The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-08-27

bhO ihSS OOulbCg III OAiipiA AcOAiApt oLO
in other places more or less respectable.
Now he was changing check for some
petty amount, and was evidently as
tonlshed by the immensity of the order
/ had presented. left the bank with
my pocket-book full of notes, and found
that l had lost the train. The next
would be the night express, SO l strolled
into billiard room. A man is just as
safe with fortune in his pocket as If
penniless, so that he is wise enough to
hold his tongue. There was some clever
playing going on, and / stood watching
the players till some one challenged me
to have q game. If / have one special
vanity, it is my science with the cue. 1
accepted, and as / did SO a strange feel
ing which had been growing upon me
took sudden turn which startled me.
My challenger was the man whom 1
had noticed at the bankers. There was
nothing strange in the fact of his being
in the room, one of his favorits resorts,
but 1 was possessed by the vague shadow
of a single idea. had read somewhere
of a man being followed and plundered
in o train, and somehow associated the
story with the man before me. 1t was
the first time had ever paid any par
ticular attention, but / gave him full
observation now. The more l looked
at him the less / liked him. He was
handsome, gentlemanly, with fair form
and elegant figure, full of suppleness
and strength. His manner was singular
ly unassuming, his face frank and
genial, but by looking closely at him,
you could see something sinister looking
in the depths and softness of his eyes.
L never liked stranger to be affable
and possessing, and my friend was the
very pink of affability and grace.
We played for an hour with alternat-
ing success he was an amusing COM
panion, well informed, and had travelled,
but was shy of conversation. 1 left
him, and still having some time to
spare, went to see friend in the Tenn
pie.
When, at the expiration of thirty or
forty minutes, l emerged into Fleet St.,
almost the first person on whom my
gaze fell was my late antagonist at
billiards.
L thought there was something more
than mere coincidence in this second
meeting, since we stood together at the
bankers. He was in a cigar shop OPP
posite.
Not hundred yards from the Tenn
pie gate stood man whom | recognized
with very welcome feeling. 1t was
George Vixen, the detective.
He was fashionably dressed, and look
ed an aristocrat of the first water. 1
went up, and gre citing him as ] should
an old familiar friend, held out my
hand and said:
Come and drink glass of wine with
me; have something to say"
He shook hands in the most natural
way possible. took his arm and we
entered the public bar of an adjacent
hotel.
tOiu hihi my SuopiOloL, anu vi bhC
journey had to perform by rail-
saw that, watching through the
glass of the door, he was taking men
tai photograph of the two men.
"They mean business" said Vixen,
quietly, "but 1 shall be with you. We
must part at the door, or they will see
that we have scented the game"
"And you" said, chow will you
act ?"
81 shall travel to Liverpool by the
night express.
He left me. had no fear now-know-
ing him to be clever and determined
fellow.
Taking casual glance across the
road, 1 saw my man with his companion.
1t was quite evident that they were
tracking me, though lost sight OF
them before reaching st. Paul's.
L strolled along the church yard,
wandering nearly to Islington, then
went through the city again before L
made for the sta ton; my acquaintance
of the billiard room did not appear. Two
men were in the compartment with me.
could not see the face of one, and the
9th er was stranger.
The bell rang, the guard had just
time to put bewildered old gentleman
in by my side and we were off,
The man whose face had not seen
turned toward me. isre
could hardly repress any exclama-