An Old Meerschaum | Page 6

way. Barndale's eyes
were on the Greek, and every muscle in his body was ready for the
spring which he knew might have to be made at any minute. Leland
stooped lower, and kissed the face upturned to his. At that second the
band gave its final crash, and dead silence fell. Out of that dead silence
came a shriek of wrath, and hatred, and anguish from Demetri
Agryopoulo's lips, and he leaped into the shadow with a hand upraised,
and in the hand a blade that glittered as he raised it, One impulse
seemed to shoot forth the jealous Greek and his watcher, and before
Demetri Agryopoulo could form the faintest notion as to how the thing
had happened, a sudden thunderbolt seemed launched against him, and
he was lying all abroad with a sprained wrist. The stiletto flew clean
over the wall, so swift and dexterous was the twist which Barndale
gave the murderous hand that held it.
'Get the girl away,' said Barndale rapidly to Leland. The crowd
gathered round, alarmed, curious, eager to observe. Barndale helped the

Greek to his feet. 'Are you hurt?' he asked. Demetri glared at him, felt
his sprained right wrist with his left hand, picked up his hat, shook off
the dust from his disordered clothes, and went his way without a word.
Barndale went his way also. The band crashed out again, and the crowd
once more began its circle. When a torpedo is lowered into the sea, the
wound it makes in the water is soon healed. But the torpedo goes on
and explodes by-and-by, with terrible likelihood of damage.
Barndale came down heavily on Leland, in the latter's bedroom at the
hotel, that night.
'Well,' said Jimmy, in sole answer to his friend's remonstrance and
blame; 'there's one thing about the matter which may be looked on as a
dead certainty. The beggar would have had my blood if it hadn't been
for you, old man. It's only one more good turn out of a million, Billy,
but I shan't forget it.'
With that he arose and shook Barndale's hand.
'What did you do with the girl?' asked Barndale.
'Took her home. The Bloke who had such strong objections to me is her
sweetheart.
He's engaged to her; but she says she hates him, and is afraid of him.
She'll be more afraid of him now than ever, and with better reason. I
suppose I shall have to stop here a time, and see that she isn't murdered.
Suppose I went to that Greek sweep, Billy--I've got his address--and
explained to him politely that it was all a mistake, and that I'm sorry I
went poaching on his manor, and told him that if he liked to have a pot
at me he'd be quite welcome! D'ye think that would be of any use, old
man?'
'Leave ill alone!' said Barndale, pulling solemnly away at his pipe.
'I can't,' answered Leland. 'That cove's likelier to murder her than not, if
he hasn't got me to murder. Look here, Billy, I'll marry the girl.'

'Don't be a fool,' said Barndale. 'What do you know about the girl?'
'Lots,' answered the imperturbable James.
'Highly connected. Lots of tin. Character irreproachable. That elderly
Bulgarian party, Kesanlyk Attar of Roses man, knew all about her. The
fat Bloke aboard the boat. You know.'
'He won't hurt her,' said Barndale, thinking of the Greek lover, 'and
you're well out of it. Why should you marry the girl? There's nothing
worse than I know, is there?'
'There's nothing at all in it but that confounded meeting at the
Concordia.'
'Keep out of the way of the man in future,' Barndale counselled his
friend,' and leave him and his ladylove to make this matter up between
them. That'll all blow over in time.' With that he said good-night, and
rose to go. At the door he turned and asked--
'Who is the man?'
Leland produced his pocket-book, searched for a page, found it, and
handed it over to. Barndale. There, in a delicate but tremulous hand,
was written, 'Demetri Agryopoulo, Hotel Misserie, Grande Rue de
Pera.'
'He lives in this house,' said Barndale gravely. 'Lock your door before
you go to bed.'
Leland took his advice.
The next morning at table d'hôte they met the Greek. He was evidently
well known at the table, and was popular. His right wrist was bandaged,
and in answer to many friendly inquiries, he said it had been sprained
by a fall. He never looked at either Barndale or Leland, but chatted with
his friends in a free and unembarrassed way which extorted the
admiration of the two Englishmen, who were both somewhat silent and

uncomfortable. But in Lilian's society it was not possible for Barndale
to be gravely thoughtful just now.