Part 27 (1/2)
”Surely, sir, you will now allow me to proceed,” cried Kenneth ”I assure you the ency, and unless I aht I shall be too late”
”Too late for what?” asked Hogan
”I--I don't know”
”Oh?” The Irishhed unpleasantly Colonel Pride and he were on anything but the best of terms The colonel knew him for a Godless soldier of fortune bound to the Parliaain; and, himself a zealot, Colonel Pride had with distasteful frequency shown Hogan the quality of his feelings towards hian was not afraid of hian's nature to be afraid of anyone But he realized at least that he had cause to be, and at the presentsweet to find a flaw in the old Puritan's ar opened it was still a e of his duty would sanction Thus he reasoned; and he resolved to break the seal and an's unpleasant laugh startled Kenneth It suggested to him that perhaps, after all, his delay was by no --he could not think of what
Then in a flash an idea came to him
”May I speak to you privately for a an?” he inquired in such a tone of importance--imperiousness, almost--that the Irishman was impressed by it He scented disclosure
”Faith, you ned to Beddoes and his coan resolutely as soon as they were alone, ”I ask you to letalready has the stupidity of your followers detained ht is to ravest moment, and you shall let me”
”Soul of my body, Mr Stewart, what a spirit you have acquired since last weunmentioned, master turncoat”
The Irish cockerel, I mislike your tone--”
”You'll have cause to dislike it more if you detain me” He was desperate now ”What would your saintly, crop-eared friends say if they knew as much of your past history as I do?”
”Tis ahim
”How think you would they welco rake and debauchee who deserted the ar hian
”What manner of reputation, think you, that for a captain of the Godly army of the Coan with huan,” he wound up loftily, ”you had best return h to bring you a crop of hean stared at the lad's flushed face with a look of whimsical astonishment, and for a brief spell there was silence between them
Slowly then, with his eyes still fixed upon Kenneth's, the captain unsheathed a dagger The boy drew back, with a sudden cry of alarh, and ran the blade under the seal of Ashburn's letter
”Be not afraid, ht of hurting you--leastways, not yet” He paused in the act of breaking the seal ”Lest you should treasure uncomfortable delusions, dear Master Stewart, let me remind you that I am an Irishman--not a fool Do you conceive arly ar Charles for that of the Coht come face to face with someone who had heard of my old exploits, and would denounceunder an assuan, a soyptian Pharaoh, Charles Stuart; an erstwhile besotted, blinded soldier in the arnant, but converted by a crowning mercy into a zealous, faithful servant of Israel There were vouchsafings and upliftings, and the devil knohat else, when this stray laathered to the fold”
He uttered the words with a nasal intonation, and a whimsical look at Kenneth
”Now, Mr Stewart, tell them what you will, and they will tell you yet race hath been shed over ain, and broke the seal Kenneth, crestfallen and abashed, watched hi further interference Of what avail?
”You had been better advised, young sir, had you been less hasty and anxious It is a fatal fault of youth's, and one of which nothing but ti this package determines me to open it”