The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-23

wanted to see me on business, but
would not give his name. Probably
about some subscription, 1 observed /;
"perhaps l had better see what he
wants.
Without a suspicion of what awaited
me, went down stairs, and ON entering
the dining-room encountered short and
rather red-faced man, who, bowling pro-
foundly, asked if / was Mrs. Conyers.
On me replying in the affirmative, he
continued "May l ask what estab-
lishment you have2"
must have looked astonished, as he
explained:
81 am detective police officer, mad
am, and my business here will, am
afraid, be an unpleasant one"
=" Indeed ?" L CALCULATED, in what
way"
From information have received, /
believe you have person under your
roof who is wanted on very serious
charge. / must ask your permission to
summon every one in the house into this
room. have taken precautions to pre-
vent any one leaving it, and If you will
kindly accede to my request, L shall get
over painful duty as quickly as posi-
ble."
If my lips had been capable of utter
ance, the words they would have framed
would have been Miss Burke" but /
said nothing. 1 merely rang the bell,
which Fills answered so promptly, l felt
certain she must have been behind the
door, ready to protect me, i'll case OF an
emergency.
"Summon the servants, Ellis, said
and-and-ask Miss Burke to come
down stairs" 1t was almost like dream
to me, seeing my four domestics walk
in and then-suspecting nothing-came
Miss Burke.
"Got you at last, sir !" cried the de-
tective, making an agile dart toward my
companion.
Not without some trouble" coolly
responded his prisoner, whose courage
was apparently quite equal to the occa-
sion. In my widest moments l had
never dreamed of so desperate denou-
ment, and the discovery perfectly
! paralyzed me with horror. 1t was too
dreadful to realize that had barbored q
wretch of a man i'll woman's clothing
not only in my house, but in the capaci-
ty of my companion9 In less time
than can describe it in, the detective
and his prisoner had departed it was
quietly and quickly managed T; and
though detailed account of it did APP
pear in the papers, my name was, hap
PLY for me, not allowed to transpire
publicly.
The pseudo Miss Burke turned out to
be a notorious young man, or / may say
lad, of the name of Browning, who, hay
ing embezzled large sums, as well MS
stolen a quantity of magnificent jewel
ry, had been unable, owing to the pre-
cautions taken to prevent his doing so,
to leave London, or to dispose of the
stolen property. Through the agency of
female friend he had adopted his dis
| guise, and my unlucky advertisement
had suggested to him tie idea of insur-
ing his own safety, should l be credulous
enough to take him upon the recommen-
dations, which, / need hardly say,
had emanated from his own pen.
Not only had he thought of his
personal security, but that of the stolen
goods, which, in the shape of diamonds
and bank-notes, were found securely
slowed away in the little black box,
which / had thought contained the
worldly possessions of my poverty
stricken companion. He was tried, con-
victed, and sentenced to penal servitude
for fourteen years.
My husbands return was fastened by
the illness which the dreadful affair
caused me. Since then, he and 1 have
never been separated. However, should
1 ever be unavoidably left alone again,
my past experience has decided me on
one point-never to advertise, or to
trust to written references, or the result
may be-A Curious Companion. cham
6erS' Journal.