The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-03-16

horol And that possible Mdrilloi That
portrait which might have been by Nelas-
quezi That San Sebastian that was ut least
by pupil Of Caravaggio' Ny head reelcd.
passed my hand over my eyes aud looked
agpin. IL was not delusion. There, tho
canvases lay ono on the other, their edges
strangely rough, their corners frayed-can-
vases worth kings ransom.
The other roll was full Of odds and ends,
valueless, but equally strange; picture backs
and rough pieces of cloth and opened letters.
Among these last | saw, with scarcely any
added wonder, envelopes and letters directed
20 myself
''I do not understand" said fecbly, look
ing from one guard TO another They had all
turned TO me TO see how ] took their dis
coveries "1e told me that he was n Carlist
"a spy sent here 10 bribe the troops But
what are these doing herel l do not UNDER
stand.n
"Who told you-and whatl" cried the
leader.
"Clentl Client told me" and then stop
ped dazed and bcwildered. Two or three
laughed; the officer, gazing fixedly al me,
did not. | met his gaze vacantly; then my
eyes wandered to the corner and fell upon
poor Jock A mist passed from my mind,
my brain cleared; | spoke aloud and sharply,
''IIe has fooled ms alll' said, "yoa as well
as mel ! am not Cleat. am Rouse Lynton,
the artist He told me-
"Whol whoi whoF cried the officer, with
fierce impatience
"Clent, the man whom you want--the man
in No l. He told me that he was a Carlist
in danger of arrest. | gave him my passport
| took his room and he mine. What is it he
has doner
"Donem cried the man, stamping about the
room in furious rage. "Can you not sect
He is a robber of museums--the captain of a
gangi Done, blocl5head of an EnglishnIani
Madre de Diosl did he not Kill civil guard
at Valladolid ten months agoi He is now a
German, now an Englishrnan He is the
devil himself, whom for all that, we had net
ted finely but for youl Yet, fool that was,
| feared something when the dog obeyed
you
/ remembered that I had read in the Eng
lish newspapers of picture robberies in vari-
Gus parts of Spain, in which it was supposed
that a German was engaged. BY this light |
understood it all. The mans terror when
discovered him gloating over the Spagno-
letto which had been stolen from monastery
at Seville; his letters from distant dealers:
his studied appeal TO my sympathies; his
greedy reluctance, which had thought pure
unsefishness, to part with his spoils; even the
casual Job which had made him master of
my e50 understood them now. Yes, had
this been all--had Jock not been lying bleed
ing in corner-I would have let the man go.
As it was, cried out to them, "Quickl will
tell you where you will find himl He will
make for Amonacid. You know the placer
"Did he tell you that alsot" asked the officer
scornfnlly.
'No," exclaimed, 'I had it from one of
his gang in the street--one who took me for
him as you did. Almonacid is their rendez-
vous. You are watching the railway station
herel Yes Then bes sure he will make across
country for Almonacid, which is only mile
from Torrijos station on the other railway
There was sense in my words, and the
police saw it, The ring of scowling faces
round me frightened. a few hasty sentences
were exchanged, and an order was curtly
given, and in two inmates the officer and bis
following trooped down stairs, no doubt to
get to horse and start after the fugitiyes;
leaving me in charge Of a couple Of town
police who good naturedly helped me to do
what | could for Jock. Jock was not dead,
nor going to die | am glad to say, of that
wound, although he walks lame to this day,
| the bullet having cut the tendons at the root