, 1889-01-10

when I thought it was quite time / cried
| too, when art crowns were flying about like
| that
''Thatn do, Bridget" l said, for Bridget
! when IoquaciouS was familiar. when was
| he here last"
This morning"
! Indeed
And l told him you we're quito come
round, and he said, That's a good job and
| went away
DO you think he'll return q
Il don't think SO. MIN. for he said, Good
| 10y, Bridget; mind You take care of her. as
| he walked hiSSclf off,
''Did he say anything else"
| Mo, MIN. I don't seem to rccoIlcctn-
ANSWER me truthfully. Bridget; what else
did he sayl'
Sorry word, else, except he hoped Mar
| gate would DO you power of good"
How did he know | was going to Mar
gate!" inquired
| That's moro nor mortal can say, MN.
He knows n great deal more about other
| peoples affairs than he ought lie interferes
| like, doesn't he! He's q terrible curious Young
| man"
Bridget, You have something more to tell
| me, I'm sure You have"
| 'Ssl! Miss NeiId''
How dare You deceive me. how ,larer-
Mercy us, my dear mistress, don't go
and throw yourself ali the way back agin bv
flaring off like this. Ill tell &c evrything,
and it's not much, after all, if yen only keep
! cool and comforbIc."
! "Well-go on
And yc may give me months warning
! and send me away aftcrward, if yell only be
! cool, miss, and don't blame nc too much Jest
| at prisint"
why don't you cxplain.'
| We'll, then, he took it into his head Mr.
! GoOdc had got his umbcrclIcr or els, Can't
| Choppers, and one day, when they were both
| out, he nXed me to let him look into their
| rooms, and | did. m'm-and. begorra. I
/ shouldn't have been surprised if either of EN-
had got it, manc souls that they are, with
! never u kind word to those who are shaving
| their hearts out for 'cnI and
Bridget, go downstairs directly"
ITO be sure, MIN, will if We don't want
me any more"
! Bridget departed, ard it dawned upon me
| that she Ind been imbibing just a littIe-and
| this had occurred once before, when papa
was alive. And she had too but it was for
| joy that | was better and TO drink good luck
| gave her, especially as on tie next day she
| .oined the Blue Ribbon movement, III sheer
| contriteness of spirit, and was forever after
! ward-that IS, Gp till nova worthy, if
| humble, member Of society
But this Mr.. GeofPry Bird, how the man
| did trouble me! How his nasty, suspicious
| nature had led him To poke and pry about
my establishment, and to tnke advantage Of
| my helplessness, and the pronencSs of Bridget
| and Sarah for half crowns to rans:tck the
whole place. My blood boiled with indigna-
tion. And then his prcSent-if it We're a
| present-obtrusiycly nailed against the wall,
too, as If l cared for his carvings, or did
| anything but despise his miserable manners
and his uncharitable self. He could not take
my word that no one had stolen his um.
brclla, oh dear, no! He must prove for him
| self that was not speaking the truth. How
| | hated him,
/ was recommended To take drive next
| day, and hired a hanson cab and went It
| Goswell road, islington, with the carved
| bird. discovered No 9GI i
| the house empty, and
House To Let pasted up
Mr. Geoffry Bird had left
| within the last few days,
well road knew what had
So had my journey for rIu..----.,.
| the expenses of payment for carrying me
| through the heart of the big city, where there
was not n breath of air stirring that hot day
| | do not think the drive did me any good, |
was so terribly vcxcd that Mr.. Bird was no;
| t. DC discovered, and that l had to return tc
| PrUSsiter street with his hateful carving Oh
my lap. | would have thrown it out of the
| cab only l was afraid of hitting somebody
| between the eyes and creating an uproar in
| the metropolis.
Put that wretchcd thing away where
cIn't see it," / said to Bridget ON my return.
"YcS, MIN; leave it to me, m'm.n
| II don't mean where We can't find it,'
added, meeting u decisive expression in
Bridget O'Gowan's green syes that alarmed
me; the man may call again, although |
| doubt it very much
Next week l was strong enough to join the
| Brians nj Margate-that salubrious retreat
| where one meets everybody ho knows, if he
| only waits long enough And on the jetty
extension that evening met Capt. Choppers
| and Mr.. GOOdc, who had both come dOwr
'by accident" and who had been passing
each other on the jctty all the evening u
| though they had never met in the whois
,ourSa Of their lives Mr.. Goodies two sons
were i'll Margate also, but, having fallen
hcadlong into tho water while fishing, had
gone home to bed while their suits were being
dried. And the next morning whom should
| meet face to face, and smiling Us vigorously
as ever, but GeofFry Bird, the carver.
1t was early morning, when few people
were stirring, and l had gone for walk
| along the fort TO put my blood i'll circulation
| and get an appetite for breakfast. The
| Brians were not early risers, and / knew il
was no use calling at their apartments till
| $50 O'Clock.
Mr. Bird was clad in dark blue pilot suit,
with very yellow straw hat set on the back
of his head and a large telescope under his
arm. He was supremely nautical, and l took
| him for somebody rather high i'll the coast
| guard Scrvicc-a sergeant or something
before he raised his hat and came with an an
| tclopo kind of spring toward Inc.
Miss Neild," he exclaimed, 81 am so very
| glad to see YOU about again. You really
| cannot Imagine how glad ann
Il don't understand why it should occasion
| you any pleasure, sir" | said. i'll my most re-
served tone of voice.
Don't you, thought Oh, well, Ill tell
you"
He turned and walked by my side, and l
| did not sec on tho instant how 1t was possible
to get rid of him. felt my equanilnity was
seriously disturbed by his appearance, by his
| insufFerabIc obtrlsiveneSs. This was part
want Of forcthnught, which was rs evident
that day as III the small hours of the morn
ing when he had reused me out of my first
| sleep by nearly batt,rInsS the house down
He alluded to that little incident at once
In answering me that unlucky night,
| Miss Neild, you neorly caught your death" :"
| ho explained, and nobody can imagine how
| miserable ! was-how desperately wrctched
until l heard you We're out OF danger.
should have never forgiven myself, upon my
honor, and did not knoW a moments peace
| till Bridget, Your girl, told me you wero out
| of danger. Lor', what u trial it was!'
| ~ don't see why-I don't understand at all
| p
II can just fancy how man feels who has
| computed Il murder and is not found out
! Yet, :" he continued; lit was dreadful, and all
| my own fault, toO-eveTy scrap of it."
| ! did not feel So bitterly toward him after
this. His manner was genuine, If too forci-
l L. A l.. \