THE CASE OF JAMES GAFFEEN

48

fear, but with an impulsive struggle released herself and stepped a pace away confronting me with an air of superiority. But knowing as I do, that all people are of one standard, as far as sex is concerned --- I stepped forward, and crushed her to my bosom with many passionate kisses."

'Respect me' she cried I am your queen!' and drew herself up in a most dignified manner. But a man of my character heeds no "I am better than thou" gestures, nor any other frivolity of the like.

"The strangest part of the whole affair" continued the bandit "lies in the fact that she returned my love and agreed to meet me the following day at the same time and place; so the next day, as I drew into the tryst, I was surrounded by an armed guard and placed into this infernal prison; but why should I care!" he added in a tone of self encouragement "The Queen's love is the key to my liberty, and my instinctive faith in her undying affection can never be shattered......."

"Come Gaffeen!" interupted the jailer, swinging wide the door "The Queens will must be done, and the executioner awaits you."

Antonio Phrench was an author of uncommon qualifications; that is to say; he was an author whose uncommon qualification for gall and unparalelleled affrontery was unsurpassed. As the editor of the "Argo" it befell me to have many dealings with this young Don Quixote of the pen, and many, and many a time I was tempted to throttle him without warning.

He would sit for hours and chew at his pipe like a cat eating taffy and with inimitable persistence he would urge upon one to both read and praise his latest abortive tales. Be all this as it may, for he died; and is no doubt fully dead in every sence of the word. Upon his death bed, however, he handed me his last will and testament, through which I learned that I was his sole heir; and it is, no doubt, needless to add that all his wealth, in its entirity, consisted of one dollar and thirty cents financially and two thousand manuscripts, disadvantageously.

As for myself; I am anything but extravagant, and it is with some reluctance that I here set his masterpiece "Veiled circumstances" into print.

IT FOLLOWS......

Fanned by pearl-colored zephyrs, Rosa and John sauntered along the sweet-scented sward. in the distance an trouty fisherman was plodded gayly homeward.

"Let me tell you, John" said Rosa, speaking very earnestly; "let me tell of the kind of love that I fancy. I fancy a love made up of strength and muscle, with soul and brawn stirred in; a love vibrant with cyclons' volcanos, earthquakes, pile drivers and switch engines; a love that can kill an oak tree with but a single embrace; a love that can drink boiling lava as though it were the nectar of the gods; in short I must have, and hold licentiousness forever and anon.

"That is my idea exactly" said John; "And I demand a love that could put old Father Time into the kindergarden." They tried to stare at one-another, but their eyes were so full of eager

ness and local physical attraction they could see nothing. The sky presented an extraordinary appearance. In some places there were patches of yellowish orange, like ripe pumpkins washed by the early morning dew; and then, anon, one could see areas of greenish blues, blackish whites and all around the burning moon-light was recalcitranting violently from the immediate surrounding.

Great flashes of refracted sun-rays sifted thru' the damp breath of a tired rhinoceros. The universal harmony stimulated the aggravation of the cockchafer and a bunch of flimsy clouds puddled around in the sky as nature intended they should do. One does not often behold an evening of such gorgeous and abnormal beautification; upon this specific occasion mother nature was no slob, Mother Nature on this night was patterning a la Francaise and her beaux yeux glittered salaciously a l'outrance. It was beyond all doubt, a night of glory, to be concise, I may say, without fear of contradiction that it was a glorious night; in a word,