The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-05-28

mo, no, | must do Il little work to-
night. Letters Ia write and other mat
tiers, So l know you will excuse me-"
Certainly"
He rang the bell, told the waiter what
time to cali him i'll the morning, took up
his light. and shaking hands with me,
went up stairs 10 his bedroom.
Ii was strange that the first time !
shook hands with him trcmor ran
through my frame that j could not ac-
count for: and for some minutes l sat
down and thought long over the matter,
until drowsinCss overlook me.
'Six thousand dollars" ! muttered,
half-drcaming of Foster.
The next moment heard, us thought,
the door Of the room close hastily.
| started up, Selling II chair that stood
by, and stood on the defensive, while
with the other hand | covered the book
and money.
who's there 2" l called out.
"Spcak!" And the next moment the
waiter started mp from his box close TO
the door. He had been fast asleep.
WHO left the room, Thomas?" said.
"There WAS somebody i'll the room ust
now besides ourselves"
"Lor' bless you, sir, its impossible.
There amt soul Ill the house up but
our two selves" WIS the yawning reply.
"Where-wherei is Captain Williams?"
! asked, hesitatingly.
1.-The Cap. Lor' bless You sir, he's
hccn in bed this hour, and | tell You
again, sir, that everybody is i'll bed 'cept
ourselves"
glanced up at the clock. 1t was half
an hour after midnight.
| sank back i'll my seat with strange,
sickcning sensation at my heart.
Can You bring me some brandy,
Thomas" said.
"LOr' bless you sir, yes. As luck will
have it, there happens to be some here. "
drank the spirit and felt considerably
relieved, and went toward the door. .
Good night, Thomas" / said; lyon
are sure that Capt. Williams has gone to
bed?"
/ saw the man, spite of his drowsiness,
look sharply at me.
"Wcll, sir. | can't say that | tucked
him in: all | know is that Mary, the
chamhernaid brought down his boots"
"By-thc-bye, Thomas, what sort of II
HAL - AliS N1pA. " iiAi''ihS
Sort OF man, slr?' he said.
"Ycs, sort of Il man"
A perfect gentleman, Mr.. Bragshaw;
always gives me half Il dollar. And he
looked up at me with IL curious leer of
his eye that under any other circum-
stances | should have INDUCED i'll n
hearty laugh.
But mean what is his position 2"
Good, should think, sir; he always
pays, and that cheerfully," was the reply.
saw that it was useless to ask any
more questions, so went up stairs to my
room.
Next morning ut the breakfast table |
learned from Thomas that the captain
had gone away an hour before l WAS
called. leaving his complimentS. Though
without any reasonable grounds for sus-
picions, did have queer, mysterious
distrust of the captain, and resolved to
visit him at his home. But i thought
would go fist to the next town north
ward, where some clue to Foster might
possibly be obtained. Some few remain
ing Investigations i'll Q-kept me till
about five in the afternoon, when left
without anything found to unraveliug
the mystery.
Don't turn to the right or the left,
and mind the lime pits, said the land
lord.
drove off, and hal not accomplished
five IuIlcs before a darkness fell upon
me such as had never been out i'll be-
fore 4 gust OF wind, heavy and fierce
enough to blow me ont of the gig, then
il raiucd as though all the waters of the
heavens had been let loose ut once, and
added to this sheet lightning played so
ficrccly over us that ] thought the horse
would have gone mad, and broken out of
the shafts altogether.
| tried to turn him round and get back
again to the inn, bat when | tried that
/ he swervcd round in such q manner as
threatened to upset me altogether.
While was thinking what was best to
| be done, and soothing the horse by
! speaking to it, was startled by hearing
a voice call ont, "Who is there? What
! is the natter
81 am IL traveller ovcrtaken by the
storm" was the reply. Help me to
turn this horse round and I'll get back to
| the inn"
"That You will never do tonight,
! for the torrent that is rushing from the
hills will carry you and the horse away,
sir. ="
"Wcll, then, what is to be done, my
friend 2" 1 said.
"This, sir: about mile from here
there is house that, / dare say, you
could get lodging in for the night"
"Well, that is the very thing. But
| how am | to get there, eh?"
"I'll lead the horse there as safely as
if it was broad day light, if you'll trust
me-"
Trust you? should think so, ant
pay you well into the bargain.n
"Oh, / shaut go unrcwardcd, | dare
say"
i Thought there was peculiar cluckl'
in the mans voice as he said tins, bu
set it down to fancy.
"Wcll, then, lead on, my friend, al
quickly as you like. So, no, lass, " for
felt the mare rear up as the man tool
hold Of the bride.
The next moment i felt myself going
forward and soon found that we had gone
out the road and up a lane.
At last ! could see the glimmeI
Of light; the next moment We stopped
then anothcrliglIt came up, held by II be
ing with long, shaggy hair and piercing
eyes.
This singular being no sooner saw M
than he uttered a cry, and the next mo
mcnt the lantern was dashed out of Iii
hand.
"Now, sir, get down; we are all right,
said the rough voice of my guide.
did so, and the next moment a doc
opened. There was blaze of light, ant
Il man stepped forward.
81 am happy to see you here, MI
Bagshaw," said Captain Williams.
cha, ha! he said, "surprised TO Sc
me, no doubt; come in, or the rain wi
wash you away"
And with that he seized my hand an
dragged me into the passage, the doc
was shut upon Inc.
, The next moment / found myself in
) snug apartment, an excellent fire burr
ing, and very nice supper ON the tabl,
hanked by set of decanters, and blac
bottle or two.
The room itself was simply fnrnishe
with table, half n dozen chairs, and
sofa; upon the walls hung some colore
e prints, chiefly relating to shooting, az
over the mantle-piece hung two doubl
t barreled guns.
G The glance / took at the things W;
4 but momentary, for the captain h;
seized hold of an easy-chair, and wheel'
D it close to the fire.
t "Hcre, Mark" he said to the m;
who had guided me up the lane, she
t the gentleman off with his top coat"
And the next moment l found &
u coat (Which, by-the-bY. was complete