The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-01-10
FOULPLAY.
A NOVEL.
By.cHARLEs REApE.
CHAPTER Ix1-coxr,x1.rn.

BYcHARLEs READE.
CHAPTER LvL-COSTINrED.
Up to this time Helen sex, and it's attri
butes, had been great disadvantage to her
She had been stopped on the very threshold o!
her inquiry by petty difficulties which man
would have soon surmountcd. But one fine
day the scale gave little turn, and she
made little discovery, thanks to her sex
Women. whether it is that they nre born to
be followed, or are accustomed to be followed,
seem to have eyes in the back of their heads,
ana instinct to divine when somebody in nf.
ter them. This inexperienced girl, who had
missed seeing many things our readers have
s'en. observed in merely passing her window
seedy man in tho courtyard of the hotel.
Would you believe it, she instantly recog-
nized the man who had opened her cab door
for her in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Quick us
lightning 1t passed through her mind. why
do see the same figure Mt Lincoln's lnn
Fields and at Charing Cross" At various in.
tervals she passed tine window; and twice she
saw the man ng,lin. She pondcrcd. and de-
/ tcrmincd to try q little experiment Robert
Pen'ola. it may be remembered, had men,
toned an expert rs ono ofthe persons she
was to see She had looked for his name in
the Directory; but experts were not down in
the book. Another fatality! But ut last she
had found Cndercliff. photographer, and she
fancied that must be tho snme person. She
did not hope to learn much from him; the
newspapers said his evidence hud caused n
smile. She ordered q cab, and dressed her.
self. She came down, and entered the cab;
but, instead Of telling the man where to- drive,
she gave him slip Of paper, containing the
address Of the photographer Drive there, "
said She i: little nystcriously. The cnbman
winked, suspecting an intrigue, and went off
to the place. There she learned Mr.. Under
cliff had moved to Firth Street. Soho,
number not known. She told the rahmnn to
drive slowly up md down the street, shut
could no. find the name. At last she observed
some Autographs in window. She let the
Gu bmcn so all down the street. then stopped
him. and paid him off. She had no sooner
done this than she walked very brisky back,
and entered the little shop and inquired for
Mr. Gndcrcliff. He was out, and not expect.
ed back for an hour. ~ will watt" said
Helen; and she suit down with her head upon
her white hand. A seedy man passed the
window rapidly with 1; l,Isy mir; aud, if his
eye shot II glance into the shop, it was SO
was spy and had done Ills work ciIactunlly
as ho flushed by. In that moment the young
lady, through the chink of her fingers, which
sha had opened for that purpose, not only
recognized the man, but noticed his face, his
hat. his waistcoat, his dirty linen, and the
pin in his neck.tip.
All" said she, and flushed to the brow.
She lifted up her bend and became con.
scious OF uforinniable old woman, who was
standing behind til" counter ut IL side door,
cying her with the sevciest scrutiny. This
old woman was tall und thin. aud had n fine
ince Ire lower part of which was feminine
rnnugh but the forehead nn,l brows were Ill
farming. Though her hair was slvcry the
br"ws we're black and shaggy, and the fore
head was divided by vertical into two tenn
Piles, Under tliose shaggy eyebrows shone
dark giay eyes, that passed for black with
most people; and those eyes were fixed on
Helen, reading her. Helen's light hazel eyes
returned their gnzc. She blushed, and, still
looking said, pray, madam, can see Mr.
t'nlercliff?"
My son is out for the day, miss, said the
old Indy civillv.
20 dear! how unfortunate l am!' sud
Helen with sigh.
"He comes back tonight. You can see
him to-morrow Mt ten O'Clock. ACQUISITION Of
handwriting,"
Not exactly enid Helen: "but he was
witness in favor Of IL person know was ill.,
nocrnt.'
But he was found guilty." said the other
Yes, madam: and he has no friend to
clear him but me- npoor wrnk girl batfled and
defeated whichever way turn" She began
to cry.
