The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-24

in the shutter, however, where a knot of the
wood had fallen out and q thin shaft of light
stretched across the blacknesS and buried itself
IN ragged yew tree at the end of the garden
From the loUGneSs OF the sounds [ judged this
to be the room where the flute playing was go
ing on. Tho sound of my footsteps on the thin
soil did not disturb the performer, so gathered
handful OF earth and pitched it up against
the pane The flute stopped for minute or So
but just as | was expecting to see the shutter
open, went on again: this time the air was
Pretty Polly Oliver"
crept back again. and began to hammer
more loudly at the door. "Come" said /,
whoever this may be inside, I'll see for my
self at any rate, and with that 1 lifted the
latch and save the door heavy kick. 1t few
open quite easily Gt had not even been locked,
and found myself in q low Kitchen. The
room was empty, but The relics of supper lay
on the deal table, and the remains of what
must have been q noble fire were still smoul-
deIing on the hearthstone. crazy, rusty
bunderbuss hung over the fireplace. This,
with a couple Of rough chairs, broken bacon
rack, and small side table, completed the fur
niture of the place. No; for as [ sat down to
make meal off the remnants of supper, some
thing lying on the lime-ash floor beneath this
side table caught my eye. | stepped forward
and picked it up. ltwas q ''gossan'' wig, as we
call it in our pats: a wig grown yellow and
rusty with age and wear. Ut looked so sly and
wicked as it lay there. aud brought back the
events of the day so sharply, that queer dread
took me OF being discovered with it. pulled
out my pistol, loaded it 0hey had given me
back both the powder and pistol found on me
when | was taken) and laid it beside my plate,
This done, went Gu with my supper--it was
flute up stairs kept toot-tootling without stop
ping, except to change the tune. 1t gave me
"Hearts OF Oak" "Why, soldiers, why?"
Like Hermit Poor, and Come, Lasses and
Lads" before had fairly cleared the dish.
"And now" thought J. 81 have had good
supper; but there are three things to be done.
In the first place want drink, in the second
want bed, and in the third 1 want to thank
this kind person. whoever he is, for his hospi-
housebreaking,'
I rose, slipped the pistol into my tail pocket,
and followed the sound mp the ramshacl5led
stairs. My footsteps made such @ racket on
those old timbers as fairly to frighten me, but
they never disturbed the flute player. He had
harked back again to Like Hermit Poor by
this time, and the dolefulness OF it was fit to
make the dead cry out, but he went whining
on until ] reached the head Of the stairs and
struck rousing knock on the door
The playing stopped. Come in," said q
CHEEKY voice; but it gave me no cheerfulness
Instead of that, 1t sent all the comfort of my
supper clean out of me- as l opened the door
and saw him sitting there.
There he was the man who had saved any
neck that day, and whom most I hated In the
world, sitting hefore snug fire, with his flute
GA SIS knee, s,s-s1sss Of port wine ut bis elbow,
and looking so comtortao4e with HAT izl9owing
light in his gray eyes, that could have killed
him where he sat.
90, it's you, is it?" he said, just the very
least bit surprised and no more. "Come in
| stood IN the doorway hesitating
Don't stay letting in that monstrous
draught, man; but sit down. You'll find the
bottle on tie table and glass on the SHELF
Tpoured out glassfGl and drank it off. The
stuff was rare q can remember its trick on the
tongue to this day, but somehow it did not
NJ. y II I
glass, and sat slipping it and staring from the
lire to my companion.
He had taken up the flute again, and was
blowing few deep notes out of it, thoughtful
~ enough. He was a small, squarely built
man, with sharp, ruddy face like q pippin,
heavy gray eyebrows. and a mouth like trap
when IL was not pursed up for that everlasting
flute. As he sat there with his wig off, the
crown of his bald head was fringed with an
misunderstanding patch OF hair, the color of q
badgers. My amazement at finding him here
at this hour, and alone, was lost in my hatred
OF the man as / saw the depths of complacent
knowledge in his face. l felt that l must kill
him sooner or later and the sooner the better.
Presently he laid down his flute again and
spoke:
81 scarcely expected you"
l grunted something in answer.
'But might have known something was up
ii I'd only paid attention to my flute. 1t and
are not in harmony tonight 1t doesn't like the
secrets I've been blowing into it; it has heard
queer lot Of things in its time, but it's an in
nocent-minded flute for all that, and L m afraid
that what I've told it tonightis point beyond
what it's prepared to CO."
81 take il, il knows - deal too much,
growled T.
He looked at me sharply fer an instant, rose.
whistled a bar or two of Like Hermit Poor"
reached couple Of clay pipes from the shelf,
filed one for himself, and grayely handed the
other with the tobacco to me.
"Beyond what it is prepared to CO., he
echoed quietly, sinking back in his chair and
putting at the pipe tits a nice point that we
have been discussing together, my flute and /,
and won't say but that I've got the worst of it.
By-the-way, what do you mean to do now that
you have fresh start?"
Now | had not tasted tobacco for over four
months, and its effect upon my wits was sur
prising. 1t seemed to oil my thoughts till thew
worked without a hitch, and L saw my plan q
action marked out quite plainly before me.
DO you want to know the first step Of alp"
l asked.
ITO be sure the first step at any rate deter
mines the direction"
"Well then" said I, very steadily, and star
ing into his face, 'the first step Of all is that L
am going to kill you
"H'm," said he, after bit, ard I declare
that not so much as eyelash of the man shook,
II thought as much. guessed that when you
came into the room. And what neXt?"
Thine enough then TO think of Wbatnext,'"
| answered for though was set upon blow
ing his brains ont, longed for him to blaze out
into passion and warm up my blood for the
job.
pardon me, " he said as coolly as might be,
THAT would be the very worst time to think of
it. For just consid r: in the first place you
will already be committed to your way Of fife,
and secondly, if l know anything about you,
you would be fer too fiurried for any thought
worth the name"
There was a twinkle Of frosty humor in his
eye as he said this, and in tho silence which
followed / could hear him chuckklng to him
self, and tasting the words over again as though
they were good wine. j sat lingering my pistol
and waiting for him tospeak again. When he
did 50, 1t was with another dry chuckle and
long puff Of tobacco smoke.
las you say, know deal too much Shall
tell you how much?'
Yes, you may if you'll be quick about it,"
very well, then, / will DO you mind pass
ing the bottle? Thank you. 1 probably know
not only too much, but deal more than you
guess. First let us take the case for the Grown.
The jcweller is travelling by coach at night
over the moOfs. He has enc position only,
Roger Tails by name, and by character shady.
Tie icWeiicI has money Che was q niggardfy
fco to take only one pO7tilHonj, and carries
diamond Of great, or rather Ct enormous and
notable, value (he was bigger fool to take
this, II the dark morning two horses come