The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-08-31
closely. Presently the man, when he

CLOSELY. TreSenbly tne mau, Wneh IN
, thought himself unobserved, did yer,
, strange thing; he took off his coat ant
, laid it carefully on the deck. Then hi
glanced hurriedly round, mounted thu
, bulwarks and leaped into the sea. One
: Of the ships officers just caught sigh
Of him as he disappeared; an alarm
was quickly raised, and the engines
, were reversed. No one had time tt
, notice or think Of the coat; but Sil
, Toby always prided himself on his
! presence of mind Instantly he seized
, it, tore off his own coat, which con-
tanned the pocket-book and the papers,
: laid it down on the deck and put on
, the coat left behind by the suicide. Ii
, was master-strolSe, a veritable in
spiration. and Sir Toby retired to his
berth knowing that the odds were al
least hundred to one against u rescue.
At his leisure he examined the pockets
of the strangers garment; the only
thing of Importance it contained was a
letter, apparently addressed to the
dead mans wife. "As l thought, " said
Sir Toby to himself, when he read it at
leisure, "ordinary case of forgery, can
not live any longer-the usual bosh! |
don't think that Mrs. Bowston will
ever get this letter" And he burned
it carefully, and night or two later
took an opportunity of throwing the
coat itself overheard. "Now l am
really all right" he reflected.
There was great hue and cry in
London when it was reported that Sir
Toby Bunskin had actually disappeared.
Half the detectives were employed to
look for him. advertisements were in
serted by the score, even placards were
posted on the boardings; no exertion,
in fact, and no expense were spared to
discover his whereabouts. But not the
slightest result followed until the news
arrived from America that Sir Toby
| had jumped from an Atlantic steamer
| and had, of course. been drowned, leav-
ing behind him, no doubt for purposes
of Identification, a coat. in the pocket
of which was pocket-book containing
cards and private papers obviously be-
longing to the unfortunate Baronet 1t
was nine-days' wonder, but as no one
cared straw about Sir Toby when
alive. people soon got tired of specu-
lating as to the cause which had
prompted the crash act" And as soon
as certain necessary legal formalities
had been complied with, Jack Bunskin,
found himself Sir John Tobias Bunskin,
Baronet, of Bunskin Hall and Gros-
venor Square, and the possessor OF
substantial rent-roll and a goodly sum
of ready money. Nov, it was not very
likely that Jack should feel any pro-
found grief for his uncle. The manner
of the old mans death certainly shocked
him considerably, but the pleasures
and duties of his new position speedily
banished the unpleasant subject from
his mind.
He had, too, plenty of things to look
after. His creditors, of course, came
down upon him in hungry horde, and
the amount of post-obits which he had
to pay off was quite alarming. More
over, he had no intention of leading
the sober and quiet life that had suited |
his uncle. He bought a yacht, started
a small racing-stud, and began to dab
BILE in city companies-all of which
things demand a considerable amount
of time and attention, not to mention
So a couple of years passed. |
Jack, in common parlance, went the |
pace to the best of his ability; got him
self elected NJ. z. for one of the divi-
sions of Fallowland, and finally became |
engaged to Miss Hilda Grains, only
daughter and heiress of the late Sir |
John Grains, M. p, the well-known
brewer and millionaire. There was, of
course, a very grand wedding, and, in
due time, the happy paired returned to
London from prolonged honeymoon
on the Continent. When Jack had fin
ished examining pile of letters and
other documents, he inquired of the
family butler whether he had any spe-
cial news to communicate, for that in
dividual looked like man burdened
with a guilty secret.
'It's my dooty to tell you, SIR" said
Mr.. Flaggon, mysteriously, 'tas an old
gent as been calling here every day
for the last week and says he must see
you."
.'ls that alp" queried Jack.
"No, sir-fact is, sir, that he says
he's your uncle
My uncle! What miserable nom
sense! Why, the fellow must be
lunatic or an impostor!"
just so, sir; but we can't get rid of
him, and didn't like to give the poor
old idiot in charge"
"Quite right, Flaggon; next time he
comes I'll see him."
Oddly enough, half an hour after
wards, the old gentleman returned.
and Mr.. Flaggon promptly ushered
him into Sir Johns study.
"Well, my man." said the new baro-
net, land what can do for you?"
Jack, said the stranger, ''do you
mean to say that you don't know me?
l'm your Uncle Toby-I am, indeed,
and not blessed soul recognizes mel"
This is driveling ncnsense!" he
said; but if you are my uncle, how
,he deuce do you account for the fact
hat you were drowned in the At
antic?"
Il wasn't drowned; it was another
passenger" and Sir Toby confessed
he story OF the change OF coats, which