The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-15
But II IS nardly worth while" said

But II IS nardly worm "elte, SHlu
Noe!, with sudden reluctance. How.
ever. my cigar-case contains something
beside cigars; let him describe what i!
is" And he presented tie case.
Underneath the cigars, Of which the
case is quite FULL" said Ah-Ben-Medan,
with unexpected promptness, there is 9
handsome bloodstone. recently loosened
from lingering, which the sahib in.
tends taking to jeweler to have reset. "
Right again." said Noel, taking back
the case.
The sahib has also perhaps in the
trousers hip-pocket-a large red morocco
pocketbook, which contains something
besides money!" said the juggler, in q
slow, hesitating voice, as thong b rather
seeking to confirm half-oonceiyed i'm
preston than to state fact.
What Is 1t 10 you II aare?" exclaimed
Noel, flushing, half in surpnise and hall
in anger.
"Come, come, Marlove; out with the
pocketbook!" cried several voices. You
had the laugh on u.s."
Yes, Noel; turn and turn about is the
fair.thing," said Squanderall, laughing.
Didn't let the fellow turn my old
betting-boo inside ont for Che amuse.
ment Of yourself, among the rest2"
The sahib need not fear that I will
minutely describe the piece of paper
which the pocketbook contains" " said
the juggler, eagerly. Il will mention
nothing more than the signature If be
wishes"
The signature is pretty much all
really know about the paper myself,
.thoughtfully observed the young man, as
he reluctantly produced the pocket book
from the pocket that had been indicated.
Il am at loss to know even how came
by it."
why, here's mystery-a wheel within
a WHEEL" cried Sir Harry. Tell us some.
thing about it, before Ah-Ben exercises
himself upon it, Noel"
"I.only know, said Noel, with increased
uneasiness, that, while dressing myself
ON last Sunday morning, found the piece
of writing referred to, wrapped up in 8
newspaper, which I had snatched up
hastily from my fathers offce-table OIL
the night before
Jasper, especially, was now hanging
upon his words with breathless interest.
Il concluded that had snatched it up
inadvertently with the newspaper. A
glance at the signature and contents in
creased the mystery of its having come
into my possession, even in this way.
In the first place, was sure that the
signature was but the weakest sort of
forgerv-a miserable imitation, as was
the rest of the writing, of the handwrit-
ing that it pretended to represent. In
the next place, it contained charge-a
-accusatory charge that. under Other
circumstan ces, would have proved laugh
able. AS it was, unable to account foI
the papers origin, and unwilling to an
noy, perhaps needlessly distress, the per-
son bearing, but not identified with, the
signature affixed, I put it away in this
pocket book. where it has remained ever
since, in the hope of ridding myself
finally of it and my perplexity.
However, this has not prevented my
thought frequently recurring to the mat.
ter, and with nameless sort of uneasi.
ness for which I cannot account. That
is all there is about it,"
Mysterious enough, too," said Sir
Harry, laughing: We'll, hand over the
book to the seer"
Ah-Ben- Medan, upon receiving the
turned it over and over in
his hands, with more attention than he
had bestowed upon any previously sub
mitted article, and even pressed it fre-
quently and somewhat convulsively now
TO his forehead and then to his breast;
while his twinkling little eyes kept wan.
dering back and forth between Noel and
Jasper. the lntter of whom had now the
utmost difficulty to control his excite.
ment.
Il find the red morocco hard to seq
through, but the contents of the wallet
are rapidly growing more distinct. said
the juggler, in the same strained, muftled
tone as upon former occasions. 'Ah,
now everything is clear. The sahiba
pocket-book is we'll provided. There are
three fve-pound notes, two ten-pound
notes, ive or six sovereigns, and some
loose change. There is also q gold lead.
pencil. Now, see the piece Of writing
referred to. 1t is upon paper worn at tho
creases, and apparently yellowed and
stained with age. Heaven! the words il
not false, have indeed terrible meaning.
The writing bears date more than
seventeen years ago, and it is signed,
'Gilbert'-"
THAT will dol" exclaimed Noel. flush.
ing, ana at no came time snatching bach
the pocket book and returning it to its
receptacle. THE proof of your wonder
working is sufficiently evident"
"As the sahib pleases, said Ah-Ben-
Medan, making his final and profoundest
salaam to the entire company; and then,
turning sv iftly upon his heel, he with.
drew.
why, the chap has gone off without
waiting for the two guineas we promised
bim!' suddenly exclaimed one Of the
party.
so he has," said another. And did
you notice one odd thing about himf
When he first introduced himself it was in
English, and after that, as though
himself, he spoke as we'll as any
of US.
mo matter" said Noel, laughing lit
tie nervously. His performance was fo1
all that n most extraordinary one"
1T seemed so to most of you, simply
because you are not used to observing
tricks of iegerdemain, said Rollingstone
coolly. Il suspect that the fellow is more
q knave than anything else. Toward the
last I half-remembered having seen him
in suspicious company"
"What?" Really" You doaf 5a4
so?' exclaimed several r";-.ss -
HeSot'" .sss, his sleignt-of-hand was
.uerb. There is chance that he PAID
himself for his trouble out Of the pock-
et-books that he held in his hands. Let
here lie q general e1amin alton. at least.
This advice was at once acted upon. Sti
Harry Wilding, Lord Squanderall. and
Mr.. Caikins, all of whose wallets had
passed through the juggler's hands, re.
ported, after brief exam nation, that
nothing had been taken from them.
p.f M coonar did Noel look inside OF