The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-07

chief. He had no explanation to offer.
Careless of the CONSERVATION which
his abrupt proceeding had occasioned,
Demands steps we're toward the railway
station. This was clearly the aim of the
pursued.
To be thirty seconds too late is, under
all circumstances, abundantly annoying
This was Bernard Hooker's lot on the
present occasion. He reached the plat.
form of the Fembury station just in
time to see the up train steam into the
yawning gulf of the north tunnel, and
to know that in one of that trains COM
partments sat, in regained security, his
fathers foe and his own. There was
nothing to do but to confess failure
and return, after dining, to the druid
gerry of the bank desk. He did not
even know the alias of the rogue, and
after all, his evidence of identity, il
sufficient for himself, might fail to con-
vince another. 1t would be useless tC
appeal to the local police force, for these
reasons.
can impudent andsa madcap freak,
Mr.. Hooker, what may be your excuse, y
growled Mr.. Hollis. eff you want to
leave the office in hurry again to over
take anybody-anybody, sir!-be good
en- ough to ask leave"
Bernard was compelled to promise
t1"tIle would. For the rest of the after
noe he went on his way with the tedious
columns of figures in state Of mental
agitation and chagrin unparalleled since
the days on which he had first learned
that his parents bankruptcy was un-
avoidahe.
CHOSE scraps of paper, Mr.. Styles,
had better ornament the waste basket
than the floor"
The hangers accents were harsh and
querulous; his temper seemed to have
been soured for the day by Bernard
Hooker's escapade.
Il have dropped them, sir" replied
the inculpated junior, resentipg as
much as he dared the implied charges
of untidiness. Zone fell from your
own desk, and the other was left behind
by the gentleman whom Mr.. Hooker
tried to catch"
Demands ears tingled anew. What
if the aforementioned fragment should
bear upon its surface some clew to the
BY easy stately he gained possession
of the slip, and found it to be half an
envelope, with the letters "Joyn-"
ON one side, and the postmark "Ickford"
on the other. This might or might nor
lead to discovery.
In the solitude of his own apartments
that evening Bernard Hooker searched
out the name of Ickford on a Brad
shaw's map. He found it to be that of a
small town in the north of England.
Whatever the consequence, I'll run
down there and make inquiries. If
win, the game will be worth the can
de-" he soliloquized.
And the next day note in the bank
letter box accounted-though hardly
satisfactorily to the critical Judgment OF
Mr. Hollis-for the second clerks alb
sence.
At Ickford the trail Enthusiastically
struck. Skilful investigation showed
that a Mr.. representatives. outward
man appeared to tally precisely with
Demands sketch description-had been
staying at the chief hotel for several
weeks, and had posed as an individual
of position and wealth. Alas it showed
also that he had decamped with both
bag and baggage few hours before
Demands arrival.
"Foiled a second time!" moaned that
young man, in bitterness of spirit.
"The scamp has smelt danger, and prob
ably will make for South America or
some other safe hiding place in earnest
now"
With hopes sinking rapidly below ze-
TO again, Bernard took ticket for Lon
don. He would put professional de-
tective on the track and then return to
Fembury If Mr. Hollis dismissed him
for his pains, he must just recommence
his weary fight with fortune in some
other arena.
Why, Bernard! This is an agreeable
surprise indeed! was wondering not
above a day OF two ago what had be-
come of my ancient ally. So many
pranks as we've been guilty of together
Ha, hal"
The speaker was Frank Allerton, Der.
nard's dearest college chum, and a young
Northern squire, whose sister Amy
but this was q romantic dream which
had faded into an absurdity in the thick
gloom of environing disaster. Why re-
call it?
The new conner had joined the train
at Cotchly Junction, and, like Bernard,
was bound for the metropolis. As the
friends were alone in the compartment.
Demands story was soon told.
"And are you hunting the rascal
DOWN."
II have attempted it, and he has
beaten me-"
what sort of fellow is he-in per-
sonal appearance, 1 mean?"
For the fourth or fifth time Bernard
ran glibly over the salient characteristics
of that figure which fate, rather than
any conscious mental effort, had photo
graphed so infinitely upon his memory.
ct is he exactly" cried Frank Aller-
ton, with an almost ludicrous combina-
ton of amazement, disgust and wrath
mirrowed upon his countenance. "Why,
the fellow has been living at Beckham,
within stones throw of our own manor
house, for eight or nine months. Mr..
JOHNSON"
eyes, that is the name he is using.
"Is reputed in the village to be worth
half a million of money, more or less.
He is the resource of all the amateur
mendicants in the district, figuring as
a well-to-do bachelor, he has even dared
to make certain proposals for my sisters
hand. Amy refused his hand sorely on
the ground of disparity of years.
Not sorely on that ground, Bernard
took leave to hope, in despite of his
friends dogmatism. But he had no
word to answer at the moment. And
there was excuse for his tempory be-
wilderment in the presence of SO strange
and unlooked-for revelation. In the
hour of his darkest despair the fair
promise of contingent victory had come.
what restless and daring hypocrite
the man must bew Frank continued.
''I'H admit never liked him from the
first, but had no idea of such sword
of Damocles being suspended over his
head. Amy has had lucky escape,
and sho will think Gu