Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-10-13

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stranger was either as fond of practical
joking as his beautiful daughter, OF
else daring railway thief. He feared
the latter-yet how eminently sedats
and sober his aspect, while his expires.
sion was open, albeit somewhat stern.
Appearances are against you, my
good SIR" said the stranger, speaking
In subdued tone. I'VE have no time
to lose. If you will not permit me tc
inspect that case, containing, under.
stand, a valuable diamond necklace,
shall be obliged to request you to &C.
company me and my friend here to the
station-master's office.'
II shall do neither the one nor the
other, Unless there Is some greyious
mistake. your conduct,is positively i'm.
pertinent. 1 decline to relinquish this
case, whatever it contains, to any one
but the person who has intrusted it tc
me. And I shall most decidedly moi
accompany you anywhere" said the
rector, haughtily, assuming his mos,
severe clerical air.
"We shall see. That necklace be-
longs to the Countess Of Airy; you can
see her initials and coronet on the
outside, and"
A sad, half-pitying thought darted
through the rector's mind. The true
fact Of the matter was, evidently. that
the beautiful girl was a young Coun.
tess; she was flying from home, and
this wasSnot her father, but perchance
a tyrannical husband. Her young life,
her bright future, her tender heart had
all been sacrificed on the altar of am
bition. What a pitiful story. Per-
chance she was guilty-she loved an.
other. But before he could reply the
other continued roughly-''And 1t has
been stolen"
Not by me-" cried the Rev. Sspti.
mus, utterly shocked.
THAT remains to be proven. Lord
Airy has telegraphed that his wife's
dressing-caSe was opened at the station
this train has just quilted.
The Rev. Septimus turned visibly
pale.
"But-surely-"
II regret that we should be under
the necessity of insisting on your COM
ing with u.s." urged the stranger.
"Then you are not General Ma
rine?"
II am not. My name is Doughty
and am member Of the detective
force. Here is my card, il you wish to
see it."
There must be, surely, some terri
bic mistake" stammered the reverend
gentleman, looking about with scared
gaze for the vanished beauty who had
flown SO mysteriously. He icould not
believe that she had totally disappeared,
leaving him in so painfully embarrass.
ing situation. 81 will explain"
'It happens very swkwardly that the
stolen property Is found in your EOS
session." said Detective Doughty,
touched by his dismay. 81 have no
doubt you will be able to explain mat
tiers. Did you say a young person
handed 1t to youp Tall, showy look
ing, dressed up to the mines, talkative,
and plausible as the devil himself.
sSnmething of that kind >, answered
the rector. searching hurr' efuf for his
dressing case In order to p,uduce one
of his cards,
Time presses. The train leaves in
ten minutes. You probably do not
want 10 have scene or scutfie," said
the detective gently. but firmly.
The rector mechanically put his hand
to his waistcoat pocket to take out his
watch. With little cry Of alarm he
glanced down-his watch was gone and
the chain hung uselessly. He turned
again, cold with fear, to seek for his
dressing-case; that, too, had gone. 1t
had contained, among Its various stores,
some e40 or ESQ in gold.
sally Lightfingers, as we call her
she says her name is Quickly. but she
invents new names every time she
wants an alias-Mlss Sally WAS at the
station and Is suspected Of stealing the
said Mr.. Doughty, watching
the movements of the unhappy traveller
and with some professional
"If young woman such as
l describe has been with you and gave
you that necklace, it was Sally In all
and she saw me plain
though l couldn't spot her
and she was afraid of fall
Ing into my clutches, especially as l
want her about another similar af-
fair"
"Oh, horrible, most horrible, 1t was
but too clear; the Rev. Septimus Has
lingdean was now convinced that he
had been most cruelty duped, played
upon by base, designing, artful
wretch.
1T must be so," he meekly as
sented. SIS there--is there any chance
Of my being able to recover my things2"
81 can't say. We must dispose OF
this other little business first. Iquite
believe you have had nothing to do
with the affair beyond what you say,
but 1t Is deucedly unlucky for you.
Who are you, may l ask?"
The unfortunate victim mentioned
his name and place Of abode, gathered
his remaining properties together, and
rose, as a martyr might prepare to go
to the stake. Mr.. Doughty made a
sign to one of the porters to assist, and
a melancholy, almost funeral procession
was formed.
He felt assured he could easily excul-
pate himself and throw off the fright
Iul Imputation of being common
thief, but the sense OF his own mortify-
ing loss, the feeling that he had been
iuped like the simplest Moses Prlm-
rose. was too much to bear with calm
ness.
A gentleman was with the station
the Earl of Airly. He had
come by the train which had conveyed
the rector and his too-bewitching fell
In few brief words
MIR. Doughty explained the state Of af-
fairs. The Earl lifted his hat with
kindly courtesy to the hero Of the un-
lucky adventure, who drew forth The
case containing the necklace.
II have not the slightest doubt all is
IS YOU say" observed the station mas
Ter grayely; "but 1 must not act on my
own responsibility, sir. l have only
your word. You do not seem to have
any credentials proving that you are
really the Rev. Mr.. Haslingdean, and
we get so imposed upon"
~ have letters In my pocket directed
10 me-" pleaded the Rev. Septimus.
"Well, that is something. But this
IS a serious matter. l should probably
ret myself into trouble II let you 60