Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-01-12


"Not-not at that Windows"
"Yes, at that window
"Oh, come, am awfully sorry for that,
Mr. Bird cried II didn't think of that. ]
thought some gentleman, or servant, or por-
ter might be up, for there was light burn
ing over the hall door, and it wouldn't be a
I great deal of trouble and save my getting
wet through Why, l would much rather
have lost my umbrella altogether than have
I given you cold, although it's an umbrella
! which would not take eco for--no, nor ESQ
either.n
rs it a very valuable umbrella?n
"Oh, no, not at all; but, as you know now,
/ it's my best umbrella in every sense of the
word, he said laughing, my very best UNI
brella, don't you seer
| But did not see; neither the application
nor the umbrella was apparent to me, and
/ my heart quite sank at the news which had
4 to impart to him. The man was so enwrapped
| in his Notwithstanding ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| | felt it was necessary to break the news
gently.
''Im sorry to say don't see," replied,
| "for the fact isl
| Yes, he was impulsive, and dashed to con-
! illusions; and the smile did leave his face as
suddenly and completely as if somebody had
pulled it away by a string, and a settled look
OF horror, and for an Instant open mouthed
idiocy, took its place.
The fact is" he repeated, very slowly at
last; Ego on, please"
THAT there was no umbrella down our
area at all.n
"Oh! that won't do,n he exclaimed, so
abruptly and rudely that / felt the color
coming up all over me; that won't do at
any price"
II don't know what you mean by any
| price, sir," | said, drawing myself up to my
full height, as the novelists say-and that
height was exactly five feet three inches and
| q half when fully drawn up and little bit
on tiptoe-'but you must take my word, sir,
that haven't set eyes on your umbrella"
mo, Miss Neild, don't suppose you
have,n he said, very quickly; 'don't think
that l think that you think-that-that-
why, of course, DON'T" he said, tumbling
into another sentence as the first one became
hopelessly involved, land it's not at all likely;
but it went down your area-I was perfectly
| sober-and the servants must have seen it in
the morning. May ask the scrvantsF'
81 have asked Them
''Isn't there a page boy or somebody who
comes early to clean somethingT
'Who is the first to go into that area in the
morning, Miss NeildT' he inquired ''some-
body foscoels, / supposeW
bridget or Sarah, certainly
Il should very much like to see Bridget
and Sarah, he suggested, "if you would not
object
''You must be content with my word, sir,
that your umbrella is not on the premises
said, still loftily; ~ cannot have my SER
wants subiected to n cross-examination on
this question. | have already made every
inquiry
'lThey tell you they have not seen my uua-
brellar'
"Tkey do"
"And you believe then"
Certainly
''Wen, don't--and that's plain speak
ing he said frantically.
"I'm aware of that"
Because, you see, it is quite impossible
unless there's anybody else in the house who
gets up earlier than the servants. Is there
anybody elseg" he asked.
eyes there's gentleman who lodges in
my front parlors, who leaves very early,
but
"That's the man. Where is hega cried
Mr. Bird, with a frantic dash in a new di-
rection of suspicion. II should like to see
him"
'He's gentleman holding high position
on the railway, and is not at all likely to con-
fscate property that does not belong to him."
said.
81 don't say he has conflscated it,n an.
swered Mr. Bird, less brusquely, 'but be
may have seen it this morning, and put it
aside for further inquiries
II "dII. Goode is not III the habit of going
into my area said; II don't believe he has
been in the area in the whole course of his
life
mot before this morning, Miss Neild-
yer y likely not, having nothing to 20 for, as
it were. But when he caught sight of an
unlbrella-and very peculiar umbrella
lying on the wet stones, haven't the slight
est doubt
"He could not get into the area, SIR
said; Bridget takes up the key with her
every night, and, besides, | told him about
the umbrella this morning"
"What did he say to thatl'
"He said it was like your impertinence-
COMPOUNDED inpertinence,' 1 may say, were
the actual words used" / answered, ''to
make such a noise in tho middle of the night,
and he should like to give you piece of bis
minda
"Oh! he said that, did her' he remarked,
biting his finger nails almost savagely.
'sYesn
'rThen he's the man who's got my urnbrel-
La he cried; II see it all now. He's keeping
it back out of spitei7
''1Ir. Bird, this is absolutely uncomfortable
81 suppose no was the fellow believing
about the house like a bull last night, trying
knocking heard him"
''No, he was not tho fellow l replied
severely; ''that was Capt. Choppers
Docs Capt. Choppers get up early"
mo, he doesn't; he's q very late riser, in
deed; believe he's in bed now
That's his artfulness, said the suspicious
individual, ''just to make you fancyn---
But l would not allow him to proceed any
further. l was fairly reused by this
strangers disparaging reflections | rose,
looked steadily and gravely ct him, and said:
"This interview is at an end Mr. Bird
These gentlemen are my lodgers-I might
say almost my friends-and | cannot listen
to your cruel and uncalled for remarks
against their common honesty
Common honesty it may be, Miss Neild,"
be replied; "but you must allow there is
very uncommon dishonesty somewhere in
your establishments"
81 will allow nothing"
II don't mean l want you to allow me any
thing for the loss of my umbrella he said.
hurriedly. Pray don't understand that to
be my wish.n
"Of course not. The idea!a
"That's all right then; very likely am
little put out-rudo, in fact he added, apol-
ogetically, ''for 1 am not a lady's man, and
don't know anything about LADIES' but, as I
am quite prepared to take my oath the UNI
brella did go down your area, it's rather
aggravating to be told you don't believe a
word | say
II never said that, answered.
II shall find it all out my own way, dare
say; have got habit Of sitting to the bot
tom Of things, they tell me-but l win not
trouble you any more about it, Miss Neild
If l have been bit rough, he said; ''Ill
ask you to forgive me, and to believe 1 don't
think for an instant you know anything
about it. Heaven forbid, with such nice