Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-30

he wished now that he had q pistol that
he could put in his pocket to supplement
| the protection Of his trancheon. As il
was, he could master no more deadly
weapon than pair of handouts, which
/ he had purchased shortly after being
sworn II, as likely to be OF service in the
event Of his having 80 effect an arrest.
| There he now slowed away in one OF his
| deepest pockets while Mrs. Tidgwaite as
sisted him in his other preparations,
wrapping q good length Of stout flannel
around his knee-the rheumatic one
| and stufing his pockets with sausage
rolls, sandwiches, flask or two of COM
forting cordials, and a plentiful stock Of
cough Iozengers. Thus provisioned aun-
| equipped in his largest over coat and q
new pair Of goloshes, the banker march
ed forth.
"Stop, Joseph, Stop!" cried his wife as
the door was closing on him. 'iYou are
going without your respirator.
81 didn't forget it, my DEAR" said the
old gentleman, rather nervously. Gut
thought that it would look-a-that is,
that [ should hardly require"
"Look or no look, Joseph" replied his
wife, who was accustomed TO be obeyed
in such matters, you put on that res
paator before you 60 outside the door"
Poor Joseph submitted with the best
grace he could. The respirator was duly
adjusted, and the good man made the
best Of his way to the spot where he was
| to relieve the regular costable, and where
he found net only the Hon. Guy WyIdfre
and loafers who had come TO see the fun.
ooh my eye! 'Ere's the city corpora
| ton been and swore hisseP IN as a
special" calculated one of the bystanders
at the sight Of MIR. Tidywaite's portly
form.
"Hallo, copper, when did you see gour
toes Iast?" inquired another.
''I say, Bill" suggested third, "what's
tho bloke been and gagged hisself for,
eh?'
+ sTo save his false teeth from bein'
knocked down his throat, most likely
replied Bill. L.
"PIease sir, be you the the speshul or
the hextra, Or the hextra and the epeshul''
said q cheeky arab.
Amid an encouraging chorus in this
key, the Two cCnstables started on their
roun 3e, they walked slowly over the extent
Of their beat, and then came to stand
still in Portland square. Snow had now
set in ggain vigorously, and a keen north
easter drove the snow in the faces Of the
| two specials and caused the eldar to
shiver beneath his wraps.
| EDo you think" said the banker, pre-
| sently, "tha6 it would appear-a-unpro-
! fessionaI act, 10 put up al umbrella?"
| Contrary TO aI regulations" replied
| Mr.. WyIdfre, who kept up his spirits very
| creditab1y under the circumstances.
'.Don't let the inspector catch you at it,
I think though, that I can put you on TO a
| better scheme than that"
'Pray what is it," inquired Mr.. Tidy
waite.
"P, IS, tho Peeler On the beat, tipped
ne a wink as he vent away, and whisper
ed that we would find No. q the right
kind Of shop. I can't say what ne meant,
| bat caught a glimpse of q larkey look
ing siavey at No, q Duchess place as we
came by, and [ mean to have another
| look. If you will stop here moment, I
will return anon and report progress"
and without further explanation, the scion
Of the aristocraoy departed. At the end
of quarter OF an hour he returned, visi-
bly, satisfied with She result of hia mis-
sion.
"Ips aN right" he said. ZIP, 80 is a
brick. There's comfortable kitchen
entirely as our disposal at No. "a. The
sIavies are full Of fun. The family are
out, and I've sent for bottle of whisky.
Come on
The banker gazed on his comrade in
blank amazement.
''You don't mean to say" he gasped,
SHAT you expect me To-"
'Wby not? What's the use of playing
at peelar if you don't do the thing prop
erly?n
"But what about the beat and the dukes
house, here?"
'Ch that will take care of itself for
half an hour. For the matter Of that, il
wouldn't be much loss TO s0ciery if the
Fenians were to blow old Dublin up. You
had better come. The cooks top ser.
car tell you just your kind"
Had il been any one else but an earl's
son who spoke, Mr.. Tidywaite would IN
doubted net this ribald speech with the
rebuke. it merited. As Is was, he contend
ed himself with declining the invitation
as stifflv rs politeness permitted.
GAS you please" said the hon. Guy,
"You will know where to fnd me If I'm
wanted, No. "a, don't forget; ia ta."
He was soon out Of sight. and Mr.
Tidywaite was lett alone with his own re
fecaihus. Solitude did not add to the
charms of MS situation. He walked on
and came to No. S-the duke of Dublin's
| house. Il was fine mansion, with q
| large portico extending to the pavement
and remembering his instructions from
the inspector, he thought he would be
if he stood up against one of the pillars
sheltered from the wind. He stood there
| about q quarter OF an hour, his toes
numb and his teeth chattering, when the
clock OF a neighboring church struck g.
The last stroke had scarcely ceased, when
| he was startled by a low whistle close al
| hand. Looking out from his shelter, he
percisved a tall man in an ulster standing
under 2 neighboring lamp-post. As if in
response to the whistle two men hurried
up from opposite directions. Their
| movements were so mysterious that the
special drew back. The mez were talk
! ing together and his instrvctions---the
allusion 20 dynamiters-recurrsd painful
~ to Mr.. Tidywaite's mind. as he caught
fragments of the conversation in rich
brogue.
| In another minute or SO the two last
corners again departed in opposite
directions, ard Mr.. Tidywaite's heart
| sank into his boots as ne saw the tall
man advance stealthily toward No. 7. He
was now close alongside the special and
/ looking into the area, beyond doubt with
| some sinister purpose. The inclination
| TO fly was almost irresistible in Mr.. Tidy
! waite's breast, but he summoned up all
his sense of public duty, and with sup
pressed effort stepped out aud acc0sted
the mysterious stranger.
Now. sir" said ne, what is your bust
ness here?n
'What has that to DO with you?" re