Page:Robert Barr - Lord Stranleigh Philanthropist.djvu/37

 he caught them fastened on himself with such intensity that it almost made him shiver.

"That man's an anarchist," he decided, but the explanation came immediately.

"I beg your pardon," said the stranger, "but have you finished with that newspaper in your pocket?"

"Oh, quite," responded Stranleigh, "and you are very welcome to it."

"I only want a glance at the news. I'll give it back to you in a minute."

"I take only a glance at the news myself," replied Stranleigh, "so I don't wish it returned if you will be good enough to accept it."

"You are very kind. The truth is I can't afford to buy a paper in this town. I can get better dailies where I come from, for a cent, and here they charge four to six times that much."

Stranleigh sat down beside him on the bench. They were in the Parkstrasse, with many passers-by going up to the afternoon concert at the Kurhaus. The person who couldn't afford a newspaper showed great familiarity with the one presented to him. He scanned its columns with lightning rapidity, then folded it up, and handed it back. For a moment it seemed to Stranleigh that his threadbare