.nlslo, Batan Island, has a population of 7S natives. --G Discoverer of Tut'« Tomb Lands New York.—Howard Carter, co-dis coverer with Lord Carnarvon of King Tut-ank-araen's tomb In the valley of the kings, arrived on the Berengarla April 19. He hoped, he said, the pres- t ent litigation between himself and the Egyptian government might he settled so that he could resume work at the tomb next falL Mr, Carter said that he did not believe In permanent de spoliation of tombs and he advocated that when pending researches were completed, the mummy of King Tut, as well as other royal mummies now adorning museums, be returned to their native resting places. In answer to one query from the re porters' questlonalrre, Mr. Carter said: "On many ancient tombs I have found this Inscription : 'Let all those who love life and hate death wish thou sands of geese, loaves of bread and beer to my soul.' That Is what tho old Egyptians thought of prohibition. And I believe I agree with them." Whseler Furnishes $1.000 Bond Washington.—Senator B, K. Wheeler of Montana has appeared before United States Commissioner Mac Donald here and furnished bond for *1.000,for hls appearance May 5 at Great Falls, Mont., to answer an In dictment charging him with accepting money illegally for appearing before the Interior department In land cases. The Daugherty committee prosecut or went before the commissioner vol untarily soon after he was advised by the district attorney's office that the Indictment and a warrant for hla arrest had been forwarded here with a request for service. World Court Plan Gets Hearing Washington.—Early hearings on the proposal for American participation in the world court have been ordered by the senate foreign relations committee. A sub-committee of five headed by Senator Pepper. Republican, Pennsvl vanta, was selected to conduct the hearing and make a report to the full committee. Requests for the hearings haye been received from a number of chambers of commerce, the federal council of churches, the .Nonpartisan league, the Association of University Women, ami League of Nations association. Preaidant Takes Saatoe Cru las Washington.—President Coolldge en joyed an Easter of complete rest, bar ing finished the preparation of an ad dress to be delivered flLSd* York. chief executive and Mix. Oool Idge attended Easter services at tho regular place of worship, the Find Congregational chnrch. Instead of Joining In the usual Easter afternoon parade, the president and Mrs Coolldge took another Sun day afternoon croire on the May flower. accompanied by a smalt party of friends