The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-12-20

ing his seat began to turn the leaves
over.
I'm an untaught. rough country.
man, sir, but l have heard tell that
these strange things you do are only
tricks; amt it sop
Here was indeed a hopeful symptom.
He was reused then to take some in.
terest in what had occurred.
"All tricks. OF course; it all comes
OF practice" said Jack. as he proceed.
ed to explain some of the simple proc
esses, hoping to enchain the mans At
tention.
That's what / thought, sir. or I'd
have given you a job to do. I've been
in want Of real conjuror many a long
day. and nothing less'll do. See here,
SIR he said, as he took small. care
fully-folded paper from between the
leaves OF the Bible, do you see this?'
1t was half q Bank OF England note
for flO0.
How, sir, could any eonjuror help
me to the other half?'
"How did you come by it?" asked
Jack at once.
"Tll tell you, sir, short as I can
make it. Conjuror or no conjuror,
you've got a kindly heart, and I'm
main sure that you'll help il you car" "
Dan then described how he had picked
up the basket from the 1916 Liverpool
express.
There was the linen; I've kept It.
See here; all marked quite pretty and
proper, with lace round the edges. as
though its mother loved to make the
little one smart"
Jack examined the linen; it bore a
monogram and crest. The first he
made out to mean H. L. NJ, and the
crest was plainly two hammers crossed,
and the motto: II strike NOT CON-
mon crest-and he never remembered
TO have seen it before.
And was that all7
"'Cept the bank note. That was In
a poor old purse with a pawn ticket
and a thimble. kept them all.
Like a true detective Jack examined
every article infinitely. The purse
borethe name Hester Gorrigan. in rude
letters inside. and the pawn-ticket was
made out In the same name.
THE SECOND HALF.
When Jack Newbiggin got back te
the parsonage he found that his host
had accepted IN invitation for them
both to dine ut the big House," a.
it was called, the country seat OF the
squire of the parish.
"Ihave been fighting your battles
all day." began Mrs. Sitwell, the host
ess, when seated at dinner next to
Jack.
WAS it necessary? l should have
thought myself too Insignificant.
They were talking at lunch OF you,
wonderful tricks in conjuring. and
some one said that the skill nigh,
prove ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS you played
cards, for instance"
"A charitable imputation; with
whom did it originator"
Sir Lewis Mallaby'
Please point him out to me-
He was shown grave, scowling
face upon the right Of the hostess-a
face like a mask, the surface rough
and wrinkled, through which the eyes
shone with a baleful light. like corpse
candles In sepulcher.
Jack let his companion chatter on.
It was his habit to get all the infor-
nation possible about any company in
which he found himself. for his own
purpose as clairvoyant, and when
Mrs. Sitwell tagged he piled her with
artless questions, and led her on from
one person to another. making mental
.. notes to serve him hereafter. 1t is
thus by careful and laborious prepare.
tions that many OF the strange and
seemin gly mysterious feats of the clair.
voyant conjuror are performed.
When the whole party were assem-
bled In the drawing-room after dinner
a chorus Of voices, headed by that oil
the hostess, summoned Jack to his
work. There appeared to be only one
dissentient Sir Lewis Mallaby, who
not only did not trouble himself to
back up the invita- ton, but when the
performance was actually begun was
at no pains to conceal his contemp,
and disgust
The conjuror made the conventional
plum pudding in hat, fired wedding
rings into quartern loayes, did all man.
ner of card tricks, knife tricks, pistol
tricks and juggled on conscientiousl,
right through his repertory. There
was never a smile On Sir Lewis face
he sneered Enthusiastically. Finally,
with an ostentation that savored o.
rudeness, he took out his watch, .
great gold repeater, looked at 1t and
Enthusiastically yawned.
Jack hungered for that watch dir ect
ly he saw it. Perhaps through it hi
might make it's owner uncomfortable
If only for moment. But how to &c,
it into his hands? He asked for 8
watch--a dozen were offered. No one
OF these would do. 1t must be good
watch-a repeater.
! Sir Lewis Mallaby's was the only
one in the room, and he ut first dis
tinctly refused to lend it. But SO man,
.earnes: entreaties were addressed L
him. the hostess leading the attack
that he could not in common courtesy
continue to refuse.
With something like O growl he took
his watch of the chain and handed i,
to Jack Newbiggin.
A curious, old-fashioned watch i
was, which would have gladdened tn,
heart Of a watch collector-all jewelet
and enameled, adorned with crest ant
inscrlption-an heirloom. which ha,
probably been in the Mallaby famil,
for years. Jack looked it over curious
~, meditatively; then, suddenly rails
ing his eyes, he stared intently int,
| SIR awis Nal1ahvso fooo ar1 alvc,,% -