Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-10-09


against that gentleman. Wells"
"a ca. ga, taken out by your firm, has
been with me for execution"
Precisely"
"Well, Mr.. Potts has escaped"
What an excessively disagreeable Incl
dent for you, sir!"
Nov, what propose to do is this: I
undertake to pay you $500 in q week, if
you will give me full release"
II think Mr.-Jones did you say THAT
the total of the detainers is rather more
than that. You know the exact figure,
perhaps?"
"You know the figure as we'll as l do,
Mr.. Mosheim. Six shillings in the pound,
or thereabout, my offer would give your
clients. You wouldn't have got Cd. in the
pound out or Potts."
you appear to know more Of Potts
| than do. In reply to your proposal, we
decline it. Your sheriff is good for the
| whole amount"
you absolutely decline it?"
Decidedly"
As walked down Bishopgate street l
felt more comfortable; knew the worst
| After all, ruin is not so bad in reality as
in anticipation. had plenty of money
| in my pocket, and it didn't matter now
| how | spent it. l would stay in town
| that night, and go and hear Robson, who
| was then in great force; he might make
me forget my troubles In the meantime
| | would go and get steak in a place
| that | knew in Fleet street, where | used
| to dine when / was serving out my time
in London AS l walked through the
city | changed my mind again; the roar
| of London troubled me. l would get
| home as speedily as possible. But as
| passed the narrow court in Fleet street,
| the accustomed but long forgotten habit
or was it the hand of Providence that
| turned me?-drew me up the court and
! into the well known precincts of "Stilton."
| went into box and ordered a rump-
steak and a pint of stout.
You know the old fashioned room,
dare say--its sanded floor and wooden
benches, its fireplace and immense kettle?
| One side of the room is divided into
boxes In the corner of the fafthest box
from the door, where | was invisible, ex-
cept to person standing by the fire
place, took my seat and, sitting there,
waiting for my steak, heard a number
of men enter the room. They made more
noise than the quiet legal men who
formed the rest Of the company.
Tie voices Of the newcomers rose in
loud and CHEEKY tones above the noise OF
the chop-house. | guessed that the two
loudest takers were military men, proba-
bly, Just returned from India, and the mu-
tiny was ended The two heroes were
asking about lots of friends, but didn't
pay any attention to their conversation till
| heard the name of Potts. Then, indeed,
| listened with batcd breath, every nerve
on the stretch.
"Where's Billy Potts, now9 heard he
came to grief"
ooh! Billy's down in Wales, hard up,
as usual / have just heard from him.
Such fun! The Jews found him out He
was at Clansomething, a nice little Welsh
town. A ca. sa. was issued, and poor
Billy was nabbed, and the buns took him
to a hotel. You know what nimble-"
Here the waiter slammed down my
dishes and tankard with tremendous
clatter, drowning the mellifluous voice of
the templar. | ground my teeth in de-
spair; "trap-doOr" was the only word
could catch, and the next moment loud
guffaw from the military told me the story
was ended.
captain Captain! and he's in the same
house still?"
Eyes; but he'll slip away as soon as the
coast is clear"
"vcry good, by Jove! Billy's match
for Moses or Taffy."
| had heard enough. had the clew.
remembered that there was trap-door in
the room of the Prince Llewcllyn, open
ing, probably into loft. 1t was too high
for any ordinary man to reach without
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 be there
still!
| looked at the clock; it was 80. l
had barely time to catch the 3 O'Clock
express from Paddington, but it might be
done / left my steak and stout untasted
unpaid for, had not the vigilant head
waiter intercepted me. l flung down
half crown, and, without waiting for
change, bolted down Fleet street A
hanson was passing, jumped in, telling
| the driver he should have a sovereign if
he got me in time for the train. Fortune
favored me; fortune did ] say? Let me
humbly and gratefully thank a kind
Providence for saving me and mine from
ruin. AS we reached Paddington 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 threw myself against
the closing door. / dashed through the
ticket office on to the platform. The guard
had blown his whistle, and the train was
gliding gently away. Policemen and port.
ers barred my way in vain. Life or
death' ! hoarsely roared, grasping pass
ing handle, flung myselfinto firstclass
carriage. The cabman, unpaid, was run
ming along the platform after his receding
fare. threw him sovereign, which he
caught, and his face assumed bcatific
expression as Paddington STATEN passed
from my gaze.
BY one O'Clock in the morning / had
reached Llanwyn. The moon was shining
brightly, and Llanwyn was in quiet re-
pose. l stopped the car just outside the
town, and walked to the police station. /
reused Inspector Williams, and asked him
to send two constables to watch the Prince
Llewellyn, and also to wake the two bal
lifts and set them on guard. / walked To
the Prince Llewellyn, and took my stand
on the doorstep till my achievements
oh orr;uo