Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-04-24

| you. My idea Is that Tine slIupieet pre-
cautions are the best shall carry the
stones In an inner pocket and shall go
armed. No one will suspect me, and
am attacked l shall make good de-
Tense at all events"
I Mr.. Birchmore, said nothing more,
and Indeed seemed scarcely to listen 70
nv remarks. l now suggested to him
that he might show Rudolph his ring.
He put his hand TO his waistcoat pocket
and gave half suppressed ejaculation
of disappointment and annoyance. He
had left the ring at home!
mo matter; l will call tomorrow,
Herr Rudolph" he observed. I've no
doubt / shall find what l want here, II
anywhere. Good norning-that Is, II
YOU are ready, Mr.. Gainsborough9 By
the way, Rudolph, ] suppose you put
YOUR treasures In a safe at night?"
"Oh, by all means, Herr, replied the
little Saxon. "And / have Waterman
also, who guards all night long,"
"a prudent fellow; yes, that will do,
murmured Mr.. Bircchmore In an under
tone to himself. Then, with a parting
nod and smile. to which the jeweler did
not respond, he sauntered out, follow
! ing. We walked back to the hotel.
did not see him again until after din
ner, when he offered me cigar, and
when we had smoked together awhile In
silence he said abruptly:
'I've found that stone"
looked at him inquiringly.
1.-THE diamond out OF my ring. In
my trousers pocket, Of all places in the
world! Fell out while l was cropping
for my keys, suppose. Sorry to have
raised false hopes in your friend Ru-
dolph. By the way, he'll have finished
that Job OF yours before very long,"
''In about a week, fancy. l shall be
sorry to leave Paris.
Eyes? Well, it is nice place; but
one gets tired OF the incest places in
time. / do. like to be moving"
~ shall have month to spend on my
way to Rome. This is almost my first
experience OF the Continent. l wish l
had some travelling companion who
knew the ropes" This hint l let fall
in the hope that he might propose to
Join me, but as he made no rejoinder,
at length ventured to put it more plain
". gave him rough sketch Of the
route proposed to follow, asked his
opinion upon it and finally said that
should his inclination lead him also In
that direction should be very glad OF
his company.
"Weli, sir, I'm obliged to you," re-
piled Mr.. Birchmore after a pause OF
some moments. "You couldn't pay a
man a better compliment than TO ask
him to travel with you; and l would &C
cept your offer as frankly and fearlessly
as you make it, only-well, the fact is,
I'm not so entirely at my own disposal
as may appear to you to be. l have
been through a good many experiences
I'm life, and some Of the consequences are
upon me still. When you have reached
my age-if you ever do reach it-you
will understand me better. l suppose
may be fifteen years your senior; well,
fifteen years means good deal-a good
deal" He pulled a meditative cloud or
two and then added: You're not hurt?
You see how it is? would really like
to accompany you, but / can't"
Os course l firmly disavowed all re-
sentiment, and felt inwardly ashamed OF
having forced him, by the freedom OF
my advances, into making this explana-
ton. Meanwhile, / could not help lik-
ing him better than ever and feeling
more than ever interested, not to say
curious, about him. 1t was now certain
that some mystery or other attached to
him. cast covert glances at him in
the vain attempt to read something OF
his secret through his outward aspect.
But he was inscrutable, or rather there
was nothing especially noticeable in
him. His face, as l have said, was
handsome in its contours; he wore a
heavy mustache and short, pointed
beard on his chin. His forehead was
wide across the temples, but low, and
dark brown hair, rather stiff, and
streaked here and there with gray,
grew thickly over his head. His hands
were large and hairy up to the second
Joints OF the fingers, but they were fine
ly and powerfully formed and the fingers
tapered beautifully, with nails smoothly
cut and polished.
In figure he was above the medium
size and appeared strongly built, though
he had complained to me more than
once of rheumatism or some other bod
lily failing. In walking he took rather
short steps for tall man and without
any swayng of the shoulders, his hands
being generally thurst in the side pock-
cts OF his coat and his face inclined to-
ward the ground. But his eyes--large,
bright and restless-were his most re-
markable feature. They appeared to
take note OF everything; they were sell
dom fixed and never retrospective.
| Compared with the general immobility
of the rest of his countenancee, these
eyes of Mr.. Birchmore seemed to have
a life Of their own, and very intense
and watchful one.
Whenever they met mine fully (Which
was but seldom, and then only for mo-
ment at a time) ! was conscious OF 8
kind Of start or thrill, as II fine spray
Of icy water had swept my face. What
had those eyes looked upon, or what
was it that lurked behind them?
1--WE may run across each other again
hope we may" said Mr.. Birchmore
when l shook hands with him at part
ing a few days later. "Glad to have
met you, Mr. Gaihsborough-very glad,
sir"
Thanks; am glad to have met you.
Four acquaintance has profted me not
a little"
"Oh, as to that" said Mr.. Birchmore,
with smile and one of those startling,
straightforward glances into my eyes
''as to that the profit will have been
mutual, TO say the least of it. Goodby"
CHAPTER III.
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