The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-09-30
HE GOT In AT BRUGES.


Mr.. Portman Brown was prosperous,
elderly gentleman, of quiet ways and
fixed habits. A small circle of familiar
friends supplied all his social needs, he
concerned himself little with the rest OF
humanity, belonging to the class who
can live side by side In the same street
with fellow-creature all their lives
without SO much as knowing them BY
sight.
Among Mr.. Browns fixed habits was
yearly tour
But he did not take it, like most peo-
pie, in the summer months, but in the
early spring. Regularly, as the first
week in March came round, he went
abroad. A common place tour, in beaten
tracks, following the usual routine of
travel IN steamers and trains, and lodg-
ing at palatial hotels. No adventure
had ever broken the uneventful record
OF these tours for over a quarter OF O
century; no more exciting incident than
an unusual overcharge at some hotel had
come within Portmau Browns personal
experience.
In 1S-, when March came round, he
made the usual preparations for his yearly
tour in his usual way.
On the evening before his departure,
an old city friend, Mr.. Goldsmith,
dined with him at his house In Harley
street. When about to leave, Gold
smith drew small case from his pocket.
al brought this with me on the chance
that you were going to Cannes. You
will do me great favor by giving it
into my brothers hands there. 1t con-
tains brilliant of such rare value that |
could intrust it to few. 1t will give you
no trouble, being so small there will be
no risk, as no one will know you have
such thing with you"
Anything to oblige friend" said
Brown, lightly. ~ would take the
Koh-i-noor as travelling companion
under the same circumstances.
The two men were standing at the study
window, the blind of which happened
to be up. While in the act of placing
the case ip his pocket, Browns eyes
wandered to the street. At the moment
the light from a lamp in front of the
door struck on the face of man who
was passing-or had been standing there2
IA peculiar dark face, with straight
black whiskers.
The man moved on.
Brown drew back hastily.
'None of your people knew that you
were giving me this commissionl" he
inquired of Goldsmith.
''Not a soul, my dear fellow; the
matter Is entirely between you and me.
My head clerk alone knows of the exist.
ence of the brilliant"
"What is he like2"
"Like you, like me. Responsibility
itself What are you thinking OFF,
"Has he white whiskers9"
"Grey as O badger's-white ever
But, bless my soul, what is the matter ?
What do you meant Have you seen any
one2"
"a man was standing there by the
lamp post as you handed me the jewel
case. He was apparently looking at US,
and might have heard what we said"
"Then he must be in the street still, "
said Goldsmith, throwing up the win
dow aud putting his head out; Brown
did the same. The night was bright.
Not soul was to be seen anywhere
the street was quite deserted.
ga neighbor or a neighbor's butler.
He has gone into some house." Gold
smith withdrew from the window. SIN
any case, no one could have overheard,
nor, | should think, have seen us. As
for my clerk, Travers, boast myself an
honest man, but don't hesitate to ac-
knowledge that he is the honester of the
two. Your imagination is playing you
tricks. didn't know you were giver
that way. Perhaps you would rather not
take charge Of the brillianti"
But Brown would not hear of this
Already shamefaced over his hasty and
somewhat ridiculous suspicious, he dis
missed them abruptly.
"Not for worlds would give up the
CHARGE" he said. 'I'm net such fool
as seem. The man probably is one of
the new neighbors; there are a good
many newcomers in the street"
Portman Brown set out next morning
for Lucerne via Brussels aud the Rhine,
staying a few days at Ostend on the way
He took his place in the undeniable COM
fort of first class carriage in the express
to Brussels with mind as free from
care and uneasiness as an elderly gentle
man ever possessed. A life of plain, un-
diluted prose had, up to this, kept his
imaginative fauulties in complete abey-
ance; lunatics, hypnotists, murderers,
ETC., as possible fellow travellers, had
never entered his mind. AS a rule, in-
deed, his fellow. travellers no more excited
his interest or notice than his near
neighbors at home, On this occasion he
was just conscious, in leaving the station
at Ostend, that an elderly couple were
the other occupants of the carriage; he
merely gave paSspg glance from his
newspaper at the ny a stranger who
got in at Bruges amt tsat down on the
opposite seat. ~
Nearly an hour has\passed before
Brown laid down his &spaper, and
when he did he was horrlS X to see in
the traveller who got in a sTuges the
dark-faced man who had + Tted his
suspicious when he started fr@ Ndon.