The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-07-25
CHAPTER TX. :
AIDS L nRANE y


as Tie train began its rumbling jour
ney into tho night Mr.. Drane felt wild
exultation. He was escaping from the
scenes of the utmost misery he had ever
experienced, and he was going to sec
the most adorable girl in the world. The
more he thought of it the more the
tramp's story about his marriage ap-
peared to be absolute fiction-and yet,
the fellow had been so confident, SO un-
mistakably pleased with his prospects,!
And Bessie had said that she lived in
Buffalo. Was she deceiving him, and
Mrs. Bowers, too? 1t was all very
strange. Why had he not taken the
precaution to learn the tramp's real
name? Had he gone and married Bessie
under the name of Drane?
Lawrence shivered until he recalled
that the tramp had known Bessie in
childhood and therefore could not pass
himself to her under false name This
was some comfort, but as he puzzled on
over the situation he began to doubt
whether he had done wisely in running
away from his Kansas City friends who
had come to New York to find him.
Undoubtedly, however, they would have
declared that the story of his advent
ures was the fgment of disordered
brain.
So, with perplexities and doubts his
exultation gave way to anxiety, and
even the prospect of seeing Bessie again
failed to relieve his mind of trouble.
1t was long past midnight when he
reached New Haven. A cab took him
to the Beaver House, where he was de-
MED admission because all rooms were
taken. Leaving an application for the
first vacancy, he found accommodations
elsewhere, a sleepy watchman, grum-
bling immoderately, showing him to a
tiny chamber on the top floor. When
he came downstairs in the morning to
pay his bill the clerk politely requested
him to register, a formality that had
been neglected. Certainly he would
comply, and with a determination,
formed in flash, to sail under true col
ors, ho wrote his name and address with
a bold, legible hand. Then he stood be-
fore the window, apparently gazing idly
into the street, really absorbed in form
ulating plan of action. just as Mr..
Drane was registering a shrewd- looking
young man with notebook in one hand
and a pencil in the other entered the Of
flee. He waited until Lawrence had
withdrawn from the counter and then
began industriously to copy the names
and addresses from the big book. Tho
clerk greeted him jocularly:
"Well Jimmy, what's the news to-
day?"
'Read the Evening Dispatch and find
out, was the smart reply.
This brilliant repartee had done serv-
ice for opening the conversation be-
tween the clerk and the shrewd young
man daily for many months. and it is
probably so serving still. There is moth
ing like having a witty retort that is
warranted not to wear out.
1.-THE young man copied rapidly down
tho page until he came to the last page.
Then he paused and scowled an instant,
after which he wrote Lawrence Drane,
Kansas City, Mo-, No. 346, pd.," very
slowly, and turned about slyly to scru-
tinize the broad back of the gentleman
at the window.
''Any thing up, Jimmy?" asked the
clerk, observing this action.
Jimmy winked and nodded mysteri-
ously, and began to search among the
newspapers lying on the writing table.
Presently nc found New York paper
of the day before and turned to the ac-
count of Mr.. Drane's escape and the re-
ward offered for his capture.
81 thought SOL" he said, with a tri-
umphant grin, while tho clerk looked
on in undisguised curiosity. Jimmy
gave him no comfort. Instead, he
heightened the clerks emotion by sit
ting down where he could see Mr..
Drane's face and scanning the paper
again with frequent glances upward for
comparison.
''Mustache gone and clothes differ
ent," he muttered; "but it must be the
man. l wonder whether he'll become
violent and murder me if I speak to
him. Perhaps can inveigle him to a
police station"
While Jimmy was still debating what
to do to scoop the boys on a big piece
of news and gain q humping reward,
Lawrence decided upon his own course
and started to loave the hotel. Jimmy
was on his feet instantly and inter-
cepted him.
''Mr. Drane, believer. he said, in
terrogatively.
"Yes," replied Lawrence, with start
of surprise.
Lawrence Drane, of Kansas City?"
continued Jimmy.
Eyes; what can do for you?"
81 want to ask you some questions
about the condition of affairs in the
West" said Jimmy, glibly, "the cfops,
you know. farm mortgages and their eff
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