The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-01-10

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perplexed and distract. The play was
) coming to an end. l took them out OF
; the theater, and put them into cab
1t would be a relief to get back to Al
bany street, and to find Chubb in his
snugsory, smoking pipe and chip
ping away at his blocks; relief to
give him a good scolding for putting
4 us out so. Id f
! But when we got, back to Albany
street the house was dark and desolate.
The servants had gone to bed, accord
ing to orders. The supper tray was in
the diuing-room, in readiness for our
rejection a few dozen oysters, brown
loaf, n half cut ham. Bat there was
: no trace of Chubb's presence-nO
opened shells no empty bottle of
Guinness. Where could he be9
| 1t was necessary that I should go
out to look after the missing Chubb.
| embraced my mission very reluct-
antly; for ] was tried and hungry,
aud thought that Chubb was indulg-
ing in some freak. His aunt would
not hear of the possibility of such a
thing; her boy had never been out so
late as this without her knowledge,
and she felt convinced that some evil
had come to him. She hesought me to
lose not IL moment in putting the police
in motion, in advertising, in Offering
reward OF hundred pounds for any
information.
"Had he anymoney with him, aunt9"
l had grown SD intimate with the
family that Mrs Chubb had adopted
me as her nephew.
"Oh dear, yes, and great deal. l
paid him his half years allowance,
fifty pounds, this very morning, in
Bank OF England notes, and he stuffed
them into his breast coatpocket in his
careless way, and L.
| "Have you got the numbersf"
"Oh yes; | put them down; they are
in my desk. See here"
"Notling but the numbers! No date,
no distinguished letters! Dear me.
aunt, how unbusiness-like You arc !"
"Oh, is it necessary, Edward /
didn't know" ss2
"Hhis list will do we'll enough for
stopping the notes but if they were
LOST, you'd never gel, ,anuthinG; ~nt "a. Af
tbs 10 find Chubb. Good by, aunt I'll
send the young scamp home to you
fast enough, never fear"
'Piease God, ], trust you will"
Lefty was in the hall as went out.
She came to me, pale and. trembling
ooh, Edward, do yon think there is
anything wrong with Chubb'"
"No, nothing wrong, 1 trust, Lefty,
Don't worry about him; he's sure to
be all right" ..a sivU.H
! took her hand as / spoke. Her
sweet grayseyes sought mine in unsns-
pecting, sisterly Confidence. ~ g-4
"You will come back with him. We
slla'nt so to bed till you come back.
Good-by, Edward"
1t was hot, dull, sodden night-a
night on which one felt the oppressive
weight of indefnable wretchedness.
As made my way to the cab stand
felt that | was upon hootltss errand.
Chubb. hadn't been at Lincoln's Inn
tue houseske.ener, whom Iroused out
of her first sleep. -was sure of that. /
must go on to Enfield street, to the
shop of the eminent wood engravers
where Chubb was employed. The
premises We're locked up; an iron bar
across the door, with great paddock
securing it, showed that no one slept
in the house. What should do now
In my perplexity, found my way to
theNOlice Office. The inspector smiled
at my grave air when he heard my
tale. 80.
"There's good many young gents
as don't get home IS soon as their
master wonld1ike, sir. But I'll send a
sergeant with you, sir. The man on
the beat will know where the foreman
of the shop lives, no doubt SIR"
The police sergeant, grizzled care
worn man, istarted with me to the
beat. The officer on duty knew where
the foreman of English; g. Jarlinc
lived; it was in street on the let
tenAam Court Road. Another short
cab drive, and we were knocking at
Mr.. Whites door. Mr.. White was a
bachelor and a lodser. He was evil
dently giving a party that night the
front room was lighted up, and there
was piano going, and a song with a
laundering chorus. My heart felt a
'greatrelief; Chubb was here, Of course;
this was the very sort of thing in whici,
he delighted, for which he'd give up
any kind of civilized society. wouldn't
he, be wild at being fetched home, by a
police sergeant and a friend qs
White came to the door in his shirt
sleeves; hehad long clay pipe in his
hand, with which he was beating time
to the chorus. He seemed too perfect
ly happy to feel any surprise at, the
sight of two strangers at his gate, al