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she walked along.
28 a _ BRAVE AND BOLD.
Fis name was John Moreland.” .
“What!” gasped Van. ‘‘Why, the scoundrel is in the
city this very moment. ..He is the prisoner. who is. con-
fined in the cell.” co
“Then it was the elder Vincent’s turn to be surprised.
Van now proceeded to relate all that had happened
“The man who did that was a.cousin of yours, Van.
‘since his uncle’s.murder, and his father was deeply inter-
ested in the recital of the story. :
“Well, my son,” said he, after a rather long interval
of silence, “John Moreland, or Doc, Clancy, as you call
him, will surely be executed, and after tnat happens I
- shall endeavor to work things so I shall be able to leave
this beautiful country and go back with you to the land
of our: birth. And now you had better return to your
friends and tell them that you have found a father. I
will arrange things in my house this afternoon, and you
and your companions will be my guests as long as you
remain in the city.” SC
~Van-now left his father and started to hunt up Jack
Howard and the rest. St
“He soon learned that they had gone to take a look about
the ancient though beautiful city, and taking the direction
they had gone, he started to find them. .
The boy was so elated and full of joy at the miraculous
finding of his father, that he hardly noticed anything as
Just as he was passing a fine-looking edifice, he was
startled by: the shrill scream. of a female in distress.
In a momerft Van’s chivalric nature. was aroused, and
he turned his eyes in the direction the cry came from. /
By the side of the building he beheld a beautiful girl
struggling in the arms. of a powerful-logking- man.
Quick-as a flash, Van, leaped over the low, fence in front
~ of the house and rushed: to the spot.
The girl was. doing: her best to get away from, the man,
who now held his hand tightly over her mouth to pre-
vent her from screaming. ~~
The next instant our hero’s fist shot out and the. brute
staggered and fell to. the ground. : ,
_ CHAPTER XXI.
DIVERSE MATTERS.
The blow Van had given the Utopian was. such a heavy
one that the fellow was dazed for a few seconds, and
staggered about blindly after he had’ risen to, his: feet.
The gitl had promptly flown, to. Van for protection,
saying in fair English as he did so:
“Save me from-that man! He is a villain, and I hate
him.” . . - .
“All right, miss,” replied our hero. “I'll guarantee he
shan’t harm you while Iam around.” ~
Meanwhile the man, who was a big, burly fellow, ‘had
recovered himself and now. stood glaring at Van like
an enraged lion. . -
He drew a long knife from beneath the coatlike gar-
ment he wore, and made a move toward the boy.
Crackt It was our hero’s revolver that spoke, and the
knife dropped to, the ground with a ring, leaving the fel- -
low’s arm hanging limp at his side.
The report of the revolver could but attract a crowd,
a, a
- The cowardly villain watched his opportunity to sneak}
and the next minute over a score of people were on the
spot, among them being Poppet:and Van’s.companions.
off, his wounded arm dangling at his side.. }
“Tell these people what has happened,” said Van, ad},
dressing the girl, oy oe
She obeyed him promptly enough, and when she hada
concluded.a cheer went up from the crowd. 7
“Thank you,” said she, turning to her champion and}:
shaking him warmly by. the hand. “Call and see me this} -
evening ; my papa will be home then, Don’t fail!”
The next moment she left*the crowd and entered the
house. -° , . Suns i.
“By Jove! Van, you area dandy, and no- mistake!"
exclaimed Jack Howard. “Here I have been all ovety ;
this city, and haven’t had an opportunity of being ot
service to an old woman, let alone a pretty girl like that} :
You area lucky fellow, anyhow.”
“Why,” observed Joe, turning his large eyes upon those
of the young Englishman, “do you tike pretty girls so
much ?” : oe
a “TI like all girls, whether’ pretty or not,” replied Jacky
‘but in all my travels I never met but one. girf whom 4°
liked enough to take for a wife; and I was not with het
long enough to learn much about her.”
‘Where was it you met her, may I ask?”
Oh, it was here in this beastly African country. Ht
was just after we started on our trip—some days, bef" .
we came across you. She had a very pretty name, t00;*
Masie Langford, I believe it was.” : !
All at once Joe began to, act very strange. He reeled:
about like a drunken’ man, and would haye fallen to
ground had not Jack caught him, Se
‘Why, what’s the matter, my boy?” ‘asked he, in st
prise.
“Nothing—nothing. I had a fai rer me
. g g. a faintness come over ™
that s all. You know I am subject to, fainting.” .
5 chats so, little fellow. Well, never mind. we'll g
ac to the house and you can lay down. Here, 3
ee I'll help, you walk along.” -
“an the way Poppet exp i r he si |
y xplained to. Van that the 2s":
he fad championed was the. prettiest’ in the entire Oy”
and. that she had suitors by the score .
ne was the daughter of one of the city officers: “+s.
same gitk who had been insulted by Doc Clancy.
omec” at had knocked down was. also 4 oh
, oppet was afraid | iol owt
on account of ‘what had hapoened “might bem
“In such : . fo:
trouble,” said pate as this there should never be af
sat ers has been very little heretofore,” was the te?)
§ 4 great trouble will overtake the gootl peel’
ple of the Afri :
months past.” _— Utopia. have felt it in the a7 |
“What is tl eet
the people?” x matter ? Is there a sort of split eh
hy
4 do'
”
“That's just it exactly,
I consider a loyal faction
a few minutes ago is the
Our good president leads *
and the man you knocke«
leader of the opposite side.
4
vty
ik