Between Two fires
By ANTHONY HOPE
"A wise man will make more opportunities
than he findt." Francis Bacon.
CHAPTER XX. (Continued.)
We had no time to waste in abusing
the Colonel; the question was how to
outwit him. I unfolded my plan to the
Slgnorina, not at all disguising from her
the difficulties, and even dangers, attend
ant upon it. Whatever may have been
her mind before and after, she was at
this moment either so overcome with hor
fear of the Colonel, or so carried, away
by her feeling for me, that she made noth
ing of difficulties and laughed at dangers,
pointing out that though failure; would
be Ignominious, it could not substantially
aggravate our present position.
"Are you going to take any of the
money away with you?" she asked.
"No," said I, "I don't think so. It
would considerably increase the risk if I
were seen hanging about the bank; you
know he's got spies all over the place.
Besides, what good would it do? I
couldn't stick to it, and I'm not inclined
to run any more risks merely to save the
bank's pocket. The bank hasn't treated
me so well as all that. I propose to rely
on your bounty till I've time to turn
round. Now, shall I come for you?" I
asked her when we had arranged the other
details.
"I think not," she said. "I believe the
Colonel has one of my servants In his
pay. I can slip out by myself, but I
couldn't manage so well if you were with
me. The sight of you would excite cu
riosity. I will meet you at the bottom of
Liberty street." .
"At two o'clock In the morning exactly,
please. Don't come through the Piazza
and Liberty street. Come round by the
drive." . (This was a sort of boulevard
encircling the town, where the aristocracy
was wont to ride and drive.) "Things
ought to be pretty bus yabout the bank
by then, and no one will notice you. You
have a revolver?"
"Yes."
"All right. Don't hurt anyone if you
can help it; but if you do, don't leave
him to linger in agony. Now I'm' off," I
continued. "I suppose I'd better not come
and see you again?"
"I'm afraid you mustn't, Jack. You've
been here two hours already."
"I shall be in my rooms in the after
noon. If anything goes wrong, send your
carriage down the street and have it
stopped at the grocer's. I shall take that
for a sign."
The Signorina agreed, and we parted
tenderly. My last words were :
' . "You'll send that message to Whitting
ham at once?"
"This moment," she said, as she waved
me a kiss from the door of the room.
CHAPTER XXI.
I was evidently in for another day as
nnpleasantly exciting as the one I had
spent before the revolution, and I reflect
ed sadly that if a man once goes In for
things of that kind, it's none so easy to
pull up. Luckily, however, I had several
things to occupy me, and was not left to
fret the day away in Idleness. First I
turned my steps to the harbor. As I
vent I examined my pockets and found a
sum total of nine hundred and fifty dol
lars. This was my all, for of late I had
mort It wine to carry my fortune on
my person. Well, this was enough for
the present ; the future must take care of
lisclf. So I thought to myself as I went
.inns with a light heart, my triumph in
love easily outweighing all the troubles
mid dangers that beset me. Only land me
safe out of Aureataland with the Sig
tmrlna hv mv side, and I asked nothing
more of fortune ! Let the dead bury their
fiend, and the bank look after its dollars !
Thus musing, I came to the boat house
where mv launch lay. ?he was a tidy
little boat, nnd had the advantage of be
ing workable by one man without any
difficulty. All I had to arrange was how
to embark on her unperceived. I sum-
moned the boatman in charge and ones-"
tioned him closely about the probable state
of the weather. Ho confidently assured
me it would be fine but dark.
"Very well," said I, "I shall go fishing;
start overnight and have a shy at them
at sunrise."
The man was rather astonished at my
unwonted energy, but of course made no
object ion.
"What time do you start, sir?" he
asked.
"I want her ready by two," said I.
"Leave her at the end of your jetty, ready
for me. She'll be all safe there, won't
she?"
"Oh, yes, sir. Nobody'll be about, ex
cept the sentries, and they won't touch
her."
I privately hoped that not even the sen
tries would bo about, but I didn't say so.
