Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-26

Blake looks rather diSguSted.
MT Pinkerton's men do it better than any
of us? | don't fancy acting detective"
"But, my good sir, it is not in that ca
pacity that | desire you to act. You go
to Mr.. Vanvoorst's house as the guest of
his son, and we trust merely to that dis
cernment Of which l have seen indca-
tons, sir, in you, to decide whether mat
tiers must be allowed to take their course,
or whether an investigation by detectives
would be an advisable measure"
So the strife goes on, the Judge deliver
ing succession of brief orations. Blake
growing his objections and Vanvoorst
grinning encouragement, and OCCASION
ally putting in his little oar to more or
less purpose-gcnerally less AT length,
the judge having become very pink and
emphatic, and NanvOOrSt having invited
his new acquaintance to visit him with an
earnestness which is almost pathetic, our
young friend swallows his scruples and
consents to go on what he asserts to be a
wild goose chase.
well, anyhow, Mr. Blake, wen Try to
make ii pleasant for you over Sunday.
You can meet me on the o'clock train at
Forty second street. says Nanvoorst,
who certainly does not procrastinate.
The 6 o'clock train up the river carries
the two young men swiftly along until,
in the late twilight they descend at n
lonely little station. far enough from
New York to he ont of the way of com
muters, and the consequent eligible villa.
Besides the station house nothing is Wis
ible in the dusk of the starless, overcast
evening. except an exceedingly steep lane
striking almost directly up the hill from
the river. With the roar of the train in
their ears, the place seems strangely
quiet, not to say dismal: but both the
young men recover their spirits to some
extent at the eXhilarating spectacle of
very high 1 cart coming up to the plat
| form with a big and undoubtedly
evil dispositioned brown horse in the
shafts, the whole under the guidance
! of groom whose cravat alone is sufficient
| to stamp the equipagc as ariStocratic.
Mounting this, Nanvoorst Junior dis
covers new cXccllences, and bursts, as it
were, into full bloom. He is not much to
look at; he does not strike one as intel
lectual; and he Is certainly not athlete;
but he can drive. He has an opportunity
for "a display of his talents as they go up
the hill. A freight train comes roaring
along below them, and the horse only too
glad of an excuse, attempts to get over
-
occupants. The calm manner in which
his master gets him back into the road,
aud the pace al which he works him along
when they have climbed to the level, unite
TO raise NanvOOrst in the opinion of his
companion, who is beginning to quake at
the near approach of his troubles. Still,
his philosophy comes to the rescue and
looking only at the present, ~ thinks it
is certainly better to be thus bowling
along good road through the summer
night than to be in New York better
even than hearing Thomas men scraping
away at "Amaryllis,' in an atmosphere
blue with smoke.
Through little village-tavern, black
smith shop, store and dozen houses
along road lined with trees, through
which one gets glimpses of the river down
below, past long line of stone wall; then
with a sudden whirl that makes the
groom on the back seat seize the rail-
through wide gate with lodge, neither
ornamental nor commodious, guarding it;
then up long avenue, which is very dark
with thick trees till the trees grow larger
and fewer, and the turf more closely
shorn, and the house comes in sight
just great dark bulk looming up against
II background of trees and sky. They
trot briskly around d great graveled
sweep to the front, and pull Tp, with
much scattering of small stones. and
great reluctance ON the mari of the
horse.
The house presents Il row of brilliantly
lighted windows opeuinp on n wide
piazza, and sending their light stream
ing over lawn and flower beds. till it is
lost in the night. Sounds of Strauss are
heard, dancing forms go sliding past the
terrain Tho Scion Of tbot nohlo race
called ON tn evnIain Inv lis co,nnonion va
snonds "IIanI it, f1rrot Tbcv've Got
n Int of nanTin - dinne,.H Some ,,o3nIo ,rL ~