Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-08-16

N~oe ioA SN'it'# 6eEE II srss =
l was on my way to ascertain the
, date of expiration. A fire among our
office papers had destroyed the memo
randa, and | must go down and get
the date from old Scrip, who lives
south of Grafton about FIVE miles. The
stranger had pumped all this out of
me i'll ten minutes, and yet L never
once suspected that he was receiving
information.
Il am not positive" +" | added, "but
! am pretty sure the time is the thir-
teenth-which would be Tuesday
next. ...s
! ssssand then your folks will send the
tTnssssy down and discharge the mort
gage of course?" he inquired.
~ { Oh, yes, l should most likely
bring it down." IreplIed and it never
occurred to me how imprudent had
been.
He turned the conversation into
other channels, and not once attempted
to pump me further. We got to Graf
ton at l0:30, and to my great sur
prise he announced thathe WAS to stop
N town on business for few days. |
had not asked his name or avocation
|
while he knew everything about
me.
We went to the hotel, had dinner,
and then secured lively team, and
drove out, getting through with the
business so that | was back to take
the 2:30 express east. My friend was
on the porch of the hotel as drove
up, carrying the same honest, dieni-
fled face.
Well, did you find out ?'' lie in
quired, in his pleasant way.
- Yes, il is on the thirteenth, as /
expected" | replied.
We had lunch together, and when
We shook hands and parted, had no
more idea D: seeing him again than |
had Of knowing you. In fact he told
me that he should sail for England in
a week or ten days, and should not
return to America. At parting he
gave me his card. 1t was modest
piece of pastebOard, and bore the
name of Geo. Raleigh" in old Eng
lish script.
Everything at the Office went on as
usual and the thirteenth came at
length. Law 4 Law had arranged for
me to go down with the money, and l
lk9lsQ}ksqidd lk9lsQ}ksidd .BR99n BRe9 it as business Of no
/. We know you are all right" " re-
piled the senior partner, as | was
about to go; ''but | want to give you
1 a word of warming nevertheless. Do
not take any stranger into your con-
tidence until you have passed out the
money, and look out who sits next to
you" essazszszazs.
1t was something for him TO eau
ton me, and | could not but wonder
at it; but in hte hustle of getting on
board the train, forgot what hc said.
Ordinrry prudence had taught me
to place the money, which was all in
banl, bills, and divided into three
packages, under my shirt and next to
my skin, where the deft hand Of Il
pickpocket could not reach it.
Interested in newspaper, the time |
flew by, Us the train few West, and at
length the hoarse voice of the brake
man warned me that | had reached
Grafton. | leaped down and was
making my way to the livery stable,
when | head familiar voice, and as
1 looked up / beheld Raleigh. He
was seated in Il buggy, and had SEEM
inglv waited for me to come up.
Don't express your SURPRISE" he
began, as | stopped at the wheel, Il
did intend TO go away, but | changed
nv mind and I like this section SO
we'll that | am going out to-day to
look at farm, with a view of pur-
chasing.-Come, ride up to the
hotel. ~ ~
We rode up, ordered u lunch, and
while we were discussing it, Mr. RAJ
leigh discovered that the farm he was
going to see was just beyond old
Grips.
r. i was also pleased, If any one had
ltold me rs we got into the buggy that
Eeo. Raleigh meant to return with my
Imoney in his pooket apdauy hiood up
ion his hands I,Sslould have believed
him lunatic. And yet George Ra-
leigh had planned to do that velyiI
same thing.
Ii was a lovely. day in Janes and the |
cool breeze and the sislA of meadows
and green grovessmade nsy heart grow
! larger, My companion ssveyy tsalk-
ativc,s but he didn't even hint at my
4 errand.
g Oh! excuse me- he exclaimed
! after we had passed a mile OF 50 be-
4 yond the village, and were among the.
Il farm houses. 81 should have offered
u you this before
i He drew from his pocket a small
flask of wine and handed it to me.
Now, I was temperate in regard to
drinks, in fact, | detested the sight
and smell of ANYTHING Intoxicating, =
But / had not the moral courage to
tell him so and hand back the flask
, ,rndisturbed. ! feared to offend him,
J -. xa.....I-N 5,>n,haYc +I,,saa Al