"Of course, sir, I shall lock the gate.
Tou've got your key?"
"Yes, all right, anil here you are and
much obliged for your trouble."
Highly astonished and grateful at re
ceiving a large tip for no obvious reason
(rather a mistake on my part), the man
was profuse In promising to make every
arrangement for my comfort. Even when
I asked for a few cushions, he dissem
bled his scorn and agreed to put them in.
"And mind you don't sit up," I said as
I left him. . .
"I'm not likely to sit up If I'm not
obliged," he answered. "Hope you'll have
good sport, sir."
From the harbor I made my way
straight to the Golden House. The Colo
nel was rather surprised to see me again
so soon, but when I told hlra I came on
business, he put his occupations on ene
ids and listened to me.
I began with some anxiety, for If he
suspected my good faith all would be lost.
However, I was always a good hand at a
He, and the Colonel was not the President.
"I've come about that money question,"
I said.
"Well, have you come to your senses?"
he asked, with his habitual rudoness.
"I can't give you the money," I went
: 'I
"You sit there and tell mo that? Do
you know that If the soldiers don't have
money in a few hours, they'll upset me?
They're ready to' do It any minute. I
don't know now when I give an' order '
whether I shall be obeyed or get a bullet
through my head."
"Pray be calm," said I. "You didn't
let me finish I"
"Let you finish t" he cried. "You seem
to think jabber does everything. The end
of it all is, that either you give me the
money, or I take it and if you Interfere,
look out !"
That Is just what I was going to pro
pose, if you hadn't interrupted me," I said
quietly, but with Inward exultation, for I
saw he was just In the state of mind to
walk eagerly Into the trap I was prepar
ing for him.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
I explained to hlin that it was Impossi
ble for me to give up the money. My
reputation was at stake ; It was my duty
to die in defense of that money a duty
wnich, I hastened to add, I entertained
no Intention of performing.
.But, I went on, "although I am
bound not to surrender the money, I am
not bound to anticipate a forcible seizure
of it. In times of disturbance Dartles of
ruffians often turn to plunder. Not even
the most rigorous precautions can guard
against It. Now It would be very possi
ble that even to-night a band of such
marauders might make an attack on the
bank, and carry off all the money In the
safe."
"Oh!" said the Colonel, "that's the
game, Is It '
"That," I replied, "Is the game ; and a
very neat game, too, if you play It prop
erly."
"And what will they say in Europe,
when they hear the Provisional govern
ment is looting private property?"
My dear Colonel, you force me to
much explanation. You Will, of course,
not appear in the matter."
"I should like to be there," he remark
ed. "If I weren't, the men mightn't
catch the exact drift of the thing."
You will be there, of course, but In
cognito. Look here, Colonel, It's as plain
as two peas. Give out that you're going
to reeonnolter the coast and keep an eye
on The Songstress. Draw off your com
panies from the Piazza on that pretense.
Then take fifteen or twenty men you can
trust not more, for it's no use asking
tnore than you can help, and resistance is
out of the question. About two, when ev'
erythlng Is quiet, surround the bank.
Jones will open when you knock. Don't
hurt him, but take him outside and keep
him quiet. Go In and take the money
Here's the key to the safe. Then, If you
like, set fire to the place.
"Bravo, my boy !" said the Colonel.
"There's stuff in you after all And what
are you going to get out of it? I sup
pose that's coming next?"
As the reader knows, I wasn't going
to get anything out of It, except myself
and the Signorina. But It wouldn't do
to tell the Colonel that ; he would not be
lieve In disinterested conduct. So I bar
gained with hlra for thirty thousand dol
lars, which ho promised so readily that I
strongly doubted whether he ever meant
to pay It.
"Do you think there's any danger of
Whlttlnzham making an attack while
we're engaged on the job?"
The Colonel was, In common parlance
eottinir rather warmer than I liked. It
was necessary to mislead him.
"I don't think so," I replied. "He
can't possibly have organized much of a
party here yet. There s some diseon
tent, no doubt, but not enough for him
to rely on."
