Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-03-03

NNiNsa NNiitshl
do. net iorgite IIut what could she
mean al.ut lIolhiooki What dos he
knov about ~ Or how can ~ coucern
himl Isill return 10 New York and
Atm In the Path l0Uught him face
90 face with a man who VA trimming
the shn.bl-ry
Hello. aid Fountain. you're new
about here lIas Mr. wiihorPoon
changed 10. garlsnerr
"Ycs. air. replied the man. still con-
tinuing Do. work.
"llos hong agoy
About thrrc weeks now. sir Tho
man spike with a strong Scotch accent
II had not heard % IL. aid fountain,
indificr,nily. a. be turned away.
NO sif. replied the man. lending
down over a bush
~ FOuntain turned into another path
the gardener watched him disappear
from yisv. then tossed his pruning
shear. into the bush. and saying. "Ive
heard all I want 90 know. lied rapidly
In the 0ppl-ii. direction.
Fountain lil not ind another chance
for cpnfd'utial convcrsation With Flora
that night again
late IN the evening he did find an op-
rortunity o. ay 10 her
IL yuu vill formulate your charges
against me. will try to meet them %
your satisfaction You have lsen mis-
informed aluut something. cyidently.-
"No.- she replied In a low tone,
placing great restraint upon herself,
mover shall ! revert 90 the matter
again. ! have thought IL over. and ac-
c.pt the consequences ! love you too
deeply. though I hat. myself Tor u. but
rm your.. and l east all consideration
"a the winds 1t i'll pass-
"Shall b. able a. scc YOU alone to
morowi must go hack to New York
to-morruw uight
"To-mptrus night, she aid In alarm.
"lc.. mu- II 10. vcry important.
Is ii that enterprise No talked OF
Not ~ not that which calls the
hack k--somc note, 90 moct---ome money
a. rai..."
"Promise me you will keep out % the
sight of liolbruok. Proni-s mo you vii
avoid him In every way"
we have not bocn In tho habit Of
meeting
"IIut promise me faithfully YOU viii
s.rk every way rather than meet him
Ils 4. dangvrOu. to you"
II DO not understand you. neither DO
fear him. hui will promi-, you.
Upon this they parted, she retiring for
the night
Dick WitheuPcon persuaded Fountain
~ walk out for a smoke. and they shortly
found themselves az arr-ort much fire.
qucnicd by the young men ~ that en-.
elusive watering place.
\ little play was going forward In a
Gar corner ~ the ruSm number were
sitting AZ q table.
"IIello!" aid Dick withcrsPoon. there
IL Tom Bryan; what under the sun brings
him hcrrf'
"wbo Is Tom Bryan asked fOun.
tain.
Tho kccnest newspaper man In New
York, and the i--st of fellows. "a well as
one Of the most amusing"
The two Joined the party and were
warml, greeted. while Fountain was
presented IA Tom.
Tom vas telling a attling story OF al
venture. In which figured persons known
Ia fame. AMI which <> oliciting much
laughter.
During IT, recital Tom placed both cl'
lows upon the table. holding his hands
upright to illustrate some point In his
anecdote lie was telling the story a,
Fountain. and did Tot fail to notice that
Fountain booked curiOusly nj the buttons
Tom wore In his cuffs
They were the ones Holbrook hal given
him
To draw his attention 20 them was
Toms purPo~s.
When the tale va. ended and the talk
tagged for a moment. Fountain leaned
forward and said
II beg your pardon. Mr.. Bryan. ] am
not often guilty Of the enormlty of direct
ing attention TO the wear % gentlemen,
but the buttons YOU have are ~ curious
that should like 10 make an inquiry.
Pardon u granted. Tor ] am rather
fond Of these buttonA They are rare,
and a. a T.por devil u a newspaper man
doesn't often mount valuable jewelry.
am distinguished among my fellows fo'
them"
II never saw but one pair like them,
continued Fountain. "and they were Ia
the nature Of an heirloom. Those but
tons we're of Florrntine manufacture
my friend having hal a diamond insert
ell In them They had belonged to hi
grandfather. Who received them as
prc-ent from an Italian. 20 he told me.
"Yesy said Tom. dumfOunded by tn
coolness displayed by Fountain. "Ihe~
buttons were given me by gentleman-
afriend for whom once u lay In my powe
to do a very great favor"
1T was possibly the same person., sai'
Fountain.
Possibly replied Tom.
Tom had expected TO disconcert foun
tain by displaying them. and was takeI
aback by the fact that Fountain had di
r~ctej attention 10 them. -
lie thought that either Fountain was
man OF the coolest nerve. or that the bul
tons did not belong to him lie va
loaih To give IL up -, and consequenti
he desierously turned the conversation
TO New York matters. and then watch
ing Fountain - that he could observ
every shade of expression. he suddenl
said;
Il have bcen given hint from head
quarters that they are on the track
Templeton's murderer"
Fountains face never hinched. and .
expression Of mild curiosity only aror
upon H.
Indeed. hope they may catch IN
rascal. IL was u dastardly deed
A. extraordinary ~ was the comman
Tom exercised over his features at Q
times. it is 20 be feared that astonisl
L -. 40 =. IL. ssx..s,e s~.a wtsfhl