The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-09-11

hhte AT once eXplhlueu tnhC was tne
captains new secretary or agent. Her
husband was obliged to keep out of the
way, owing to police prosecutions but
he had an important appointment here,
and had sent her and his new secretary
to transact the business. In conhrma4
ton Of this, she handed him the dead
letter. aN
Grinrod spelt II over with cautious,
but comprehending face.
"Aye, It's right, no doubt, he said
I" L charge sovereign for the room, you
know, Kate bade me pay thisa once,
and as soon as the money had passed,
Grinrod remembered that telegram
had just came from the captain, which,
perhaps, bore upon the matter in hand.
He went TO the bar and brought back the
telegram. Kate opened it and read it,
and handed 1t over to me with gesture
of despair. 1t was from d friend, How
bent, to Captain White, Three Pigeons,
lanconically, AS the do not answer,
shall ma come.
Now it seemed that all our trouble and
pains had been lost The unknown
would not come forth and be revealed -
Our chance was gone. The landlord
looked at us inquirlngly. No doubt he
had read the telegram, and knew that it
was put Off
oh, he's not coming, then. Well,
why don't you wire him to come over
you can have this room till he comes,
only, as 1t Is wanted q deal. 1 shall
charge you another pound for the use of
it."
The suggestion was good one, if we
had known to whom to send the mes
sage but, in the latter case, we need
not have been going through this dis
agreeable, dangerous experiment at the
Three Pigeons.
don't think, said at last, !" that
my employer would approve of my
sending for this man; it looks like be-
ing over anxious about the bargain.''
looked over at Kate who at once
took the cue.
" Yes ; l am sure my husband would
not like it. But if you, my dear Mr..
Grinrod, would kindly let him know,
without our knowing anything about it
you know what a temper the captain
has-that Captain White is here waiting
for him, would pay for the rooms and
so on, and should be SO much obliged to
YOU"
The irascible, suspicious Grinrod was
Modified and subdued by the power of
beauty.
"I'll do anything to oblige lady,"
he said, and went out to dispatch the
message, evidently knowing quite well
where to send it.
Never did the hours pass so slowly as
those that elapsed while we were wait
ing at the Three Pigeons for the un-
known thief. The landlord came in
and out, doing his best to be civil and
attentive, talking about horses and
handicaps, and asked for advice upon
this race and that, until was afraid he
would discover my shallow, superficial
knowledge, and detect me as an impos-
ter. The people in the bar yelled, and
quarreled and fought; sometimes Grin
rod was called out to thrust half dozen
of the most intoxicated, those who could
drink no more, into the street.
Twelve o'clock struck from the church,
clock opposite, time crept slowly on,
still nobody came. Another hour struck,
and we began to feel that it was useless
to wait longer. 4G,
Just then we heard bell ring and
Grinrod hustled in. " He's here, at
private door; shall L show'em up p,
Kate nodded. The next few minutes
seemed an age. 1 L'A
There was whispered conference at
the door; then we heard something on
the stairs, thump, thump, thump, as if
piece of furniture were being drag
ged up. Then the door opened and re-
vealed the cunning, wizened face OF Bob
Hargreaves.
He had evidently come in hot haste,
the perspiration streamed from his face,
which he was wiping nervously with
his blue cotton Handkerchief. He wore
the very same costume as when 1 first
saw him, except that the cowskin
waistcoat was replaced by one Of dirty
white cotton. "I'm late, missus,n he
cried making kind of awkward salute.
" And SO the captain wouldn't come
well he'd ought to let me know"