"There's plenty of discontent," said the
Colonel.
"There won't be In a couple of hours."
"Why not?"
"Why, because you're going down to
the barracks to announce a fresh Install
ment of nay to the troops to-morrow
morning a handsome installment."
"Yes," said he thoughtfully, "that ought
to keep them quiet for one night. Fact
is, they don't care twopence either for me
or Whittingham ; and If they think they'll
get more out of me they'll stick to me."
"Of course," I assented. Indeed, it wa
true enough as long as the President was
not on the Rpot; but I thought privately,
that the Colonel did not allow enough for
his rival's personal Influence and . pres
tige, If he once got face to face with the
troops.
"Yes," the Colonel went on, "I'll do
that, and what s more, 1 11 put the peopl
in good -humor by sending down orders
for a free social In the Piazza to-night.
"Delightfully old-fashioned and bare
nial," 1 remarked. "I think It's a good
Idea. Have a bonfire and make It com
plete. I don't suppose Whittingham
dreams of any attempt, but It will make
the riot even more plausible."
"At any rate, they'll all be too Jolly
to make trouble," said he.
"Well, that's about all, Isn't It?" said
I. "I shall be off. I've jot to writs to
my directors and ask instructions for the
investment of the money."
"You'll live to be hanged. Martin,"
said the Colonel, with evident admiration.
"Not by 'you, eh, Colonel? Whatever
might have happened If I'd been obsti
nate! Hope I shall survive to dance at
your wedding anyhow. Less than a week
now I" . ,,
"Yes," said he, "next Saturday's the
day!"' ' '
He really looked quite the happy bride
groom as he said, this, and I left him to
I contemplate his' bliss.
"I would bet ten to one that day never
comes," I thought, as I walked away.
"Even If I don't will I'll back .the Presi
dent to be back before that."
I The Colonel's greed had triumphed over
his wits, and he had fallen Into my snare
, with greater readiness than I could have
oped.' The question remained, What
ould the . President do. when he got the
Signorlna's letter? It may conduce to
better understanding of the position If I
tell. what that letter was. She gave It
me to read over, after we had compiled
it together, and I Btlll have my copy. It
ran as follows:
"I can hardly hope you will trust me
again, but if I betrayed you, you drove
me to it. I have given them your money;
It is in the bank now. M. refuses to give
It up, and the C. means to take it to-
ight. He will have only a few men, the
rest not near. He will be at the bank at
two, with about twenty men. Take your
own measures. All here favor you. He
threatens me with violence unless I marry
him at once. He watches The Songstress,
but if you can leave her at anchor and
land in a boat there will be no suspicion.
Do not punish me more by disbelieving
me. CHRISTINA.
"P. S. M. and the 0. are on bad
terms, and M. will not be active against
you."
Upon the whole I thought this would
bring him. I doubted whether he would
believe very much in it. but it looked
probable. Again, he was so fond of a
bold stroke, and so devoid of fear, that
it was very l.kely he would come and
see if it were true. If, as we suspected,
he already had a considerable body of ad
herents on shore, he could land and re-
connoiter without very great danger of
falling into the Colonel's hands. Finally,
even If he didn't come, we hoped the let
ter would be enough to divert his atten
tlon from any thought of fugitive boats
and runaway lovers.
To my mind It is nearly as difficult
to bo consistently solfish as to be abso
lutely unselfish. I had, at this crisis, ev
ery inducement to concentrate all my
efforts on myself, but I could not get
Jones out of my head. It was certainly
improbable that Jones would try to resist
the marauding party; but neither the
Colonel nor his chosen band was likely to
be scrupulous, and it was Impossible not
to see that Jones might got a bullet
through his head; Indeed, I fancied such
a step would rather commend itself to the
Colonel, as giving a bona fide look to
the affair. Jones had often been the cause
of great Inconvenience to me, but I didn't
wish to have his death on my conscience,
so I was very glad when I happened to
meet him on my way back from the Gold
en House, and seized the opportunity of
giving him a friendly hint.
