Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-01


pseudo Captain Jigelss' opinion, the hours |
pending the arrival OF the newly ordered |
garments, and 10 be followed by the last
mentioned pretender, in pursuance Of his
determination to not again lose sight OF
-his man" for many minutes at a time.
This state Of affairs continued until
two OF three in the afternoon, with the
spy keeping mp his watch, and the other
apparently altogether unconscious OF
anything Of the sort, and only OCCASION
ally appearing o trife bored, when SER
want came to say to Mr.. Bently that the
bundle he had been expecting had come,
and was awaiting his inspection in the
apartment which he had engaged.
Even then the spy followed his man"
to the foot Of the inn-stairs, upon q
himsy prstext, and grudgingly watched
his ascent and subsequent disappearance
into room at the top of the steps.
Dash it ALI II, after all, he should
succeed in giving me the slip, in one way
or another, how should feel?s muttered
Wormer, with an inward groan. Not
only would all hopes Of my promised
four hundred pounds be at an end, but I
should, moreover, be out on that five
pound note that that seedy Rollingstone
soaped me out of-the devil fly away with
himl Not to mention the ten-pounder
that had to poultice Bug with yester-
day. But no-the deucel cannot afford
to even dream Of failure. No, mol Jas
per MarIowe has assuredly got on his
person the paper the possession of which
is almost a matter of life and death to
both Gilbert Marlowe and old Croak, as
we'll as of four hundred pounds to me,
and must and will obtain it of him at
any ost-and that, too, before he can
have chance to make it public, or let
decent lawyer get q glimpse of It'll But
how am to stick to him as am doing,
without causing him to suspect my true
characterP
Dash it all! This Rollingstone, what
ever he may be now, must have been
something of genuine swell at some
time or other in the past; what If he and
Jasper should stroll of, with me in their
company, as q sort of good humored toll
Grafton, and then fall in with some real
bloods-men of genuine style and breed
ing-how long would be able to success
fully play of this bogus commissary serv-
ice upon them2 Not for an hour, if know
myself, and I fancy I dol By jovel Fell
lows Of that sort are just microscopic as
the real and false social article-the
ass ears would crop out through the
lions skin in less than no timel Still,
there's nothing left but to stick, and
stick 1 shall. II it comes to being kicked
out at last, then hey for Bug and violence
at the first opportunity, and as last re-
sort! There'n be nothing left me but
that"
With such and kindred reflections
chasing each other through his brain,
Wormer paced the floor of the inn read
ing-room, choosing for his pacings an
open space near door leading through q
rear hallway to the foot of the staircase
up which Jasper had disappeared, and
thoroughly resolved to adhere to the line
of action already chosen.
But when Jasper reappeared in the
reading-room, after q brief absence, Wor-
mer had to confess to himself that he
would hardly have recognized him as the
| same man, under less favorable circum-
stances, SO complete and attractive was
| the transformation that had been effected
by the costumer's art, together with the
| barber services, which had been brought
into requisition at subsequent stage.
| His beard had been removed, with the
| exception Of decorative mustache, his
costume was perfectly fitting, including
hat and boots Of faultless glossiness,
and, best Of all, he bore himself with an
easy unconsciousness of the change
that had been effected, or at least with a
modest air Of unconcern which was in
| excellent keeping with it all.
by Jove, but you're simply magnifi-
cent, my boy!" exclaimed Wormer, with
unaffected admiration. And more than
that, you're to the manner borni But
| you're sly one, too! What were you
| Disgusting yourself in that other outland-
| ish rig forp"
@You mistake, Captain, was the col
lected reply, accompanied by slightly
suggestive gesture with prettily beaded,
new-bought walking stick. Il have
changed my clothing, but not necessarily
for the purpose of assuming or shed
ding a disguise. That is species Of
bad taste which I am always willing tc
delegate to- such as may deem it requi-
site.
There was something in both the words
and manner of the reply that rendered
the spy uneasy, but he, nevertheless, re-
tanned his outward audacity, and did no
hesitate to accompany Jasper, as the lat
ter passed into the inn-ohice, in ordel
to deposit the key of his room with th'
clerk.
"Has Captain Rollingstone called fo
me during my absence up-stairs?" inquired
Jasper of the clerk.
aNo, Mr.. Bently, was the reply; "bu
message came from him few minuteI
ago, desiring me to state that the Cap.
tain would be here for you in half al
hour.
Il say, my dear boy, said Wormer, still
ACCOMMODATING jasper, as the latte
turned away from the desk, do let M
put up bottle of champagne, pending
the return Of our mutual friend Rolling
stone. What do you sayp I'm such
. garrison-save, you know, as to be almos
|, wholly q stranger here in London-fami
" connections and friends all in the coun
try-demnition lonesome for me, 70,
, know You'll forgive me soldiers blunt
ness, and not think me odd or intrusive
am sure -and--and
He paused in complete embarrassment
While he was speaking gainty, gold
. rimmed eye-glass had been slowly ele
, vated, had gradually attained the mos
exquisitely approved insertion betwee
a down-twitching eyebrow and an up
, twitching cheek corner, and now, as b
! came to faltering pause, the glass, Q
1 perhaps the visual organ behind it, wa
! placidly inspecting him and his imperti
! hence, as though from sort Of patricia
! !, eyrie, whence lordly observation still .
times vouchsafed an idle notice of tn
! creeping things of lower spheres.
An, much obliged, Captain Niggles,
. am sure!" was the drawled reply; @bJ
J really. you know, I have already had th
: honor Of declining to drink in the middl
Of the day, if my memory serves me COZ
Il rocfltr y