The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-11-12 00:00:00

came across him. I was after some moths with Mr.
Stone. I've been helping him a good bit lately in some
natural history business. -*He's writing a book, I think.
We tumbled over this gentleman lying right in the
path.'
Why, it's the parson!' exclaimed Donovan, as they
lifted the insensible figure on to dry land and laid him
down.
Just that.'
What was he doing there ? Where did you say he
was?'

Close to the hole yonder; the place.'
'He's seen it, he's seen it,' Donovan said, with,a
laugh and a shudder at the same time. '1 hope he
liked it. What are you going to do with him?'
Take him in and give him a cup of coffee and
warm him, and then bid him good-bye,' Barney said
shortly; 'I don't want to have any more to do with
him.'
The pale lips were moving now, and a slight shiver
passed over the insensible figure at their feet. They
stooped and raised it up.
'Coming round a bit, sir?' Barney asked; and
Horace Gayford opened his eyes and stared wildly
about him.
Yes,' he said faintly. 'ls it gone? Did you see
it?'

'See what, sir?'
The figure; the man. I-'
I saw no one but you, sir,' the boatman replied. 'I
was over in the wood yonder, and I found you lying
across the path; you had fainted, I think, and I
brought you across. I thought my mother would
have some fire, and a pot of coffee ready. Will you
come in for a moment ?'
'I must, I cannot stand; and it is imperative that I
get home quickly and without observation.. I have
not been well, and I suppose I must have overtired
myself. I have no recollection of fainting. I
saw '
What so many have seen, I suppose,' Barney said
gravely.
Yes.'
Ah !no wonder you are upset. It's all right
mother, this gentleman will come in for a minute;
for Mrs. Mordaunt had opened the door and was
staring at them with a frightened face. There's
nothing the matter, I hope, beyond a fainting fit. A
drop of coffee will set him up.'
It did, making him able to stand, though very shaky
and uncertain still on his feet. The shock he had re-
ceived had completely mastered him.
am ashamed of myself,' he said presently. 'I
thought I had more nerve; I can only account for
my cowardice by my broken health. I should be
obliged to both of you,' turning to the two men, 'if
you would keep this matter to yourselves; I have no
fancy for being talked over in Hillford as being afraid
of anything, explainable or otherwise.'
'I won't speak of it if you don't wish,'Barney said'
and„Donovan echoed him. He had no call to talk
about anything he said,
A rd Horace Gayford rose to go, feeling like a man
who is recovering from a severe illness. He would
have rewarded the boatman and his mother for their
trouble, but Barney would have none of his overtures;
and refused them icily.
'My mother always makes coffee for me,' he said,
and for aught I have done, why I would have done it
for anyone. I'll take one reward if you'll let me, Mr.
Gaylord.'
• What is it? Any thing yon can ask of me I will
do.' _ _

Let me alone in the future then,' and the eyes of
the two men met as Barney spoke. Keep out of my
way, as I'll keep out of yours, heaven helping me.
Mischief will COM of it if you don't.'
He turned on his heel, and left Horace Gayford to
make his way home as he listed; and Phil Donovan,
seeing him stagger as if he could hardly stand, went
up to him and proferred his assistance.
No thank you,' was the somew: at haughty answer;
I am quite well now.'
I'd a word to say to you,' Donovan said quietly.
Leave it unsaid to night, whatever it is,' the
miserable man said huskily. lam ill, nervous; I
will see you some other time.'
His head was in a whirl. Since the terrible moment
when he saw his dead cousin standing before him, all
had been blank till he had come to himself, with thee
men standing by his side. What had he said? What
had they discovered? Ah ! whit indeed? He
shivered as if with an ague fit, as he thought of his
search in the river for what he had hidden there. Into
whose hands had the contents of that bag fallen, and
what would be the next stops that would be taken?
He must get home, and sleep. He had not rested for
some nights with any comfort. Would he ever rest
with comfort again? he wondered. His mind was
wandering; he must collect his wits, and answer this
man in a mere collected fashion. Be felt that Donovan
was regarding him keenly, and h) looked back at him
with a smile.

seem to be hardly rnytylf yet,' he said in a voce
more like his own. 'You have something to nay t)
me, you say?'
Yes.'

