The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-01-12

small, carefully folded paper from be.
tween the leaves of the Bible, "Do
you see this?"
It was half Bank of England note
for 500.
"How, sir, could any conjuror help
me to the other half.
Elbow did you come by it?" asked
Jack at once.
"I'n tell you, sir, short as can
make it. -.
Dan then described how he had
picked up the basket from the 1O;45
Liverpool express.
"There was the linen; I've kept it.
See here; ell marked quite pretty and
proper, with lace round the edges, as
though it's mother loved to make the
little one smart"
Jack examined the linen, it bore q
monogram and crest. The first ne
made out to mean H. L. NJ, aud the
crest was plainly two hammers
crossed, and the motto, 81 strike
not o common crest-and he never
remembered to have seen it before.
And was that all?
accept the bank note. Thatwas in
o poor old purse with pawn-ticket
and thimble. l kept them ALL"
Like q true detective Jack examin-
cdevery article infinitely. The purse
bore the name Hester Gorrigan, in
rude letters inside, and the pawn
ticket was made out in the same
name.
THE SECOND HALF.
When Jack Newbiggin got back to
the parsonage he found that his host
had accepted an invitation for them
both to dine at the "Big House," as
it was called, the country seat of the
squire of the parish.
"Ihave been fighting your battles
eli day." began Mrs. Sitwell, the
hostess, when seated at dinner next
to Jack.
"Was it necessary? l should have
Thought myself too significant.
"They were talking at lunch OF
your wonderful tricks in conjuring,
and some one said that the skill
might prove Observation-Disclosures you
played cards, for instance.
"a charatible imputation; with
whom did it originated"
"Sir Lewis Mallaby."
"Please point him out to me-"
He was shown q grave, scowling
face upon the right of the hostess
"a face like mask, the
surface rough and wrinkled
through which the eyes shown with
baleful light, like corpse-candles in q
sepulchre.
Jack let his companion chatter on
1t was his habit to get all the infor
nation possible about any company
IN which ne found himself, for his OWL
purpose as a clairvoyant, and wher
Mrs. Sitwell tagged he piled her with
artless questions, and led her on from
one person to another, making men
tai notes to serve him hereafter. II
is thus by careful ard laborious prep
arations that many of the strange
and seemingly mysterious feats o
the clairvoyant conjuror are per
formed.
When the whole party are assem-
bled in the drawing room after din
ner chorus ofvoices, headed by thai
of the hostess summoned Jack to hi
work. There appeared to be onl.
one dissentient, Sir Lewis Mallaby
who not only did not trouble him
self to back up the invitation, bu
when the performance was actual,
begun was at no pains to conceal hi
contempt and disgust.
| The conjuror made the convention
al plu m pudding in hat, fred wed
ding rings into quartern loaves, di'
all manner of card tricks; knife tricks
pistol tricks, and juggled on con
scientiously right through his rep
ertory. There was never a smile o.
Sir Lewis's face; he sneered unmis
takably. Finally, with a ostenta
ton that savored of rudeness, h
took out his watch, q great gol
repeater, looked at it, and unmis
takably yawned.
Jack hungered for that waite
, directly he saw it. Perhaps throug
, it he might make it's owner uncon
, Portable, if only for a moment. Blu
, how to get it into his hands? II
asked for a watch-a dozen were o
fered. No, none of these would dc
1t must be good watch-arepeatel
Sir Lewis Mallaby's was the only or
, in the room, and he at first distinct
refused to lend it. But so man
earnest entreaties we're added t
+ him, the hostess leading the attacl
n that he could not in common courtes
!. continue to refuse.
y With something like a growl !
I took his watch off the chain an
y handed it to Jack Newbiggin.
-, A curious, old fashioned watch
!. was, which would have gladdened Il
! heart ola watch collecter-all jewelle
! and enamelled, adorned with Gre
. and inscription-an heirloom, whit
had probably been in the Mallat
q family for years. Jack looked
= over curiously, meditatively; the
q suddenly raising his eyes, he stare
intently into Sir Lewis Mallaby
q face and almost as quickly drops
D them again.
: "This is far too valuable" he sa
r. courteously, "too much of a treasul
II to be risked in any conjuring trio
An ordinary modern watch | mig
). replace, but not a work of art Ii
ir this
;. And he handed it back to Sir Lew
i who received it with i'll concealed Sc
h isfaction. He was as much please
,. probably, at Jacks expression
i possible failure in the proposed tri
as at the recovery of his property.
f. Another watch, however, W
70 pounded into jelly and broug
7 out whole from cabinet in an 6
,e joining room.
it "Oh, but it is too preposterous
ID Sir Lewis Mallaby was heard to Sc
ce quite angrily. The continued 6