The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-02-27


it off a day. Now. see what / have done
10y my cowardice."
Hope did not see what she had done,
and the quickwitted young lady, jump
ing at once at conclusion, opened her
eyes and said;
"Why. don't you see? Some other
person has told him what it was so i'm
pori ut he should hear first from me.
Ali it is he same gentleman that came
and warned me. He has heard that we
are actually married, for it is the talk
of the place, and he told me she would
plnish him if he neglected her warning.
o.. what shall dor"
You 90 too fast, Grace, dear. Don't
run before trouble like that. Come, go
TO Colonel Clifford, and you will find it
is moth Ug of the kind"
Grace shook her head grandly. Ex-
perience had given her faith in her own
instincts, as people call them-thOugh
they are subtle reas0nings the steps of
Which are not put fOrward-and she
went down to the study.
Grace. my dear" said the Colonel, q
think shall have fit of the govt"
"Oh no." said Grace. "Wehave troub-
lie enough"
at gets less every day, my dear;
that is one comfort. But what 1
meant was that our poor invalids eclipse
me entirely in your good graces. That
is because you are true woman, and
an honor 10 your sex. But | should
like to ee a little more of you. Well,
all in good time. didn't send for you
to tell YOU that. Sit down. my girl; it
is q matter of business"
Grace sat down, keenly on her guard,
though she did not show it in the least.
Colonel Clifford resumed:
You may be sure that nothing has
been near my heart for some time but
your danger and my dear sons. Still,
owe something to other sufferers. and
the poor widows whose husbands have
persisted in that mine have cried to me
for vengeance on the person who bribed
chat Burnley. l am magistrate, too,
and duty must never be neglected. /
have got detectives about, and | have
offered five hundred guineas reward for
the discovery Of the villain. One Jem
Davies described him to me, and put
the description on the placards and in
the papers. But now | learn that
Davies description is all secondhand.
lie had it from you. Now must tell
you that IL description at secondhand
always misses some part or other. AS
q magistrate, / never encourage Jack to
tell me what Jill says when | can get
hold of Jill. You are Jill, my dear, SO
now please verify Jacks description or
correct it. However. the best way will
be to give me your own description be-
fore / read yOl his"
Il will" said Grace, very much re-
lieved. well, then. he was man not
over forty, thin. and with bony fingers;
an enormous gold ring on the little fin
ger of his right hand. He wore Il suit
of tweed, all one color, rather tight. and
vulgar neck-handkerchief almost
crimson. lie had face like corpse,
and very thin lips. But the most re-
markable thing were his eyes and his
eyebrows. His eyes were never still,
and his brows were very black, and not
shaped like other peoples; they were
neither straight, like Julia CliffOrd's,
for instance, nor arched like Walters;
that is to say, they were arched, but all
on one side. Each brow began quite
high up on the temple, and then came
down i'll Il slanting dr0ptO the bridge OF
the nose, and lower than the bridge.
There, if you will give mea pencil, Il will
draw you one Of his eyebrows in min
ute"
She drew the eyebrow with mastery
ease and rapidity.
"Why, that is the eyebrow of Mephis-
topneleS' >.
mo wonder it did not seem human to
mew
Il am sorry to say it is human. You
can see it in every convict jail. But"
said he, "hOw came this villain to sit to
you for his portrait?"
"IIe did not. sir. But when he was
struggling with me to keep me from
rescuing my father"
what! did the ruflian lay hands on
your"
THAT he did, and so did Mr.. BARLEY.
But the villain was the leader of it all;
and while he was struggling with me"
You were taking stock OF him?
Well, they talk of a Jews eye; give me
woman's. My dear, the secondhand
description is not worth button. i
must write fresh notices from yours,
and, above all, instruct the detectives,
You have given me information that
will lead to that mans capture. As for
the gold ring and the tweed suit, they
disappeared into space when my placard
went up, you may be sure Of that, and
felon can paint his face. But his eyes
and eyebrows will do him. They are
the mark of a jail-bird. i am avisiting
justice, and have often noticed the pc
culiarity. Draw me his eyebrows, and
we will photograph them in Derby; and
my detectives shall send copies to Scot
land Yard and all the convict prisons.
Well have him."
The Colonel paused suddenly in his
triumphant prediction. and said, "But
what was that you let fall about Bart
leyp He was no party to this foul crime.
Why, he has worked night and day to
save you and Hope. Indeed, you both
owe yOur lives to him"
Indeed"
"Yes. lie set the men on to save you
within ten minutes of the explosion.
He bought rope by the mile, and great
iron buckets to carry up the debris that
was heaped up between you and the
working party. He raved about the pit
day and night, lamenting his daughter
and his friend; and why say he saved
you, twas he who advised Walter. L
had this from Walter himself before his
fever came on. He advised and implOr-
ed him not to attemptto clear the whole
shaft, but TO pick sideways into the
mine twenty feet from the ground. lie
told Walter that he never really slept at
night, and in his dreams saw you in
part of the mine he calls the hall. Now