Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Robert Shimmin and PG
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[Transcriber's note: The non-standard spellings of the original texthave been retained in this etext.]
[Illustration: "I ARREST YOU FOR THE MURDER OF VICTORIA VANE."]
1886
"Will you give me a glass of water, please?"
A ragged, bearded tramp stood before the door of a cottage near theoutskirts of a country village, and propounded this question to a prettygirl who stood in the door.
"In a moment."
The girl disappeared, soon returning with a pitcher.
She went to the pump near, and soon had the pitcher running over withsparkling water.
"I will bring a cup."
"Needn't mind."
The tramp lifted the pitcher and quaffed the water as though he enjoyedit.
His eyes were not pleasant as he turned them keenly on the pretty face ofthe girl.
"Folks at home?"
"No."
"All alone, eh?"
"Yes; but Ransom will be around soon—my brother."
The eyes of the tramp glittered. He seemed to delight in reading thefresh young face before him.
"Nobody at home, eh?" he grunted. "Mebbe I'd better go in and rest a bit.
Any objections?"
"Yes. If you are hungry I'll bring you food out here."
It was a pleasant day, and the sun was warm without being hot, a rareenjoyable day in June.
It seemed to the girl that there could be no excuse for a stout man likethe one before her tramping and begging through the country.
"Why do you not work?" she said.
"I wasn't born that way," and he chuckled unpleasantly.
The girl hurried into the house.
His Trampship followed.
She was not a little alarmed at finding the ill-looking fellow close ather heels. She feared and dared not anger him.
Placing a chair at a table, she bade him be seated, and then she hastenedto set before him bread, milk and cold meat.
"The best the house affords, eh?" he chuckled, as he sat up to therepast. "The very best."
"And it's good enough for a king."
Then he fell to and ate ravenously.
The girl walked to the door and gazed uneasily down the road.
"Brother comin'?"
"I do not see him."
"What's your name?"
The tramp was inquisitive.
"Vane."
"Eh? Is that a fact?"
The stout fellow started and regarded the girl fixedly.
"Is the name a familiar one?" questioned the girl after a moment, anxiousto conciliate the man. Her nearest neighbor was at least a quarter miledistant, and the house was concealed by a clump of trees, so that thegirl felt that she was at the mercy of this burly, ill-looking stranger,should he attempt violence.
"Vane, Vane," he muttered. "Reckon I've heard the name before. And you're
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