The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-01-15

complaint OF Saving muses. ne udu
recovered his cheerfulness, and with
it the use Of his left eye. He then
caught more birds, giving the old
ones their liberty, and would remain
alone In his sitting-room with his
birds for hours at a time, with his
door fastened. What ne did with
the birds | could not discover. but
I know be was accustomed TO write
good deal, for he had way of
tearing up spoilt sheets of paper Gov
cred with writing, and throwing them
out of the window, In little screws
from time to time.
Nearly opposite my house Is the
small village hostel, called the ClUmp
lEn, an old-fashioned public house
with an outdoor settle, and a table.
on stump outside, under the sign
| board that swings from an aged elm.
! Now on that settle, for the last few
/ days, man IN velveteen, a stranger
/ to the village, had been sitting of
I and on several hours a day, and con-
/ suming great deal more beer than l
/ considered good for him. He had on
q stiff hat, and was evidently accus-
| toned to wear a stiff stock, which be
was perpetually feeling after. When
not sitting there, be would relieve
himself by taking turn up and down
the road. but always past my house,
| and looking so eagerly at its windows
that soon became uncomfortably
impressed with the notion that he was
watching my house. In fact I was
certain of it. Said / to myself, this
is either another mystery, or the So
luton of the first. So at last [ put
on my hat and walked up and down
too. On this the man returned to his
settle, sat himself down, and tried TO
look unconscious. [ walked up to
him, and sat myself down by his side,
Well, my friend [ began, you
seem to take singular interest in
looking at my house; perhaps you
may be equally interested in seeing it's
owner. May l ask why you keep
walking up and down watching my
windows p
What I know [ know" replied
the man in velveteen, sententiously,
land what I don't tell anybody they
amt likely to be able to tell anybody
else, and he gave me tumbled card,
on which was inscribed
Mr.. TWIGETT,
and then drew himself. up on the
settle in order that | might be duly
impressed with his presence and
bearing. He was young, perhaps
eight-andtwenty, remarkably self
, complacent-wore his hair cropped
close, which gave him a shrewd ap-
; pearance; and when he surveyed me
with his eyelids half closed, and his
mouth pursed up as though to de-
, termine whether or no | was a like
J ly sort of person for him to take
into his confidence, [ thought him
, anything but prepossessing. Releas-
t ing his features, he said after pause
r 7 should like word with you"
Very good On what subject?",
He dropped his voice, and in dis
tinct whisper asked
? Do you want thousand pounds?''
! Really Mr.. Twigett didn't appear
| to me to be likely person to go and
t borrow half-a crown of. Observing
t my look of incredulity, he added, in
the same tone
:" / am detective policeman
Well, was not In want of money
so to say, but there is something
) tempting about the offer of such q
, sum; and the question was asked
. with an amount of assurance thai
sounded like half the money down.
Meet me here in the back parlor
q at nine O'clock" said Mr.. Twigett
E" and let no one know you have
: spoken with me. Discretion in these
s matters is everything.
: Why not come to my house anC
!, tell me what you have to say there?
q Impossible" he replied; w
t should be blown upon"
t And Mr.. Twigett went into the
e Clump, and called for more beer
1 which he remained inside to drink
: But he walked up and down IN from
; Of my house no more that evening.
: Well, [ thought to myself, m.
t friend Maurice Hickey IS nice per
e son to go aud send me down lodge
n that the police are after; for [ made
+ up my mind directly it was Dir. Led
d foot that was wanted; thought wha
y for, and how it could have anything
+ to do with liking for birds, ant
S shutters, and four post bedsteads,
: couldn't guess. | resolved to writ
Maurice, and ask about him, and
: did 20, then and there.
TO BE CONTINU ED.