Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-02-17

! "Oh. it's you, is it?" he said, just
the very least bit surprise, aRd no
more. Come in."
I stood in the doorway hesitating.
Don't stay letting in that mon
strous draft, man, but sit down.
You'll find the bottle on the table and
a glass on the shelf"
poured out glassful and drank
it off The stuff was rare, IL can re-
member it's trick on the tongue to
this day,-but somehow it did not
drive the cold out of my heart. l
took another glass and sat slipping it
and staring from the fire to my COM
panion.
He had taken up the flute again
and was blowing few deep notes
out of it thoughtfully enough. He
was small, squarely-built man
with sharp, ruddy face like a frozen
pippin. heavy gray eyebrows and q
mouth like trap when it was not
pursed up for that everlasting flute.
AS be sat there with his wig of, the
crown of his bald head was fringed
with an obstinate looking patch of
hair, the color of badgers My
amazement at finding him here at
this hour and alone was lost in the
hatred of the man as saw the depths
! of complscent knowledge in his face,
l felt that I must kill him sooner or
later. and the sooner the better.
Presently he laid down his flute
again and spoke:
II scarcely expected you".
grunted something in answer.
"But l might have known some
thing was up if I'd only paid atten-
tion to nv flute 1t and 1 are not in
harmony tonight. 1t doesn't like the
secrets ] have been blow into it,it has
heard a lot ofqueer things in its time,
but it's an innocent-minded flute fol
all that, and I am afraid that what
I've told it tonight is point beyond
what it's prepared to go.'
81 take it il knows Id deal too
much" growied I.
He looked at me sharply for an in
stant, arose, whistled bar or two Of
Like Hermit Poor" reached down 9
couple Of clay pipes from the shelf,
filed one for himself and gravely
handed the other with the tobacco Il
me.
Beyond what it is prepared to 60,
be echoed quietly, sinking back in hi'
chair and putting at the pipe. "It's I
nice point that We have been discuss
ing together, my flute and /, and
won't say but that I've got the wors
OF it. By the way, what do yol
mean to do now that you have fresf
start"
| Now / had not tasted tobacco for
over four months. and its effect upoT
my wits was surprising 1t seemed
to oil my Thoughts until they worked
without hitch, and / saw my plan
of action marked OUT quite plainly be.
| fore me-
"Do you want to know the first
step of all ?" asked.
"To be sure; the first step, at any
rate, determines the direction"
"Well. then" said l very steadily
and staring into his face, "the frs
step of all is that ! am going to xii
you"
Him." said he after bit; and
declare that not so much "a an eye
lash of the man shook. II though
as much. guessed that when yor
came into the room. And wha
next"
"Time enough to think of 'wha
next answered; for, though | wa
set upon blowing his brains out,
longed for him to blaze out into a pas
sion and warm up my blood for the
job.
pardon me-" he said ss coolly a.
might he; that would be the very
worst time to think of it. For jus
consider: In tho 0rst place you viii
already be committed to your way
life. and, secondly,i il know anything
about you, you would be far too fur
ried for Any thought worth tn
name."
There was twinkle of frosty hu
NOR in his eye al he said this, and II
the silence which followed l coul,
hear him chuckling to himself an
tasting the words over again u
though they were good wine. | 90
lingering my pistol and waiting TO
him to speak again. When be did g
it was with another dry chuckle ant
o long puff OF tobacco smoke
AS you say, / know q deal to-
much. Shall l tell you how much =
Yes. you may If you'll be quicI
about it,"
VERY well, then. will. Do yot
mind passing the bottle ? Thank you
/ probably know not only too mucl
but deal more than you guess Firs
let us take the case for the Grown
I The jeweler is travelling by coach q
night over the moors. He has ont
postillion only, Roger Tails by name
and by character shady. The jewele
has money he was a niggardly foo
to take only one postillion'-and car
ries diamond of creator rather o
enormous and notable value. He wal
bigger fool to take this. Ia th'
dark morning two horses came gallop
ing back frightened and streaming
with sweat. A search party goes on
finds the CO ach upset by the Fou
Holed Cross. the jeweler beside l
with couple Of pistol bullets in hin
and the money, the diamond ant
Roger Tslllis-nowhere. 30 mucl
for the murdered man. Two o
three days after. you, Gabriel Foot, b.
character also shady and known to b.
q friend TO Robert Tallis, are whia
pered to have q suspicious amount o
money abont you, also bloodstains OF
your coat. 1t further leaks out thai
you were travelling on the moors afoo
on the night In question. and tha
your pistols are soiled with powder
Case for the Crown closes. Have
stated it correctly ?"
nodded He took sip or two o
his wine. laid down his pipe az IL th'
tobacco spoiled the taste Of it, took an
other sip ard continued
Case for the defense That Rog
or Tails has decamped, that no dia
mond has been found on you, or any
| harn anil lootIu that ho hu tIat In