Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-08-29

madman or he was the agent of some
firm bound upon the same errand as my
self and determined to show me that he
guessed my little game.
l was to be expected at the end of my
journey, so Mr.. Dickinson had informed
me. l looked about among the motley
crowd, but saw not Mr.. Dimidoff. Sud-
denly slovenly, unshaved man passed
me rapidly, and glanced first at me and
then at my trunk-that wretched trunk,
the cause of all my woes. He disap-
peared in the crowd; but in little
time came strolling past me again and
contrived to whisper as he did SO, "Fol-
low me, but at some distance imme-
diately setting off out of the station and
down the street at rapid pace. Here
was a mystery with a vengeance. l
trotted along in his rear with my valise,
and on turning the corner found a rough
| droschky waiting for me. My unshav-
en- friend opened the door and [ stepped
| in.
sis Mr.. Dim" was beginning.
"Hush," he cried. "No names, no
names; the very walls have ears. You
will hear all tonight" and with that
assurance he closed the door and seizing
the reins we drove off at rapid pace;
SO rapid that l saw my black-eyed ac-
quaintance of the railway carriage gaz-
ing after us until we were out of sight.
l thought over the whole matter as
we logged along in that abominable
springless conveyance.
We were there to all appearance for
the droschky stopped and my drivers
shaggy head appeared through the ap-
erture.
''It is here, most honored MASTER" he
said as he helped me to alight.
sis Mr.. Dimi-' I commenced, but
he interrupted me again.
Anything but names" he whispered,
anything but that. You are too used
to land that is free. Caution. oh sa-
cred one p and he ushered me down
stone tagged passage and up stair at
the end of it. "Sit down for few
minutes in this room," he said, opening
door, "and repast will be served for
you," and with that he left me to my
own reflections.
"Well," thought 1, whatever Mr..
Dimidof's house may be like, his SER
wants are undoubtedly well-trained.
oh sacred oner and reverend masterl'
I wonder what he'd call old Dickinson
himself if he is SO polite to the clerk.
| suppose it wouldn't be the thing to
smoke in this little crib, but l could do
a pipe nicely. BY the way, how con-
foundedly like cell it looks.
had hardly concluded my survey
when heaad steps approaching down
the corridor. and the door was opened
by my old friend of the droschky. He
announced that my dinner was ready,
and. with many bows and apologies for
leaving me in what he called the dis
missal room," he led me down the pas
sage and into large and beautifully
furnished apartment. A table was laid
in the centre of it, and by the fire was
standing man very little older than
myself. He turned as l entered and
stepped forward to meet me with every
symptom of profound respect.
"Mr. Dlmidoff, l presume ?" said I.
"No, SIR he said, turning his keen
gray eyes upon me. "My name is Pc
trokine; you mistake me, perhaps, for
one of the others. But now, not word
of business until the council meets. Try
your chefs soup; you will find it excel
lent, think"
Who Mr.. Petrokine or the others
might be I could not conceive. Land
stewards of Dimidof's, perhaps, though
the name did not seem familiar to my
companion. However, as he seemed to
shun any business questions at present,
I gave in to his humor, and we convers.
ed on social life in England subject
in which he displayed considerable
knowledge and acuteness.
"By the way" he remarked, as We
smoked cigar over our wine, we should
never have known you but for the Eng
lish labels on your luggage; it was the
luckiest thing in the world that Alexan
der noticed them. We had no persona
; description of you; indeed, we were pre-
pared to meet somewhat older man
You are young, indeed, sir. to be in
trusted with such mission"
: "My employer trusts me" [ replied
''and we have learned in our trade tina
youth and shrewdness are not incompat
ible."
"Your remark is true, sir" returned
q my newly-made friend "but am sur
e prised to hear you call our glorious asso
citation trade. Such term is gros
n indeed to apply to body of men band
b ed together to supply the world witt
e what 1t is yearning for, but which, with
out our exertions, it can never hope t
i attain. A spiritual brotherhood vii