The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-09-18

than tho rest, heap of brick aud NOR
tar shgmatized, for brevity's sake, THE
Tavern @
John Liel got to this place on the Sec
ond morning after his departure from
BiggeIton's Office. Once there, he set
about his duties with all the system and
regularity BETTING them. Going direct
" to the tavern, he ordered a room, and,
while subscribing himself upon the bat
tered register, took occasion to scan the
names enrolled thereon.
In most part they were good, sensible
Yankee names, such, he argued, az might
be and probably were the possession Of
the itinerant peddlers who predominated
in that Sec ion. But two names were one
jot out of the stercotyped category; these
were Miss Spear, New Haven, and Oliver
Pierce, Brooklyn. He closed the book
suddenly whe. he saw the date subjoin-
ing them, Tuesday, April 10. That was
the day on which Philip Brashcar had
come to Beamis Point.
He won't to his room, there to await the
sounding of the dinner-gony. 1t rang at
last, and, with strangely fluttcring heart
John repaired to the dining room, and
the first person to be introduced to him
was Mr.. Oliver Pierce, Of Brooklyn.
The fellow was manitestly in tfe last
epoch Of respectable intoxicstion; and as
he lollcd about the room, eating, gesticu.
lating and talking all IN q breath, John
had no meagrc opportunity to study his
-blossoming physiognomy.
His intuition told him tt C fellow was
the one he sought. His face was covered
by struggling beard Of several weeks
growth; he was quite dark, and John S
height ITO hairs breadt
That afternoon John telcgraphed Big
gcrton substantially as folloAs:
"Unclc 1mer,cus Everything Is in
excellent order, and awaiting your pleas
ure. JOHN"
It was twilight when he again entered
his room, and scarcely had he done so
than he heard some one fumbling at the
door-knob. A second later the door
swung quickly open. and leaning against
the panels was woman. Quite tall
woman she was --certainly several inches
above the accepted height of her sex
Her face, outlined by the dense shadows
Of the hall was strangely progressing:
she had full regular features, Il damask-
rose sort Of complexion, and pale gray
eyes, under dark, curling lashes.
Mr.. Liel was the first to regain his COM
posture.
"Is there anything can do for you7'
AT the first sound Of his voice she shrank
back still further in the shadows. She
had not seen him until he spoke.
eyes," she articulatod, family, in IL
velvety contralto voice, Though should
never have intrudcd had known YOU
were here. The door of my room has
become locked during my absence, and
your key and mine arc counterparts Of
each other"
John stopped forward and wrested his
key from Its lock, then passed into the
hall accompanied by the lady. Her room
lay directly opposite his own, and it was
the work of scarcely moment to insert
the key and turn the lock into its right
full position. Then, with faint murmer
Of thanks, the lady passed within, closing
the door behind her, and making to hi M
an impromptu Peri on the outer edge of a
modern paradise.
He stayed there second or two listen
ing to the fall Of her reccding footsteps,
then turned about. and was sauntering
across the narrow hall, when suddenly 4
man staggered with drunken force against
him. Just then momentary simmer OF
light burned upward from the itful flare
ofthc hallway lamp, and, lying half sense
less in his clasp, John Liel saw the figure
Of Philip Brashear.
He led the fellow a few PAGES, then set
HIM on his feet, and watched him with Il
keen sense of satisfaction stagger against
the door of 4 room farther on and sink
into heavy sleep across the Threshold.
John felt more interested IN his mys
ferrous visitor next morning than he did
in either Brashear or his breakfast. He
watched for her until his eyes tired Of
their vain expectancy; and, desparing at
last of seeing her, he questioned mine
host about her, and had his trouble TO,
his pains. Mine host knew absolutely
nothing beyound the meagre Athat bel
name was Spear; that she came from
New Haven; that she paid her bills will
uncommon regularity, and kept cxclu
sively to herself.
! So John ad to content himself thai
day with watching the movements OF
Philip Brashear, and congratuiating his
vanity upon the conquest he had von
over his old enemy-Fatc.
Towards evening he saw the door Of
Miss Spears room slightly ajar, and ven.
tured in with a ne; tly-worded pretense
OF having mistaken the apartment for his
own. Miss Spear was maniestly sur
prlsed, and unquestionably displcasea
However, she went through the formus
OF half-hour's chat witt becoming
show OF good nature. When he went
away, she told herself that she must sub
NIT to his we'll. meant overture; for sus
piclon was Il precedent she did not care
to establish just then.
so time ran blithely away, and spring
merged itself itno summer, and John
stood in hourly expectancy OF orders
from his chief. He had been at Beamis
Point a month now idly watching the
movements Of Brashcar, and playing tho
| e6ASeoOA0 " MleS EpcaE.
Even to himself it seemed strange that
pc had never told her Of the mission that
brought him to Beamis Point; fear of the
shock upon her nerves that would mosl
probably attend the revelation had alone
kept him from making it. No woman
had the strength Of character to maintain
= strict composnrc knowing herself to bt
beneath the same roof with criminal
he urged.
And so things courscd along very pleas
antly until over the wires sped the fol
lowing words:
"John Ltel:-Wlll be with you to-mor
row: "UNcLE AMER1cUs."
The missive set John to thinking
then to planning. First of all he decided
that Miss Spear must not be compromis
ed by 50 much as sight Of the affair. HI
would tel! her everything and have hel