, The old woman looked at her crying, WIKI
steady composurc Which marks her sex on
said quietly, "i on are not SO weak MS you
think She added, after II while. "lfyou
wish to retain my son, you had better leave
n fec."
with pleasure, madam. What is the feeo'
"One guinea. Ofcourse, there is II separate
charge for amy work lie may do for you
Tint is but reasonable, madam" And
with this she paid the fee, and rose to go.
shall send any one home with you!"
"No, thnnk you" said Helen. "Whyo'
because you IRE followed, and because
you nre not used to be followed"
why. how did you find that out?"
! "By your face. when II man passed the
win'iow-a shabby-genteel fellow; h. was en-
ployed by some gentleman, no doubt. Such
faces as yours will he followed in London. II
you feel uneasy. miss. will put OH my bon
net and see you home.
Helen was surprised at this act Of sulstan-
| tiul civiiity from the Gorgon. 20. thank Won,
Mrs. tm.lercliff." snid she. No. am not the
lenst afraid Let them follow me, nm do
ing nothing that | am ashamed o. Indeed
nm glad am thought worth the trouble OF
following. II shows me | am not 80 thorough.
! ~ coLtemptiblr. Good by, and many thanks
Ten o'clock tomorrow"
And she walked home without looking once
behind her till the Hotel was in sight; then
| she stopped at Il shop window, and in u
moment her swift eye embraced the whole
landscape. hut the shabby genie man was
nowhere in sight.
| CHAPTER LvII.
WnEN Joseph Wylie disappeared from the
| scene, Nancy Rouse made Il discovery which
very often follows the dismissal of a sutton
that she was considerably more attached to
him Than she had thought. The house bcca mc
dull, the subordinate washerwomen lnnguitl;
their taciturnity irritatcd and depressed
Nancy by turns.
| In the midst of this, Michael pcnfold dis
covered that Helen had come hack sate. lie
came into hsr pnrlor. bea,ning with sntisfac.
ton. and told her OF the good news 1t gave
her immense delight at first. But. when she
had got used to her JOY on that score. slie
began to think she had used Joe Wylie very
ILL., Now that Helen was saved, she could no
longer realize that Wylie was so very much
| to blnme
She even persuaded hcrsel! that his disap.
pearaEce wns the act ofa Justly offended man;
and. as he belonged to class ut whose good
sense she had poor opinion. she was tor.
mented with fenls that lie would do some
or worst OF all. marry some trollop. She he.
came very anxious and unhappy. Before this
misfortune she used 10 go about singing the
first verse of song. and whistling the next
like any plowboy; nm eccentric performance,
but it made the house gay. Now both song
and whistle were suspended! and, instead, il
was nil hard work and hard crying: turn
about.
She attached herself to Michael Penfoli be.
cause he had known trouble, and was sym.
pathetic: and these two opened their heal t.
to one another, and formed friendship that
was very honest and touching
The scene OF their conversation and mutual
consolation was Nanry's pnror: II little mite
OF n room she had partitioncd OF from hei
business. For" said slie "a Indy III be
inter my work in done-ifit il only in n cup
board The room had II rcmurkab large
fireplace, which hud originally warmed iii,
whole floor, but now was used az II vent ilato,
only. The gas would have lsern sitting with
out it. As for lighting II fire in it, thnt wa.
out Of the question.
On u certain evening soon after Mr. Pen
folds return from Scotland. the pair sat over
their tea, aud the conversation fell ON til,
missing sweetheart. Michael had been think
ing it over. and WINS full of encouragement
He said:
"Mlss Rouse something tells me that, i
poor Mr.. Wylie could only know your henrt
lie would turn up again directly. What W,
ought to do is to send somebody to look toi
him in all the sailors hnunts: some sharp tcl
low Dear me, what q knocking they kecr
up next door,
80. that is always the way when one wan IL
o quiet chat Drat the woman! Ill have