KO TABLE BOOKS. 



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shape — boots that strode stron^'ly and 

 planted themselves masterfull\- •/ Hes- 

 sian boots, elegant, glossy and be-tas- 

 selled. Glancing higher, he observed a 

 coat of bottle green, high collared, close 

 fitting and silver-buttoned ; a coat that 

 served but to make more apparent the 

 broad chest, powerful shoulders, and 

 lithe waist of its wearer. Indeed a truly 

 marvellous coat (at least, so thought 

 Barnabas), and m that moment, he, for 

 the first time, became aware how clumsy 

 and ill-contrived were his own gar- 

 ments ; lie understood now what Natty 

 Bell had meant when he said the}' were 

 not ]oolite enough ; and as for his Ijoots 

 — blunt of toe, thick-soled and ponder- 

 ous — he positively blushed for them. 

 Here, it occurred to him that the wearer 

 of the coat possessed a face, and he 

 looked at it accordmgl)-. It was a 

 handsome face he saw, dark of e}'e, 

 square-chinned and full-lipped. Just 

 now the e}'es were lowered, for their pos- . 

 sessor stood apparently lost in leisurely 

 contemplation of her who lay out- 

 stretched between them ; and as his gaze 

 wandered to and fro over her defence- 

 less beauty, a glow dawned m the eyes, 

 and the full lips parted in a slow smile, 

 whereat Barnabas frowned darkl\', and 

 his cheeks grew hot because of her too 

 betraying habit. 



"'Sir!' said he between snapping 

 teeth. 



"Then, very slowly and unwillingly, 

 the gentleman raised his e\es, and stared 

 across at him. 



" ' And pra}-,' said he careless!}-, ' pra}- 

 who might }-ou be.-'" 



" At his tone Barnabas grew more 

 angr}- and therefore more polite. 



" ' Sir, that — permit me to say — does 

 not concern }'ou ! ' 



" ' Xot in the least,' the other retorted, 

 ' and I bid }ou good-day ! }0u can go, 

 my man, I am acquainted with this lady, 

 she is quite safe m my care.' 



"'That, sir, 1 humbly beg leave to 

 cluubt,' said Barnabas, his politeness 



Pardon me ! but I think not.' 

 " The gentleman stared at Barnabas 

 through suddenly narrow lids, and 

 laughed softly, and Barnabas thought 

 his laugh worse than his frown. 



Ha ! d'you mean to say you — won't 



" ' \\'ilh all the humility in the world, 

 I do, sir.' 



"'Why, you cursed, interfering 

 yokel ! must 1 thrash you '■;' 



" Now ' yokel ' stung, for Barnabas re- 

 membered his blunt-toed boots, there- 

 fore he smiled with lips suddenly grim, 

 and his politeness grew almost aggres- 



si\e. 



growing. 



" ' Why — you impudent scoundrel !' 



Barnabas smiled. 



"'Come, take yourself ofl'!' said the 

 gentleman, frowning. 'I'll look after 

 this lady.' 



fhrash me, sir!' he repeated, 'in- 

 deed I almost venture to fear that \-ou 

 must.' But the gentleman's gaze had 

 wandered to the fallen girl once more, 

 and the glow was back in his roving- 

 eyes. 



"'Pah!' said he, still intent, 'if it is 

 her purse you are after — here, take mine 

 and leave us in peace.' As he spoke he 

 Hung his purse towards Barnabas, and 

 took a long step nearer the girl. But in 

 that same instant, Barnabas strode for- 

 ward also and, being nearer, reached her 

 first, and stepping over her it thus befell 

 that the}' came face to face within a foot 

 of one another. For a moment the}' 

 stood thus, staring into each other's e}'es, 

 then without a word, swift and sudden, 

 they closed and grappled. 



" The gentleman was very quick, and 

 more than ordinarily strong, so also was 

 Barnabas, but the gentleman's handsome 

 face was contorted witn black rage, 

 whereas Barnabas was smiling, and 

 therein seemed the on I}- difference be- 

 tween them as the\' strt)ve together 

 breast to breast, luiw m suiilu^ht, now in 

 shadow, but always griml}' silent. 



" So, within the glory of the morning. 

 they reeled and staggered to and fro, 

 back and lorth, trampling down the 

 young grass, straining, panting, swa}'- 

 ing — the one frowning and determined, 

 the other smiling and grim, 



" Suddenly the bottle-green coal ri]i- 

 ])ed and tore as its wearer broke free ; 

 there was the thud of a lilow, and Bar- 

 nabas staggered back with blood upon 

 his bice -staggered. 1 sa\', and in that 

 moment, as his antagonist rushed. 



