The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-07-23

"You appear to know more Of Mr.
Potts than do. In reply to your propo
sal, we decline it. Your sheriffis good fol
the whole amount
"You absolutely decline itr
as Decidedly
aAs walked down 20 Bishopsgats
street I felt more comfortable. knew
the worst After all, ruin Is not 20 bad In
reality Is It Is In anticipation. haf
plenty of money In my pocket and i
didn't matter now how / spent Il.
would stay in town that night and 60 K
hear Robson, who was then in great force
he might make me forget my troubles. II
the meantime l would 60 and get steal
at 9 place knew in Fleet street. where
used to dine when l was serving out my
time in London. As walked through thu
city changed my mind again the rosl
Of London troubled me. would &c
home as speedily as possible among
the quiet hills, and hide my troubles. Bul
as passed the narrow court in Flee
street. accustomed but long forgotten
habit-or was it the hand of Providence
which turned me drew me up the cour
and into the well-known precints Of thu
Stilton. Invent into box, and ordered {
rump steak and pint of stout.
"You know the old-fashioned room,
dare say-its sanded floor and woodeI
benches, its great fireplaces and immens,
kettle! One side of the room is divided
into boxes. In the corner of the farthes
box from the door, where I was invisible
except to q person standing by the fire
place, took my seat, and sitting there
waiting for my steak, 1 heard number
of men enter the room. They made
much more CHATTER and noise than thu
quiet, legal men who formed the res
of the company, who talked mysterious
ly in half whispers as though within
the sacred precincts of the Court Of
Chsncery. The voices of the new comeri
rose in loud and CHEEKY tones above al
the Eoises of the chop-house. / guessed
that the two loudest takers were military
men, probably just returned from Indis
and the Mutiny War Just ended. TIT
third, who spoke with milder drawl,
judged to be Templar. The two heroes
were asking about lots of friends, but
didn't pay any attention to their converse
ton till heard the name of Potts. Then
indeed, listened with bated breath, every
nerve on the stretch.
"Where's Billy Potts nowi Ihear he
came to grief
"OhI Billy's down in Wales, hard up
as usual. l have just heard from him
Such funl The Jews found him out. he
was at Clam-something, nice little
secluded Welsh town A ca. "a. wa
issued, and poor Billy was nobbled, and
the buns took him to an hotel. You
know what nimble@'
"Here the waiter slammed down my
dishes and tankard with tremendous
clatter, drowning the mellifluous voice Of
the Tenplar. / ground my teeth in des.
pair; 'trapdoor' was the only word could
catch, and the next moment loud guffaw
from the military told me the story was
ended.
"Capitall capital! and he's in the
same house still p
ayes; but he'll slip away as soon Is
the coast is clear
"Devilish good Jove! Billy's q
match for Mosesh or Taffy.'
81 bad heard enough. had the clue.
/ remembered that there was q trap door
in the room at the Prince Llewellyn,
opening probably into loft, 1t was too
high for any ordinary man to reach with
out assistance; but, of course, Potts was
in the highest favor with all the lassies at
the hotel. Nothing would be easier than
to open the trap from above and let down
a rope or ladder, and he might &c there
still looked at the clock 1t was $50.
had barely time to catch the 8 express
from Paddington, but it might be done.
left my steak and stout untasted-unpaid
for, had not the vigilant headwaiter in
tercepted me. l flung down half q crown,
and without waiting for change bolted
into Fleet street. A hanson was passing ;
/ jumped in, telling the driver he should
have q sovereign If he got me in time for
the train. Fortune favored me; fortune,
do say? Let me humbly and gratefully
thank kind Providence for saving me
and mine from ruin. As we reached Pad
dington Station the clock was on the
stroke of three. One of the big doors
had been slammed to, and the porter was
closing the second. With howl that
frightened the stolid porter, I threw my
self against the closing door. dashed
through the ticket office on to the plat
form. The guard had just blown his
whistle; the train was gliding gently
away. Policemen and porters barred my
way in vain. Life or death hoarsely
roared grasping passing handle, l flung
myself into first-class carriage. The
cabman, unpaid, was running along the
platform after his receding fare. threw
him a sovereign, which he caught, and
his face assumed a beaiific expression as
Paddington Station passed from my gaze.
"By one o'clock in the morning had
reached Llanywm. The moon was shin
ing brightly, and Iianywfn was in quiet
repose. stopped the car just outside the
town, and walked to the police station. l
reused Inspector Williams, and a.ked him
to send two eonstables to watch the Prince
Llewellyn, and also to wake the two bail
it's and set them on guard. l walked to
the Prince Llewellyn, and took my stand
on the doorstep till my reipforcements
should arrive had hardly reached the
top of the flight of steps when saw q
light over the fanlight, and heard the door
chain rattle. Presently the door was
opened cautiously, and emerged into the
acknowledgement Potts
"Re had closed the door before he saw
me, and We stood together on the tOpmost
step of the high stone fight glazing at one
another. "A fight seemed imminent; we
were well matched. / was the taller and
pins. At running, however I Gould beat
him hollow, and Potts knew it; and knew
therefore, that fight would be useless, un'
less he could previously disable me. But
he wss man of presence of mind, and
preferred to negotiate before fighting.
o'clock here, he said, rapidly, I'm In
an awful holel We've always been good
friends, and don't see that II can harm
you too keep your eyes shut for mintite
AZ had tskeh him by the arm Is he
spoke. and held him with grip 20 firm
that he didn't need an answer. He drew
himself together for dash at me, but
waited for an instant as spoke:
"'Potts' / said, your escape would be
my ruin; and I'll not let you 20 till I'm
dead
aPotts looked at me amazed.
"What ere the odds to you, if get out
OF the clutches of lot of Jew swindlersf"
"Simply I should have to pay your
debts, and be sold up stick and branch"
Son your honor, is 1t sof'
AEON my honor, il is
"Rohert., hst no idea of this. I'll
esto in. Don't hold me so tight. / give
you my word I'll not bolt
81 took his word, and we walked up
and down the street for half Ga hour,
talking over HE s@aifs Presently the
Ger Arrived, and the bailiffs; and / saw
him safely started for the county Jail.
"Next day resigned my Office.
CATER that acted as Potts solicitor,
and had the pleasure OF Offering Meses y
Mosheim s,spente IL tie pound, which
they Accepted, and released Potts. don't