The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-31

dressed 10 q. johnson, and also that w
Christian name of skipwith was Henry. III
sprang up and opened his door. The uprel
landing was dark 80 that he did not see In'
face Of Johnson: but the other man ne saw
clearly and recognized at once. his wa
that mIschieyous Young Stirling, whose
range of invention had made him IN DIS
student days the terror, and yet in a certain
sense the fayorite. OF the whole body Oh pro
| fessOra. "
"What. stirling." cried Professor ARA
and smiled in spite Of himself. 1T seemed
less offensive thing To be called "old ARA
now that be knew the offender to DE ION
stirling. i.
GOOD evening. SIR said Stirling, in a
tone Of unabasbed friendliness:
"step in moment" said the froiesso''
and Stirling stepped in. ,a
"WhO is your friend UPSTAIRS ihp"iie"
| Professor Arid, sternly.
ION. man | know, called Johnson.
"Do know him as man called John
sony"
NO sir. don't think you do"
"What is his other name!"
"lienry."
Then. why are his letters addressed TO &.
Johnson
81 am sure can't say, sir Perhaps he
| has two Names"
- WO AT Ittrl. oh'hiu Nhihh' wv" '"N
professor dryly.
Stirling acknowledged the hit by a smile.
lis it skipwithf" asked the Professor
point blank.
\ swift change passed over the ostenta-
ti0us caDdOr OF the young man's counte-
nance. lie turned red: his mouth twitched
he looked as ifhe might be about TO laugh
or. possibly. to cry; finally. he clasped his
hands together and said in stiiled voice,
"Oh, sir, don't don't betray him.
81 don't want to betray him" said the
Professor, hesitatingly. But won't have
any more wrong done. What is IT that he
is going TO do on Thursday'
Leave the country with his wife"
"And what beforeY
GLOW do you know anything about itT'
cried stirling.
perhaps Ihavc second sight, said the
Professor.
Eyes that must be So" replied the other
solemnly. IL don't deny that YOU have
found MS out, and don't ask you 10 shield
him. I'll only ask you not 10 do anything
before Thursday morning unless you hear
from me. On Thursday YOU may make
everything known to the police if you like"
You give me your word that this thing
whatever it is-wOn't be done before Thurs
day."
at can't be done before Thursday" re-
piled stirling earnestly; and the Professor.
remembering words from the photograph 10
the same effect. believed him.
every well; will take no steps before
Thursday, unless hear from you, or unless
| see some special reason to do so.'
With that Stirling went away, and the
Professor was left, for the second time that
day, to question the morality OF bis own
good nature.
Thursday morning came and nothing had
been heard from Stirring. The professor,
with a mind made up TO stern action, sat at
breakfast reading his morning paper. All
at once he dropped his knife and fork and
| fell back i'm his chair. The Scotsman, as II
leaned against the coffee pot, presented To
his astOnished eyes paragraph describing
the arrest of Skipwith on the previous after.
noon-in London: Without pausing TO
reflect he snatched up the paper and
rushed violently up stairs. He knocked at
Mr.. Johnson's door. No answer, lie went
in. The table was prepared for breakfast,
but the room was empty.
Not up yet" said the Professor, and
knocked at the door of the bedroom.
Again there was no reply, and again the
Professor followed up his knock by an en-
trance. And again the room was empty.
The bed was smooth and undisturbed. \
pOrtmanteau stood. buckled, on the floor.
\ label upon it bore the name and address
of Stirling.
The Professor rang the bell with yigor.
and Mrs Lester, in the kitchen, proceeded
10 make Mr.. JOhnsOn's tea. In about a
minute the bell was rung again. She has
tened up and found Professor Arid standing,
with "a dismayed cOuntenance, in the mid
de Of the room.
" Where is Mr.. JOhnsOn;' he asked.
When did he go;"
The landlady glanced through the open
door at the empty .sleepns-room. Her blank
face was answer tnOngh.
Was he here Yesterday mOrning?'
''Oh. yes. sir, and yesterday night, too, up
till 10 O'Clock" And then she fell 10 wiring
ing her hands and wondering which of the
public buildings would prove to have been
blown up.
Let some one fetch me cab said the
Professor and leaving his unfinished meal
he bet0ok himself at once TO the lodgings Of
MIR. Stirling, where he learned that stirling
had gone out some five minutes earlier in
company with an unknown gentleman, and
he left no message as to his return.
The Professor, full Of the darkest fOrebOd-
ines. walked slowly home, pausing upon
the way to complete bis interrupted break
fast. II was thus nearly an hour later
when he returned TO Mrs. Testers. \ cab
>lpDu At TIE upoI, anu vi HIS tHlI dnct ut
was told that Mr.. Stirling was waiting to
see him. The Professor sprang upstairs like
a schOOlbOy.
"Well, sir" cried he, as he burst into his
own room. What is the meaning Of all
this, | should like to know"
Stirling with a face of deep seriousness
d 'ew from his pocket a small. wedge-shaped
package anLbeld it out in silence.
The Professor hastily tore open the paper
and beheld a cardboard box such as is used
Tor the transmission Of wedding-cake. lie
frOwned; the receptacle seemed 10 him indie
Gently frivolous. Then il flashed across him
that the stolen diamonds might be within It,
The box, however. contained an orthodox
fragment Of bride-cake. The Professor
stared at it stupefied, and hardly remarked
that as he opened the box three cards fell &c
the ground.
Stirring picked them up and presented
them displayed on his palm.
The Professor saw printed upon the first
Mr.. Henry Ashley, upon the second Miss
Margaret Hall, and upon the third-whcI
was duly bordered with silyer-Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Ashley. ON the first was
added in pencil "Mr. G. Johnson" and on
| the last "ln spite Of the Lord Chancellor
Light began 10 dawn on the bewildered
| Professor. "rhen il was Ashley and not
| Skipwilh Z" cried he. And stirling with q
| broad grin nodded. 81 begin to understand,
said the Professor slowly. But why In
| spite of the Lord Chancellor ="
because Miss Hall was a ward Of Court
and Ashley was forbidden 10 see her"
"Ah." said the professor, still meditatiye
then it is marrying a ward in chancery, II
| it, which j. the offence for which there is NJ
eXtradition." Then, with a sudden change
of face. he cried ont. Come upstairs, sir
Come upstairs, Tom. want to show you
something"
And thus if fell out that Tom Stirling-th,
unlikcliest man in all Saltburgh-w The
first to learn the secret Of the professor
piano. lemeDtina Black in the Englisl
| illustrated Magazine.
FOrMalaria. Liver TrOu-