The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-07-24

thick velvet carpet Of the hall, and
reached the reading room unseen by
two persons whose voices l heard in
the apartmentoppositc.
"a doctor eh?" ID was the counts
tones, and it was Matthew Sparks
who answered.
N doctor and good follar," Mat
thew said. "Come out here to
funeral OF an old aunt with greenbacks
this ere place wouldn't hold. She
give 'um all to hin, and he has got
'um in his pill hags-and suthin else
too"
what do you tell me for" asked
the count in his queer English.
The boy shuffled his feet and wink
ed to keep time.
1--WE are paid for giving gents IN
formation in this country,"he answer
cd.
The distinguished guest grumbled
something about "robbers," muir
der" his trunks" and "jewels," and
then tossed the young clown a coin.
l disliked Matthew Sparks then
more than / had before. All he had
told the count about my visit to that
place was utterly false. had been
to 10 funeral, and ! never had an
aunt in that part of the country. 81
never had carried "pill bags" in my
life, nor did / ever carry greenbacks
in my valise, nor very many in my
pocket.
1.-THE miserable idiot" what did
he want to lie like that for :" mus
ed.
And then turned to my paper
and Thought no more about it.
That evening when went up to
my room what was my surprise to
see Mr. Matthew Sparks sitting
on the floor in the middle OF the
chamber with my vslise between his
knees and in his hands curious look
ing instrument of rusty steel.
With significant gravity he put his
finger to his lip and motioned for me
to lock the door. did SO.
"Now tell me-" said / sternly,
"why You are in here and what you
are DOING"
"You'll be mad, mister" he answer
ed, audaciously.
"Ifyou do not tell me 1 will send
for the police 3d have you locked up
Matthew 6RfG
wv A9histled softly, still
| preston tnal ". e,sior once was not
assumed. Dew you know what
this he 7"
He held up that queer thing of rus,
ty steel.
"Wtll, it Is a steel trap, she went
on, you jest let me fix this ere thing
in your pin bags and when that ar
thief comes to gel the greenbacks to-
night it VIII holdhim tight. See"
He opened the sharp teeth OF the
steel jaws and suggested to illustrate
his proposed experiment if l would
put nay hand inside
| l declined the offer of this volnn-
airy detective, and wondered if he
were foot, kuaye. or very cunning
and keen witted boy.
"What makes you think the thief
will come III here tonight" asked
him.
"Well, you see, l told the fellar
you had lots of money and other
things in ERE"
"And you knew l did not. "
Il reckon he returned with grin,
"we'll fix yopr thief trap"
| said: Il only hope you may
catch him"
And he did Exit in way | did not
compr, bend and can not explain, and
then he tnrned to me for what he had
informed the count, gents always
give for information
| gave it cheerfully.
"Yon shall have more than that,
Mathew" Isaid "if you catch the
tibet"
Il told him-the fellar, you known
that you would be out tonight"
he said.
"You did? For what?"
$50 you could wait in the closet
here and watch him." answered Mat
thew, jingling his coin appealing
ly.
And Matthew got another ten
cents.
IL shall act on the boys sugges-
tion," l thought to myself. "rhere
may be something in his suspicious,
and his absurd plan may not be SO
bad after all.
So turned the gas very low. pre-
pared everything carefully, and made