Freeman's champion., 1857-08-06

be caught, and knew already that
people must have started across the
country to head him off by the route
he had taken. Trembling and un-
certain what to do, he plunged into
the thicket by the roadside, and came
pat upon the heap of clothes only a
few minutes before vacated by our
friend, Chester jerks. o ,rto'}
"Well, if here ANITA prize!" he
exclaimed to himself, lifting both
hands. ri couldn't ask anything
more to my mind |" ra
And without single moments
delay, he proceeded to put off his own
clothes, and to put on the respectable
suit he found lying near him. Of
course his next move was one as far
distant as possible from that locality.
He struck out path across the fields,
unwilling to trust his person on the
highway until night should kindly
come down and throw her protecting
mantle over him.
In due time, Mr.. Chester jerks had
completed his tumblings and curvet-
tings, his swashings and washings in
the river, and took himself out Of the
current to the privacy of his chosen
boudoir in the bushes. He dried oft
carefully, and he rubbed himself Wig
orously with the crash-towel he had
brought in his carpet-bag. "Ah,"
said he aloud, when he was wholly
through, "now / feel like another
person! feel clean 1 feel fresh
and new If | could only have the
good luck to see Mary Maxwell as
soon as / get through my supper,
twill be as near what l should like
as anything could be i" +
Thcreupon he fell to, to dress him
self again. He picked up his shirt /;
yes, that was still there, and it fitted
him. No suspicious excitedyet He
seized his drawers. THEY were all
right. And still no misgiving. lie
grabbed at his trousers, and had fairly
poked into one leg Of them, when a
cry of dismay escaped him. BE-
"Great George of Oxford !" he
called. What is all this ?" I
Quicker than a wink, he had drawn
off the trousers leg, and was holding
up the entire article for inspection
His face was long picture Of de-
spair without frame.
He reached down and poked over
the remaining items Of his wardrobe ;
they were no more his than the trous-
ers were his that he held in his hand,
They looked thoroughly dingy, cheap,
uninviting, and unclean. They were
not the clothes Of decent gentleman
at all, but rather the rig of some
villainouS pack pedler.
What to do,---was the momentous
question. The conclusion was. plain,
stern as it was, likewise. There was
no possible alternative but for him
to put on these clothes at his hand,
and temporarily make the best of it.
Perhaps there was o clothing-sSore
in the village, and he would shed his
skin there as soon as he could find it.
But it was with sickening qualm at
his stomach that he slipped the gar
ments on SO gingerly. He thought
he should have preferred to wash
them out in the river first, but how
could he wait for them to dry?
On they went, therefore, and on he
went by back and unfrequented
way to the village again. Helooked
and acted guilty enough. Even o
child might have suspected him to
be thief. 5000 oc 9i9 ta.
lie climbed over garden walls,
crept through barn-yards and cattle.
lanes, sneaked round the shortest cor
ners he could turn, and arrived at the
hotel the stagecoach originally landed
him. The moment he made his ap
pearance in the hall, the landlord
who had first espied him from tn,
next room, sprang up from the kno
of men he was chatting with on tn,
subject of thief, and rushed upon him
Tve got you 'sow, you villain 7
he cried. ~ knew you'd be crawl
ing back after your carpet-bag, ant
here you are | Come into the othe
room herel' % ,B5 Gau3 4
| Before he could recover from hi
surprise, Chester Jenks found him
self suddenly dragged into the mids
of party Of excited men, every en-
Of whom loudly charged him wit
being q thief. He was 40 confused o
first, that he could not speak guAn,
this they considered a certain symp
J, tom of his guilt III the rascal wer
really innocent, hewould outwith il
, fair andsquare. \ But how could Rnc
guilty tookinv fellow help; beinI
CEreally gailtyRiidssmad 9oI niaAI
1 ~ AZ