One Wicked Night.

Manawatu Herald, 22 February 1898, Page 2

One Wicked Night.

BY JAMES GREENWOOD (The Amateur Casual).

(Continued) *" Well, gentlemen, one evening I was rf turning home from the office — I lived at Islington— and had walked as iar as Gray's Inn-rd., when I thought I would ride the remainder of the distance, and stood waiting outside a corner public-bouse until an omnibus came by. It was in the winter time and dark, and another person was loitering to and fro at the same spot, as though hia intention was the same as mine. There was nothing remarkable in his appearance except that he wore a long dark overcoat with a short cape of military cut and a soft flak cap with a projecting peak that overBhadowed his eyes. Ho appeared to be neither young nor old, but, judging from the mingling of grey with his full black moustache, something beyond middle aga. Presently he stopped in his sauntering and addressed me.

"Sir," said he bowing politely, " I beg you to pardon the liberty, I am taking, but will you kindly accept my invitation to drink a glass of ale with me ?"

'• The liberty, as you term it, sir," I made answer, " is not worth speaking of, and I thank you for your offer. But I seldom drink, and never with strangers."

" But we need not be better acquainted for your granting me the favour I ask. Nor would you, I feel sure, refuse me if you knew how very much it would oblige me. But if you are afraid of me that is another matter.''

His tone and manner were those of a gentleman, and his speech was hesitating and nervous. I can't Bay what put it into my head, but it immediately occurred to me that his brain was in some way affected. As for my be^Dg afraicl of hicu, that 'was amusing. He was but a little fellow and of such spare built I could have carried him under one arm.

" If you would oblige me," he repeated with such earnestness that my doubts a3 to his perfect sanity were confirmed, " you would be doing me a kindness I should never forget."

" Well, it is not much to make a fuss about," I laughingly remarked^ " Since you so earnestly desire it X will have just one glass with you."

We entered a private apartment of the aparim* nt ( f the tavern, and he ordered 2 glasec-s of ale, and while it was being drawn he smacked hia lips as though in blissful expectancy and titled back his flat cap so that I could now see his eyes. They were curiously prominent and not plfsfp.nf-loobing. Small and bright and leddbh brown, and with scarce any \ashes to them. Looking me full in the face as, with his glass in his hand, he n marked :

" You drink with me willingly ?"

" Not on compulsion at all events," I answered evasively. " Why do you ask ?"

" Bt cause that is the main ihiDg," ccd while he spoke his eyes were still fixed on mine in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. " You might as well have refused, unless you tell me that you do it willingly.' 1 I felt quite sure now that be was a little mad, and to get rid of him replied, •• Of course, I drink* with you willingly. Why not ? My respects to you," and I raised my glass to my lips. But he arrested my drinking by laying his hand on my arm.

" Fray pardon me. It is under, stood that we drink tbgether in a friendly way?"

" If I felt unfriendly towards you I should not be here at all.' 1

11 Aye, aye. But say bo. It is more to the purpose than my respects merely.

" Very well, then. We drink together in a friendly way. Will that satisfy you ?"

" That will satisfy me exactly." But still fixing me with his strangelooking eyes, and without removing his hand from my arm, he clinked his glass against mine and then drained it to the last drop. " Now drink up youri." I know no more now than then of the kind of spell he had put on me, or if it was done by the fixed look of his eyes, or the touch of his hand, or both combined. But curse and confound him who ever he was and wherever he may be now, he had me in control. When he uttered the words, "Now drink up yours," he did not trouble to speak civilly, but in a Bharp, commanding way, and ai though aware that I was powerleia to resist. I drank the ale and set the glass down.

I would have left; the place then, indeed I had left the bar, and wai going towardß the door, when, turning my head to nod him "goodnight," he hooted me— theft is no word that better expresses it^he hooted me again with his eyes — he had pulled his cap forward now, and in the shadow of the overhanging peak they seemed glowing as in a ca=e - and I was brought to a standstill.

" You are euch pleaeant company,"

said he, while a devilish grin overspread his pallid, narrow face and showed his teeth, " that I can't part with you yet. We will drink together again, and then I will let you go." " There I I told you before I began my story," I broke off to remark to the chaplain and his friend, the literary gentleman, " that you would scorn to believe such an unlikely rigmarole as mine. You don't say so, either of you, bnt if your smile doesn't imply it, I will be glad to know what else it does. I can't help that. It is all so true as that I stand here alive before you. Here me to the end, anyway."

I returned to the ccranter, being quite unable to resist, although I could angrily protest. " Madman or knave," I said to him, " your behaviour is most outrageous. 1 will drink no more with you." " But we are pledged frienda, and you must and shall." It was quite in a pleasant way *he said this, and half laughing the while. The girl who was serving at the bar heard what we both said, and no doubt thought we were acquainted and were joking, and smilingly she ie» plenished the measures. I would bare thrown wine, ale, and all at his head, but he had fixed me with his eyes again. Ho had raised his to his lips, and in obedience to bis nod I waß about to do the same, when, as in the first case, he checked me by laying bis lean white hand on mine. (To be continued.)