The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-29
VOL. w. NO. 46.

and call me Jew if could reckon him III
He used to come here about moor, and wor
| UP to eight or nine o'clock at night; bu
what business he worked at could neve
find out. l know he had big ledger, an
two or three such books; but big ledge
won't make business any more than a bi
carpet bag will, and he always carried one
He would would come and smoke q ciea
with me now and then; but never cam
up here during all that time, and he kep
this door locked. He always seemed 4
be expecting blow, did poor Carl, NOR
like rat IN corner than anything else
poor begga1! Well, Sir, one morning
found the key on my mat. and found tn
place Just as you see it, and have nevel
seen Carl sinee. One or two queer lookinj
men have inquired about him, and aske,
If he was coming back, and said mos
likely he would, and likely enough he will.
Not at all an interesting story"
thought, and felt inclined TO yawn in Mr.
Moss's face; but thanked him for the in
formation, and promised 10 take possess
ion in three days, which I spent in presen
ting my letters of Introduction, and making
other arrangements for the prosecution o.
my plans.
At length the eventual day arrived, and
stayed in my own Office, with my name en-
blazoned on the door and passage way.
was waiting for friend to call on me, (whC
had promised to put me in the way of doing
some business that very day, and felt impa
tlent in consequence.
The Office was clean and tidy, and the
floors had been well scrubbed.
Why hadn't they emptied the waste bas
kel of all that lumber.
The Office keeper had not lighted fire,
and took up the basket to perform the
operation myself; but from some cause OF
other, placed it on the table, and began
idly to burn the scraps one by one.
had nearly disposed Of them all when a
paper attracted my attention, and read it.
1t was torn so as to leavea few words intact,
ana it ran thus -
= 'Louise has given your description, and
You may rely on our finding you. Forward
the plates at once, Or"
Then another piece of some mysterious
paper, apparently plan of some place OF
other.
What did this msan?
Bat l had no time to consider, for nv
friend entered, and putting the two pieces
of paper in my drawer, l emptied the bas-
ket into the fire, and went out with HIM to
do good days work.
Returning late in the evening, relit the
fire. and addressed myself to the writing of
two important letters to be posted by II 80
that night, in roEder to be in time for the
ounard liner, which sailed early in the
and then it was that the black
darkness of the doorless room opposite TO
me began to trouble me most
:. 1t had troubled me before. but on this
night it troubled me ten-fold. From child
hood had been imaginative, and knowing
this, stirred the fire called myself an ass
and went on with my letter. My eyes
wandered to- the black darkness of the
doorway, and began to ransack my mem.
ory for statistics of men who could tell by
some occult power if any one were hidden
in the room they entered; and laughed
aloud when / remembered that had read
of one sensitive gentleman who by this
occult sense had found that a surgeons
was in closet behind him.
own dislike being in the dark, but /
will do myself the justice to say that have
resolution enough to overcome the dislike.
proposed to myself to a very
quiet walk into the dark room which troub-
ED me, and without light, look out of
the window, and slowly return.
went, the very first step beyond the
threshold dispelled my fears. 1 could see
the glimmer of the stars, through the glass
hear the rattle of the cabs outside. Why,
It was quite cheerful place after all
Ah there was Shufiing noise there by
the closet, and then my fears returned and
overpoRered me. Istrove TO walk out like
a tragedy hero; but my pace quickened as
l neared the door, and heard the shutting
noise close to me, and the next moment a
hand was at my throat, and help
less on the floor, with the cold muZzle of a
pistol pressed to my head, 1 was bound to
and dragged into the outer Office, thrust in
my chair, and confronted by two quiet
looking men, one of whom laid his revoly-
er on the table, saying at the same time,
with an ugly sneer, $50 Brunton, we have
caugnt you at last.
The speaker was mild, intelligent look
ing man of about 35 years of age. In pro-
per dress he would have looked like a
High Church clergyman. His companion
Waslevidently a foreigner, and imagine, a
German, He was about fifty years OF
age, and prolusisn of beard and whiskers
covered more than half his face. But he
had a winning smile, and good teeth, which
he often took an opportunity OF showing.
"We have found you at last.
I am thankful to say that l am not ner.
yous when see a danger, and boldly
replied
HMy name is Harker and not Brunton
Mr.. Moss, the landlord of these premises
has noticed my resemblance to his late
tenant, and is satisfied that am not thu
same. Depend upon it that shall maxi
you repent this outrage"
Ttried to rise and call for help, from tn
street, but the pistol was cooked at me, ant
there was that in the mans eve which eau
toned me against Tashness in my helples
position.
81 will sit down." / replied, ftand hea
what you have to say; but if / choose to d.
il, shall do my best to raise an alarm II
spite of your revolver"
..VeH spoke, Carl" said the foreigner
Louise always say he plucky one"
Now then Brunton," whispered tn
other one, 81 Jetug have no nonsense. w
ave not met before, 1t is true: but Louis
has so well described yoH, that putin
~0ther name on. your door was slmpl
;5io.;os al, pesides, of one ours has watched 70
Ialosio. Nn0De -! - I'D we communicated wit
him directly we landeG. 80 lree' Ii 70
like, but zoe aDiA haze the plates. Al,
'sDat's the matter yid us, ," echoed Ga-
German; ''ve viii have the plates"
81 know nothing of any plates, cried
s'nor of Louise, nor Of you. All know
that you will see the inside OF priso
very shortly
GAnd you think you can throw us, thro'
me over in this way i? Do you think 70
deal with children?"
L think 7 deal with a burglar. MOI
certaipiy with : rascal Of. some sort
other"
Here my two friends held a whispere
conference. Then he of the revolver tur1
ed sharply towards me.
"Will you marry LouiseP Will you giI
mp the plates and marry my sister,"
I "She lofe you old boots" added Il
German; and from which 1 opine that
prided himself on knowledge of Englis
idiom.
In spite of my serious position, ] Wi
getting thoroughly amused. The dal
i doorway held unknown terFors to py g
cited Imagination: but two oommon-pls'
fellows who had made 6 pistake, on
caused feeling of meEriment, In spite
the revolver.
81 am sorry cannot oblige You,
7 piled. 81 am hattered by the lady pr
! erance; bnt, having one wife already te
y Dmast decline taking a second; and as
, the plates, please explain What you mean
The answer to this hippant speech was
bIow on the face, which sent the bio