Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-03-29

own wit for fully half an hour after wards. Though where the joke came i'll. I could net for the life of me deter mine.
 Towards evening I did go ashore, slip ping away. it time when he had gone below for moment. found . public walk in an avenue of palm trees which ran close by the sea. The palms were laden with clusters of yellow dates, that at first sight were more like dried sea weed than fruit As darkness fell, and with it coolness, l sat down here, and ell to watching the vessels in the port .ade away ono by one into the gloom, and little sparks of light take their places. A number of people were still out, enjoying the air, but these were sauntering, one and all, in the indolent southern fashion, so that on hearing the brisk step of man approaching in haste, I looked up sharply. To my surprise, 1t was Sleigh, the engineer!
 He passed close to me. I could not be mistaken, though he had put of his half slouching, half impudent air. and was kecnly on the alert, glancinS from this side to that, as if he were following or searching for some one. For whom? was one of half dozen on seat in deep shadow. If I were the person he wanted and had leapt, at sight of him, to that conclusion and covered down in my place-he overlooked me and went on. I sat some time longer after his step died away in the distance, my thoughts not altogether pleasant ones. But he I fr hn Hotel Bossio prepared to eat an excellent dinner.
 The table d'hete in the big white washed room was half finished. was late. Perhaps this was why the walters eyed me, as took my seat, with atten- tion; or it might be that the English were not numerous at Alicante, or not popular; or. again, it might be that some one-Mr Sleigh, for exalnple-had been there making inquiries for foreigner blonde, middle sized. and speaking very little Spanish. Their notice made me uncomfortable. It seemed as if could nowhere escape from my old man of the sea.
 Nowhere indeed, for I was to have | another rencontre that night, with which | he may or may not have had to do, but which must be told because of the | light afterwards thrown upon it.
 Returning to my ship along the dark
 wharf, here and there came upon fig ures loafing in the shadow of bales or
 loaded stick more tightly. I got by all
 these, however, in safety, and reached
 the spot where the ship lay. San Miguel!
 Bota!' shouted, in the approved fashion
 of that coast. "San Miguel! Bota!
 The words had scarcely left my lips
 the second time when there was rus
 ting close to me. A single footstep
 sounded on the pebbles, and the light of
 lantern was flashed in my face. With
 an exclamation recoiled. As l did sc
 two or three men sprang forward. Dag
 zled and taken by surprise, l had only
 an indistinct view of figures about me
 and was on the point of fighting ol
 running, or making an attempt at both
 when by good luck the clink of stee
 accouterments fell upon my ear.
 By good luck! For they were police
 who had stopped mo, and it is ill worl
 resisting the police in Spain. What dc you require, gentlemen?' I asked in my
 best Spanish. II am English
 .'Perdone ustcd, senor," replied tho } leader, he who held the light. "Wil
 you have the goodness to show me you
 papers!''
 "Con mucho gusto!' I answered, de
 lighted to find that things wero no worse
 I was going to produce my passport ol
 the spot, when the sergeant, with Q DO lite but imperative This way!' directed
 mc to follow him. did so for a shor
 distance; door was flung open, and found myself in a well lighted, barrel. furnished office, which l guessed was custom house post. The officer took hi place behind desk, and by a gesture o his cooked hat signifed his readiness t. proceed.
 : had had to do with the police before : and should have smiled at the matte now, but I was aware of a suppresse excitement in tho group around me, o strange glances which they cast at me 1 of general drawing round their chic
 as he bent over my passport-thing 3 which seemed to indicate that this wa D no ordinary case of passport examine Q tion. Singular, too, was the disappoint l ment they evinced when they found thu l my passport bore, besides the ordinar h wise, the signatures of the vice consr 0 and alcalde at Valencia. Of course, a l. their faces fell my spirits rose. A dee t conviction and deeper disappointmer took possession of them, and, after l ha
 answered half dozen questions, the il l terview ended with the same "Pe1 s done usted, senor," with which s had begun. I was bowed out; s boat was instantly procured for m' = and ill two minutes more was climbin l. the ladder which hung from the Sa
 Miguel's quarter.
 g The first person whom saw on boar }; was Mir. Sleigh. He was lolling on |, bench in the esaloon-confound his imp, y dence!-drinking aguardiente and sta It ing moodily at the table. tried to pa IS him by and reach my cabin unnotice'
 but on the last step of the companion $ slipped. With muttered oath at u l. interruption he looked up and our ey' IS met.