The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-29
CHAPTER m.-A CONSPIRACY

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CHAPTER III.-A CONSPIRACY.
- Inverness is not much of seaport; and the oc
easional rows Of small houses in the neighbor-
hood Of the almost disused quays are visited by
but few passers-by, especially in the day time.
Ard yet old Robert Graham. as ne slowly walked
along one of these solitary thoroughfares-pre
s4ending to saunter idly and aimlessly indeed, as
sc he had only wandered hither by chance-had
a keenly apprehensiye look in his deep-set eyes;
and he was sharply and covertly watching the
movements of every human being within sight,
) ct however great distance he she might be-
As matter of fact, there was only one person
who could by any possibility be spy on him.
and that was man who, slung over the side of
= big schooner lying nigh and dry on the mud,
was working on the hull, while his back was
turned on the street; and, moreover, he was
gagged with his own affairs, hoarsely singing the
while some dolorous sailor song.
Twice and three times did the old farmer
slowly walk up and down this empty street;
though well he knew the house he was seeking
for it had been shown him the evening before
towards dusk, when the dim light in the window
seemed to him something mysterious and awful,
and the very silence around unholy. And now,
when he at length mustered UP courage to APP
proach the door that his eye had been stealthily
fixed on for some time back, there was curious
sensation of dread about his heart, and the hand
that he timidy raised to the rude iron knocker
was shaking little, though he did not notice
that. He hesitated but for a second; he raped,
but not loudly; tie next moment the door was
opened.
Ill Al.
ble-looking woman stood before him, regarding
him with mild and melancholy eyes. She car
ried in her hand piece of sewing; apparently
she had been at work.
Eyes sirl" she said inquiringly; and mild and
melancholy as those eyes appeared, they seemed
to have scrutinized him from head to foot in the
meanwhile.
Mr. Graham was rather taken aback. Could
this quiet-looking creature be one of the two
wise women-the spey wives.-that foretold the
:, fortunes of the young lasses about, and sold
charms to sailors, and were suspected Of even
darker dealingsl He had expected to find a
? couple of venomous old hays crouching in some
dark ehimney-corner, to whom he could at once
have revealed his designs, beseeching their aid
to rid him of his enemy. However, he was a
little bewildered, and little frightened, and at
length managed to say:
Nancy Lissoml"
That's my sisters NAME" was the calm an
swer, and the scrutiny of those mild but watch
full eyes was continued.
II want to see her, he continued.
'"Tbe poor old woman's no SO we'll the now"
she said. II would rather not disturb her."
'But / maun see her-its busness-it's i'm
portant," the farmer said, rather breathlessly.
81 dinna see how that can be-" the other an
swered him. Its me that minds the house;
and the rents paid, and the taxes, and the water.
and everything, and we dinna owe penny to
any living though it's hard enough struggle
for two old folk like her and me-"
'Bless me, woman, / ken a. about you and
your sister," said he impatiently, for he did not
wish to be seen talking at the door. ''Let me
inside the house, and I'll tell you what want"
you're welcome to come in, sir,' she said,
and she made way for him to pass, and shut the
door after him, but if a. the magistrates in In
verness were to come into this house they would
find nothing wrong-only two old wives making
/. but a scant living wi their needle-ay, and one
o. them getting so blind now that she can scarce
add stitch
! "rm not magistrate" said he, almost under
his breath; for the little room into which he was
now ushered seemed strangely quiet. And, in
deed there was no suggestion of necromancy
about this commonplace little apartment. It
was just such another one might have ex-
pected in that neighborhood, only that it was
clearly and tidily kept, however poor and plain
the furniture might be. There were the usual
H. l>cy1c
two cheap glass vases, surmounted each with a
frill of green paper, and one or
two photographs III frames. But what
the farmer instantly noticed was that on the lit
tie table at the window, where the family Bible
ought to have been, no family Bible was there;
an place of that there was merely fower-po
with some red and yellow paper flowers in it, to
attract the gaze of the passer-by without.
{ Then he turned to the melancholy eyed
woman, who stood calmly waiting for him to
speak
II want to be friends WI ye, and wi your sis
ter" said he. 'Im not magistrate at all. I've
heard O. We. I've come here to ask your help, ay,
and I'll pay well for it. But it was Nancy Lis
som was told to ask for"
my sisters in there" the woman said. nod
ding her head in the direction of the door behind
him, and still continuing to regard him with sus-
picion. But she's poor woman now, that can
scarce talk to strangers. And if we've come to
do us an Ill turn sir, / wish you would go away
again. We harm nobody. We just want to be
let alone"
IAN i'll turn, We foolish woman!" he said. an
grily, and then he instantly altered his tone:
mo, no; want to be friends wi ye, if ye can
give me any help I'll make it worth your while
Look here
He took out from his breast-pocket small
parcel of Fl bank notes, dark and dirty, as these
usually are in the country districts of Scotland,
and selecting two OF them from the rest, placed
them open on the table.
There's handsel, said he.