The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-01

" ~ eyes, mounted
che gangway from below, and stood near
ahe door of the saloon. lie had just
taken a cigar from his waistcoat pocket,
and was in the act of cutting off the end
of it with his penknife, when tall per-
.sonage with bony features and a thin
neck came in through the door and con-
fronted him He was about to pass on,
but, at a second glance, stopped and said
as if to himself:
"Henry Clifton.
The red haired man turned sharply
~'Bob Stapleton, by lingo" he exclaimed.
They shook hands, evidently pleased
at the encounter, cycling each other all
over, as if to make sure that no part of
either was missing.
"Well, and what have you been doing
with yourself these three years pastT'
Inquired he of the red hair, who an
-Bwered to the name of Clifton. Lets
ace; it was in Liverpool saw you last,
wasn't it? You were after that forging
gang"
"Yes, and l got en-" responded the
other who had been addressed as Bob
Stapleton. ut was good job; I've had
nothing better since. But what brings
you over here?"
"Oh, private affair-something par,
ticularly choice, replied Clifton, sticking
his cigar in his mouth. "All expenses
paid and twenty pound month.
"Hullol That's not bad. A hundred
dollars and expenses. What is it? Is
Scotland Yard after theaFenians AGAIN."
"No, no. don't belong to the Yard
any more; doing business now on my
own feet. I'm engaged on a case involv-
ing hundred and fifty thousand pounds
seven hundred and fifty thousand of
your money"
"Great Scott A robbery"
"No; no such common business. A lost
heiri"
"a lost heir2 That sounds good! Come,
we've got the evening before us; suppose
Yea spin the yarn"
'Humphl I'm not SO sure about that"
returned Clifton, scratching his whiskers
thoughtfully. This isn't the sort Of
story that one tells to everybody. How
ever" he added, you're not everybody,
though suppose you consider yourself
somebody; at all events, if you promise
to keep it dark, fancy can trust you.
But let's go into some quiet corner--as
its warm evening, suppose we sit out
side, where we can smoke. have cigars
enough, and this yarn will probably last
out more than one of them"
As they passed out of the door, d
gentleman who had been sitting in a
chair not far off, with his hat drawn
down over his nose, and who had SEEM
ingly been asleep, rose quietly from his
seat and proceeded to the door OF state
room little way forward of the paddle
box. He entered the room and locked
the door after him; then he breathed a
sigh of relief. He took off his hat and
looked at his reflection in the mirror.
1t showed the countenance Of man be-
tween 90 and 80 years of age-perhaps
nearer the latter age than the former
the lower part of which was thickly
covered with brown beard, cropped
short at the sides and round the throat,
but allowed to grow to point on the
chin. The forehead, cheeks and nose
were deeply bronzed by the sun, giving
4. peculiar appearance to pair of hand
some blue eyes. The hair was cut short
any one would have taken the head fo
that Of Frenchman. This idea would
have been confirmed when the gentle
man put across his nose pair Of tinteC
eyeglasses, mounted in gold. He re
garded himself critically.
"Yes," he muttered, in the underton
which people use when conversing will
themselves, Its good get up, consider
ing the simplicity of the materials. N
one can say am Disgusting myself; an
yet | doubt il my own mother-Go
bless herl-would recognize me at tn
first glance, though my sister might.
must have been intended by nature 70
an actor; my features lend themselves
readily to disguise. At one time l ar
an American; then an Englishman; nov
a Frenchman; tomorrow may attemI
a Turk or a Russian. But what an eN
traordinary piece of bad luck that tina
fellow Clifton should be on this steamer
Does he know that l am on boarC
Hardly. And yet, what is he here fol
1T must be on that same business; an
in that business l am concerned, how
ever unwillingly. Perhaps he has CON
to look up my record Confound hin
why can't he let me alonel / shall has
hard enough time of it without hin
OF course he will go straight to InspectC
Byrnes, and when the inspector finds OF
that am not-what's that"
In order to answer this question.
must be observed that the state roo
occupied by the bearded gentleman W;
an "outside" one; its window opened {
the water, or rather on narrow str
Of deck which interyened between Il