The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-03

me. On the heels of the domestic adj
vanced Mr.. Lidlaw; he, at least, appeared
to have no doubt as to the course to fol-
low Understood, middle-aged, clean
shaven, gray-this is the best and fullest
description which l could have given at
the moment of the easy-going intruder,
aud will suffice for my narrative.
"Ah, three of youw he said. "My old
frlends daughters and son, L presume? L
wasn't aware he was so favored"
The human voice is a wonderful inStru-
ment, in one case it shall of itself con-
vey suspicion, in another. reinsurance. 1t
was the latter here. \ tyrannical magma
ton had painted before my mental vision
with swift brush the portrait of danger
Gus conspirator. The living enigma spoke,
and however pulling and mysterious his
presence continued to be, my courage re-
vlved. The circumstance is as l state; the
explanation | leave TO others.
My name is Escott; this is my brother
and my sister" | stammeringly an
swered. "But to who-to what do we owe
-?" [ was pItifully poor inquisitor.
Before | hadIframed,my query, was stop
ped.
''Who am ?" the CHEEKY stranger said.
"Well, suppose one can't claim universal
fame but it certainly strikes me as curious
that you should have to ask. As to my
errand, that is Just pleasure and the re-
suscitation of cid memories. Your father
and l used to be staDch friends. You're
not very like him, young gentleman. 7"
The latter sentence was, of course, adj
dressed to my brother Valentine.
Indeed :" the boy said laconically.
The strangers glance had fallen upon
the strange medley that decorated our
comfortable.
Some one here is a collector of auto
graphs, I see" he went on gaily. May I
inspect them? Thank you. This is a
pursuit OF great interest to me; some
times have to studv-ahem lin a pro-
fessional capacity contrast and likeness in
penmanshsp."
He bent over Walls specimens, among
which were included examples OF the
hand OF nearly all the boys scquaint-
ances; for Val played havoc very Impair
TALLY with the characters ancient and
modern, great and small, famous or OBJ
scure. And by-and-by I noticed a queer
little start, seemingly OF recognition. Mr..
Lidlaw looked up
"Who wrote this ?" he said.
1t was a couple of lines-a quotation
from Tennyson-and, beneath, the sigma
ture of Mrs Climber
1t was Alice who replied That's the
writing of our housekeeper," said she,
wOnderingly. 'Do you know Mrs
Climber? She came to us from Leeds. l
like her hand, il is so neat and pretty"
"And it bespeaks a strong will, decision,
and perhaps finesse," said Val, senten-
tiously, quite in the style of the lecturer.
But l felt that it was time to know
more of the visitor, who seemed to be TAX
ing his footing in our midst SO much for
granted. l broke in with direct de-
mand. Il have never heard papa speak
OF you, so far as can recollect, Mr.. Lid
law, and he is not at home Did he ex-
pect you tonight"
Mr.. Lidlaw awoke as from a dream.
"Capt. Escott not homel" he repeated.
expect me am here in response to his
pressing invitation"
Val and had the clew to the riddle
simultaneously.
"Hou are wanting Nalentia lodge,
Walnsy cross, / said.
1T is Mr. John Escott who lives here /;
there has been a mistake" cried Val.
Mr.. Lidlaw stood as though paralyzed
by the revelation of his blunder; that a
shadow OF intense vexation passed over
his features, and this in turn yielded to a
smile at his own expense. "Whew :"
This comes of not being sufficiently pre-
else in investigation; a lesson / hardly
ought to need to learn, after all these
years" he grimly soliloquized. Then he
bowed depreciatingly to us and pro-
ceeded: The storm was raging so fercely
that / was content in the station-yard,
with little delay and few words. asked
the coachman who was handiest if he
could drive me to Capt. Escott's, Walnsey,
and he said: Yes l suppose he did not
catch more than the surname. and L was
ignorant that Walnsey and Walnsey
cross are not identical places"
''They are three miles apart" said Val.
81 was uncertain of my train, or Capt
Escott would have sent to meet me. I
begged him not to do that. The question
now is, how to get away, for the driver
he was none too sober-is gone and my
luggage is in your hall. 1t is most I'M
fortunate and absurd, and wholly my
fault, for remember re marking that the
fellow called your home "the manor
which was not a familiar name for it
both at Daleford station and here on ar
rival. tender thousand apologies"
Forthwith our group of four resolved it
self into a committee for dealing with this
singular emergency. Our debate had but
a lame issue. If papa had been here and
had become convinced of the bona fides
of his unlimited guest, he would have sent
Spruce with Lidlaw TO Capt. Escott's. But
both papa and the man were absent. Jo-
sephs was old and often ailing; hesitated
to suggest any scheme that should involve
his gong out into the tempest. And GER
tainlv Val must not venture any such ex-
posure.
Mr.. Lidlaw carefully inquired his way
and announced that he should walk He
asked, too-very oddly, as / thought, with
a new twinkle of doubt-the nearest route
back to Daleford village. Vals directions
were clear and fall, and if the stranger
obeyed them he could not possibly 90
astray in either direction. 1t seemed in
hospitabe to permit him to turn out I'M
attended into the night, but l could per-
ceive no alternative, and | have reason to
think that he would have overruled any
| and every objection.
Mrs. Climber had not appeared. This
struck US afterward as strange. However
busy she might be with her correspond
ence it was curious that she should have
heard nothing of the arrival, or that, hear
ing she should have kept away. Some
twenty minutes after Mr. Iidlaw had left
she entered the drawing-room and listened
10 our joint narrative OF what had hap
pened. j fancied that she was preoccu-
pied, until Alice casually referred to the
visitors inspection of her handwriting,
and that then her manner changed, and
she listened with more interest-even
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