The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-07-26
THE 1 L
a Story of Hare Court.

L am MIR. Warrington, but this L can
assert, that never had words SO taken
me by surprise, nor has my name ever
been put to me under more singular
circumstances. That this NAV be clear,
L must explain. As shortly as 1 can
will do SO, for I dislike explanation,
and would have my Judge, when 1 am
moving the court, know beforehand, il
possible, what my point is.
L am a barrister, as you guess, and my
chambers are in Hare Court; it is the
most ancient, quiet and retired place
In the Temple, just on your right if you
conn in by the archway at the bottom
of Chancery Lane. My number is OF
no importance; in fact, abundant rea-
sons will appear why 1 should be reti.
cent as to it. One reason, which will
not appear, but a very cogent one,
nevertheless, being that solicitors are
not fond of counsel who rush into print,
unless their lucubrations are bound in
calf. l have n room in which 1 sit
myself, and the Undivided half of a
clerks room and a passage the rest OF
the set are Occupied. q am talking OF
a time six months back by Serieant
Greatnead, Q. c., of the Western Cir.
"A1OoO AoLSO IOO1u LII OuS IcdI Is
h only comfortable and well-furnished
one, my rooms being as dingy. and
cherries as most ground-foor apart
ments in the Temple. A couple of
door shut us in, but the oak is only
sported when the clerks leave at seven.
Iben our chambers, not very lively
curing the day time, are abandoned to
darkness, silence and the mice. In a
word they are merely offices.
Well, about the time I have taena
toned, l was obliged, no matter why
perhaps because over my dinner at the
Suffolk Street Club 1 discovered a fall
lacy in the, opinion to be sent out the
next morning. found myself obliged,
Tor the first time for certainly a year, to
go TO my chambers after dinner. The
clock at st. Clement Danes was striking
the half hour after nine as I turned into
the lonesome and echoing Temple. /
opened my outer door with NV kew.
after ascertaining hat I had SOME
matches in my pocket, and did the same
to the inner door. drawing the oak to
ehlnd me, and. shutting it; then 1 stood
still. 1t wsas very odd AL should
nave been in darkness, but from the
key-eole of the Serjeant's room a bright
ras of light shone steadily, and from
within came the familiar sound of the
rustling of papers. 1t was very odd.
1 had known the SERGEANT say he never
worked at night, and certainly 1 had
never heard of him coming to his cham
bers in the evening. Very singular
that we should both be there on this
particular night ! At any rate, 1 would
see II it was all right. l opened his
door and walked in quietly an apology
on my lips. The room, as 1 have said,
q spacious one, was brilliantly lighted,
n table was covered with papers and
BOOKS, but no Serjeant Greathead was
there! Some one was, though, with a
vengeance.
'tMr. Warrington, I believe.''
With nj hand resting upon the table
and pressing some among the many
papers which Uttered it, stood the
speaker, a lady! Apparently about 1--WE
and-thirty, she was tall and of a GOOD
figure, her dress handsome though sim
pie. A veil obsoured much of her face,
winch was toward me as I entered.
Either her complexion was naturally
colorless, or agitation had driven the
blood from her cheeks; the latter, ]
conjectured, since her left hand was
pressed to her side. l stood dumb
founded, and at least twice this unex-
pected apparition repeated the words ]
have set down. Who was she, and
what on earth was she doing alone and
at this time of the night in our cham.
bersp AS far as l remember 1 said al
last in a bewildered tone, still holding
the door-handle:
Yes, certainly, L am Mr.. Warning.
ton"
You must be surprised to find me
here. l am SERGEANT Greathead's
niece"
80, yes!" I answered, with a bow
and avain attempt to indicate by my
tone that / thought this a perfectly
satisfactory explanation of her presence
ut $50 in his chambers; 80, yes"
"He is rather unwell this evening
and thought he would like to have some
papers to read, in case he should moi
sleep. l have volunteered to fetch them
was it not bold of me?-and my cat
is waiting in Fleet Street."
"The SERGEANT not well! I am very
sorry. Can l give you any assistancep'
From the appearance of the table she
must have undone most of the bundles
in search of the right papers, such was
the litter upon it. She really was 8
very good-looking woman.
"You can undo the harm you have
~innocently caused, Mr.. Warrington, by
getting me a glass of water, if you viii
be so kind. You startled me not a lit.
tie. l was prepared to find darkness
and loneliness, but not to meet any
one."
''HI have frightened you 1 do wish ]
had stayed away-whic6 is unselfsh,'
j added gallantly; sbut it is curious
that fate should have led me here to.
night for the first time this year."
tYes; not only curious, Mr.. Warning.
ton; provoking also"
laughed and fastened to M room
lit a candle and drew some water from
the filter. There was a flavor of TO
a about this, and yet, handsome
as she was, and singular as were the
circumstances, something repealed me
! had not got over the start She caused
me perhaps.
Are you sure that you have got VIVA
you want?" She had replaced thu
papers and cleared the table with won
derful dizziness while I was away. She
was standing now by the fireplace, evi
IDENTIFY ready to go.
II have, thank you," she answered
rather t~houghtfully; perhaps you
would be good enough to escort me tt
my cab, my nerves have hardly recov
cred yet"
She smiled bewitchingly as she spoke
what l took for ~badinage, but the mex
instant | saw that it was true enough
We were moving toward the door, anc
/ had just said, ''With pleasure" Mher
81 heavy footstep, coming along tn,
passage outside, made itself clearly
heard ven through the closed doors
1t halted IL couple of seconds as if going