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Sentence Deferred Sailor's Knots, Part 4. By: W. W. Jacobs (1863-1943) |
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By W.W. Jacobs
1909 SENTENCE DEFERRED
[Illustration: "An elderly man with a wooden leg, who joined the
indignant officer in the pursuit."] Fortunately for Captain Bligh, there were but few people about, and the
only person who saw him trip Police Sergeant Pilbeam was an elderly man
with a wooden leg, who joined the indignant officer in the pursuit. The
captain had youth on his side, and, diving into the narrow alley ways
that constitute the older portion of Wood hatch, he moderated his pace
and listened acutely. The sounds of pursuit died away in the distance,
and he had already dropped into a walk when the hurried tap of the wooden
leg sounded from one corner and a chorus of hurried voices from the
other. It was clear that the number of hunters had increased. He paused a second, irresolute. The next, he pushed open a door that
stood ajar in an old flint wall and peeped in. He saw a small, brick
paved yard, in which trim myrtles and flowering plants stood about in
freshly ochred pots, and, opening the door a little wider, he slipped in
and closed it behind him. "Well?" said a voice, sharply. "What do you want?" Captain Bligh turned, and saw a girl standing in a hostile attitude in
the doorway of the house. "H'sh!" he said, holding up his finger. The girl's cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled. "What are you doing in our yard?" she demanded. The captain's face relaxed as the sound of voices died away. He gave his
moustache a twist, and eyed her with frank admiration. "Escaping," he said, briefly. "They nearly had me, though." "You had no business to escape into our yard," said the girl. "What have
you been escaping from?" "Fat policeman," said the skipper, jauntily, twisting his moustache. Miss Pilbeam, only daughter of Sergeant Pilbeam, caught her breath
sharply. "What have you been doing?" she inquired, as soon as she could control
her voice. "Nothing," said the skipper, airily, "nothing. I was kicking a stone
along the path and he told me to stop it." "Well?" said Miss Pilbeam, impatiently. "We had words," said the skipper. "I don't like policemen fat
policemen and while we were talking he happened to lose his balance and
go over into some mud that was swept up at the side of the road." "Lost his balance?" gasped the horrified Miss Pilbeam. The skipper was flattered at her concern. "You would have laughed if you
had seen him," he said, smiling. "Don't look so frightened; he hasn't
got me yet." "No," said the girl, slowly. "Not yet." She gazed at him with such a world of longing in her eyes that the
skipper, despite a somewhat large share of self esteem, was almost
startled. "And he shan't have me," he said, returning her gaze with interest. Miss Pilbeam stood in silent thought. She was a strong, well grown girl,
but she realized fully that she was no match for the villain who stood
before her, twisting his moustache and adjusting his neck tie. And her
father would not be off duty until nine. "I suppose you would like to wait here until it is dark?" she said at
last. "I would sooner wait here than anywhere," said the skipper, with
respectful ardor. "Perhaps you would like to come in and sit down?" said the girl. Captain Bligh thanked her, and removing his cap followed her into a small
parlor in the front of the house. "Father is out," she said, as she motioned him to an easy chair, "but I'm
sure he'll be pleased to see you when he comes in." "And I shall be pleased to see him," said the innocent skipper. Miss Pilbeam kept her doubts to herself and sat in a brown study,
wondering how the capture was to be effected. She had a strong
presentiment that the appearance of her father at the front door would be
the signal for her visitor's departure at the back. For a time there was
an awkward silence. "Lucky thing for me I upset that policeman," said the skipper, at last. "Why?" inquired the girl. "Else I shouldn't have come into your yard," was the reply. "It's the
first time we have ever put into Woodhatch, and I might have sailed away
and never seen you... Continue reading book >>
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Genres for this book |
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Fiction |
Humor |
Literature |
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