I took him and sat him down beside me
on a bench In the Piazza. I was In no
way disturbed by the curious glances of
the three soldiers who were evidently
charged to keep an eye on the bank and
my dealings with It.
I began by pledging Jones to absolute
secrecy, and then I intimated to him, In
roundabout way, that the Colonel nd
I were both very apprehensive of an at
tack on the bank.
"The town," said-1, "is In a most un
settled condition, and many dangerous
characters are about. Under these cir
cumstances I have felt compelled to leave
the defense of our property in the hands
of the government. I have formally in
timated to the authorities that we shall
hold them responsible for any loss occa
sioned to us by public disorder. The
Colonel, In the name of the government,
has accepted that responsibility. I there
fore desire to tell you, Mr,. Jones, that in
the lamentable event of any attack on the
bank it will not be expected of you to
expose your life by resistance. Such
sacrifice would be both uncalled for and
useless ; and I must Instruct you that the
government insists that their measures
shall not be put In danger of frustration
by any rash conduct on our part. I am
unable to be at the bank this evening
bnt in tho event of any trouble yon will
oblige me by not attempting to meet force
by force. You will yield, and we shall
rely on our remedy against the govern
ment in case of loss."
These Instructions so fully agreed .with
the natural bent of Jones' mind that he
readily acquiesced in them and expressed
high appreciation of my foresight.
"Take care of yourself and Mrs. Jones,
my dear fellow," I concluded; "that Is
all you have to do, and I shall be satis
fied." I parted from him affectionately, won
dering if my path in life would ever cross
the honest, stupid old fellow's again, and
heartily hoping that his fortune would
soon take him out of the rogue's nest in
which he had been dwelling.
(To be continued.)
Asked and Anawered.
"Oh, what do you call those things
you hang clothes on?" said Dumley,
who was trying to think of "clothes
tree." "What things?" asked JIgglns.
"Why, they have arms that stick out
like this and "
"Oh, dudes!" Philadelphia Ledger.
A Man of Doubt.
"Do you think that municipal own
ership wonld eliminate graft?"
"I am not qnlte sure," answered Sen
ator Sorghnm, "whether It would elim
inate It or simply originate a new
kind." Washington Star.
he Knew.
Sunday School Teueher Can any of
you children tell me what was King
David's nationality?
Willie Hebrew.
S. S. T. That's right. Now, can any
one toll me his wife's nationality?.
Annie (after pause) I know, teach
er.
S. S. T. Well, Annie, you limy tell
us.
Annie Shebrew, Toledo Blade.
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rlnren1t.ttua;,
"William," said the boss, "sort those
eggs into two piles. They are to b sold
at different prices."
"Yes, sir," said (he boy. "Tin fresh
and the near fresh?"
"No, you lunkhead: the big and the
little." Chicago Tribune.
Information.
The train had stopped for water at ft
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The passenger with-tho skull cap, see
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plat form, addressed him.
"Farmers around hero seem to have
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morning," he said.
"Yes, sir," answered the nntive.
."They're taking rUks. Don't you think
it looks like ralu?",. , .
"Sort o'."
"What do you supposo they will do If
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In the Nick of Time.
Coleridge was enumerating the stench
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lie had counted up to seventy-one, and
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"That seems to be ail!" he muttered.
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At this moment an automobile whizzed
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"Ah!" ho exclaimed. "There It is!"
Sniffing the strange odor with satisfac
tion In spite of its disagreeable 'quality,
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Menu Mnn.
"So the burglar that paid your home
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"I I should say not," pouted Mrs. Z.
"lie took all of your money?"
"Y-yes."
"And all of your Jewels?"
"Y-yes. IS-lmt I could have stood nil
of that, but for one thing."
"And what was that, dear?"
"He he said the baby was home
ly." The other day in Paris a dog was seen
in a motor car with a well-fitted pair of
blue spectacles to protect his eyes.
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