The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-23

pards. Naturally they suspected ruse,
and kept him well covered with their rifles
81 assure you," went on the stranger,
II am quite rejoiced to meet you, for l was
Just beginning to fear | had lost my way
yet once more on this delightful moor of
yours. Besides, 1 am sure to fare better
in the hands of intelligent officers like your
selves than if any of the yokels had chanc-
ed to catch sight of me first"
"That's very fine talk, my man, no
doubt" said the senior constable grimly,
"but you don't catch old birds with chaff,
you know; so we'll just trouble you to
walk here between us down to A., and
give account of yourself to Inspector Fox.
| needn't warn you to be up to no tricks
you'll not be such a fool as to try them on
with two armed and mounted men beside
you"
Fortunately for the captive "the shades
of night" were falling very fast when the
little procession entered the quiet country
town, and they reached the police station
almost unobserved. Here they found the
Inspector engaged in drawing up report,
but he rose hastily at the appearance OF
the patrol.
"Well done, Burtonl So you've got the
fellow after all There have been too
many Of these escapes in the fog lately,
we shall just show those Princes Town
people that some other folks are wideawake,
whatever they may be themselves! I'm as
glad"
The Inspectors happy chuckle stopped
suddenly as his eye fell on the prisoners
handsome features and fair wavy hair, and
he turned inquiringly to the constable.
'rm afraid, sir, that Black Jan has
given us the slip after all, and L think
you'll say the same when you've heard this
Young gentleman's tale, though l didn't
give much heed to it myself till now that l
see him fairly under the gaslight. He GER
tainly don't answer to the description,
does he sir?"
sStand out, sirl'' said the Inspector,
sharply, to Aleck, for his disappointment
made him cross. "'Black hair-0ust see
if that's wig, Burton dark eyes and
complexion feet in height'-why,
this fellow isn't above five foot ten!'
The Inspector threw down the printed
slip in disgust, and turned again to the
prisoner.
"Now, sir! perhaps you'll be good
enough to tell me what you mean by mas
querading about the country in this fash
ion?"
"Wouldnt it be more to the point if l
asked what your friend Black Jan meant
by going off with the new shooting-sult
Wolmershausen had just built for me, and
the gun gave five and twenty pounds for
last season? Look here, Mr.. Inspector, L
suppose you can see pretty plainly I'm not
the man you wantl Can't you let one of
YOUR people fetch me some food before |
begin my tale? l haven't had square
meal these three days, and am pretty near
famished. Do, there's good fellow, and
I'll tell you the story in brief while they re
fetching it.
Something in Alexis good-humored
voice and face must have softened the Of
fetal heart of Inspector Fox, for before
long the wanderer was sitting down to an
abundant meal of cold beef, and its atten-
dant pickles, while the chief of the A
/ police despatched a telegraphic account OF
isBlack JAMS" escape to headquarters.
lsBut Tam afraid, sir, that you'll have
to come before the Justices tomorrow
morning Just as you arel You see we're
bound to produce a man as we find HIM !;
and you've got to account to the magls-
trates for the possession of these clothes /;
what | believe or don't believe goes for
nothing, of course. The most | can do is
to get the hearing arranged for the magis-
trates private room instead offor the Court. !"
The prisoner sighed resignedly. "Well,
what can't be cured must be endured, evi-
IDENTIFY; and I'm only too glad to have got
back to civilization once more on any terms
So must take laugh from your worthy
justices with the best grace l can muster. +"
"Well sir, it won't be very long one !;
that is, if your story is true" added the
Inspector cautiously. "For all our justices
know Squire Carew well enough, though
he sits on the Newton Bench, not ours.
And now, sir, I'll wish you good nights
rest, for it's past II O'Clock"
A Bond st. lounger wearied in the search
for new sensation might perhaps have
envied Mr.. Fairburn next morning when
he found himself ushered by Inspector
Fox himself into the presence of the half
dozen Squires and Rectors who formed the
A. tribunal of justice, but | do not
think any one else would have done so.
He says himself that in spite of "Sartor"
and its lessons, never until that day had he
properly realized the moral Importance of
a suit of clothes. He maintains that it took
all his courage to resist the impulse which
prompted him to shuttle his feet and hang
his head under the stern gaze of six pairs
of magisterial eyes, and declares that even
his his seemed to take to themselves wing
and fly away as he told his plain, unvars
nished tale.
Fortunately the penance was not long
one. Before the story was well over, a
rosy old gentleman, Squire Norton by name
suddenly interrupted it. "Why, bless my
soul then this must be the young fellow
Bob Hilliard was talking about at dinner
last night He said Tom Carew and his
father were both nearly out of their wits
and dragging every peat-hole for ten miles
round t."
"But why in the name of wonder didn't
they look for me on dry ground first ?
interposed the prisoner.
"Because some shepherd who has hui
over on that side of the moor told tall
about having met man in gray with a gur
on his shoulder just before daylight; Sc
they jumped at the conclusion that, deaC
or alive, you were bound to turn up some
where in that direction
"And no doubt he did meet man il
gray, only it happened to be BLACK Jan
on his way across country
''That's it The rascal wouldn't dar
to make for station here at A. 70
fear of awkward results. Well now, MI
Fairburn, the best thing | can do is to driv
home and get you rig-out of my sons
, and then we'll get over to Coombe as quick
) ly as we can, for you'll be sight for sor
7 eyes there, 1 can tell you; bright ones, toe
some of them. Bob said Miss Madge wa
. on horseback all day yesterday, securing
a the moor in search of somebody