Then call upon me to morrow, I shall not be out
all day. I shall be hippy to hear, wlt,atever it. is.,
'Will you,' Donovan said to himself, as he looked
after him walking unsteadily like a man in a dreim.
'May be aye, and may be no, as the Scotch penVe
say; you are a clever man, Mr. Horace Gayford, but
parson as you are there are people in the world tint
are a ma‘ch for you after all.'
Mrs. Brown suspected nothing. She had no ides
that her lodger had been out nearly all night, or that
he had seen the ghost that was exercising the public
mind so rnuch just then. She would have I.x'en scared
out of her senses almost if she could have seen him
walking up and down the room, like a madman, with
his hands above his head, and his face distorted with
passion and terror—terror that was intensified till it
was almost unbearable, when looking out of the win-
dow in the grey morning, he saw Mr. Stone on the
other side of the street. The face was turned away,
but he knew the man. It must be true then, and this
stranger was a London detective, sent down to Mil-
ford to watch him and spy his proceedings.

jv t CIIAPTER XLIV.
NEMESIS.
• r Foul deeds will rise,
Though all the earth o'erwhelra them to men's eyes.'
—SIIAKBiPEARE.

You seem but poorly, sir.'
'I have not slept very well, that is all, thank
you.,
Mrs. Brown was quite anxious about her lodg, r, he
looked BO pale and worn on the morning after his
nocturnal adventure. She had no idea be had not
been in bed all night; she had found him there when
she had taken up hot water to him, and had remarked
on the unucually untidy appearance cf his room. His
things were lying about in a confusion very foreign
to his general habits, and now that he had made his;
appearance very much later than usual, he looked 804,
ill and shaky that she was quite concerned.
'I am afraid it is the drink,' she said downstairs in
the seeltPion of her own breakfast parlour. Both
the brandy bottles are empty, end there's another case
come in. It's a thing that grows terribly, is drink.'
You mind your own 1- u •,ness,' her husband said,
Never mind what it is, you don't have to pay for his
brandy. I think there's something lades drink thi
matter with Mr. Gayford, I do.'
t•tat.
'What?'
A bad conscience. If he hasn't something on his
mind, I'm a Dutchman! But, as I said, it's no business
ef ours as long as he pays Ids way. There's someone at
the door.'
'Who is it, I wonder?' Mrs. Brown said, somewhat
irascibly, for she was having her lunch and her morn-
ing glass of ale, and she did not care to be disturbed.
It's that man, Donovan. What does he. want, I
wonder?'
Nothing off me, I am sure,' Mrs. Brown said.
'The very last time I spoke to him I had to threaten
him with the police. .He won't want to see me again.'
'Oh, that's ever so long ago,' her husband said,
laughing. Donovan has turned over a new leaf; they
say he is doing well, and keep'ng steady.'
'He couldn't,' Mrs. Brown remarked, with emphasis.
I suppose I must go to the door if you won't.'
certainly shan't,' her spouse replied. Donovan
don't want me; he's got something to sell.'
There was a bundle under the man's arm, a dirty
cloth rolled up it seemed, and Mrs. Brown went to the
door, grumbling internally. Her husband was right,
Donovan was changed a good deal; it seets.ed as if
Jack's better fortune had extended itself to the family
in general. Perhaps the money he was able to give
his mother now and then helped to better the state of
things; or it might be the warning he had given his
father about worrying, his master had,bad its effect.
Whatever the cause was, Donovan got drunk seldomer
than usual, and abstained from visiting upon his
wife and children at home whatever bad fortune fell
to his lot abroad.
He was tidier in his dress; it was composed of re-
markable odds and ends still, but he paid more
attention to cleanliness, and his face sometimes
betrayed an acquaintance with soap and water that
had been unknown in the old times when Jack was
Barney Grubb's handy min, and found food and
clothes where he could.
Well,' Mrs. .Brown said, opening the door and
confronting Donovan, who lookea her stolidly.
.d
'ls Mr. Gayford in?' , f • • .
II don't knew that he is.
Yes, you
do' WB.3 Donovan's; cool remark, and
,
so do I; I saw him at the window.'
That's not saying he's at horde to you. I don't
know that he'll see you.'
Do'nlovthainnkrehgeuewsitlsl.theGoplaenasduarsekohf iamiepwlearcsein. con
utSeasy'
versation with him.'
Pleasure!'
Well, honour! that's the correct way to put it, I
believe. Honour! Oh my!'
It's all nonsense, Donovan,' Mrs. Brown said. Mr.
Gayford can't be _plagued this morning, I know; he
isn't well!
You take my message to him, and don't waste
your breath so, was Donovan's curt remark in answer
to this speech. Pat going to see him, whether you
like it or not. You're not his keeper. Just tell him
I am here, and see what he'll say.'
'Oh, I'll tell him,' Mrs. Brown said, retiring, feeling
very much inclined to slam the doorllu Mr- Donovan's
face, 'lint thinking, perhaps, she had better not.
'Stand there on that mat,' she added, and I'll tell
him.'
the mat, eh?' Donovan said to himself, as she
went into Mr. Gayford's room. 'He won't put me to
.stand ism any mats when he knows ;,.4e, wont.be_ too;
- ,acienea I