The Opelousas courier., 1892-12-03

90 London, emu %.
ployed no travelling agents. The near.
est approach to it was what is called ss
speciality man." In other words, he was
an employe of the house trusted al.
most as much as one of the partners, but
under bonds SO heavy that the house
need not worry about him If he did not
turn up at the hour he was due. It hap.
pened very often that titled people and
those who had grown rich in trade could
not make it convenient to come to town
to deal with the house personally for rare
gems, while Others were in want of spe-
cial designs for birthday gifts, souvenirs,
and the like. Such people stated their
desire by letter, and the Especially lnau"
was sent to take their order or make a
sale.
had served the house four wears
without loss and scarcely without adj
venture, when I was started off for Nor
peth. a town in the north of England.
The firm had received a letter from a
wealthy and well-known public man
living IN the suburbs of that town to the
effect that his wife had broken a leg and
was not able to be about, but wanted
several special things in iewelry as soon
as they could be made for presents to
friends. She would also took at some
gems, particularly a diamond necklace.
but nothing common was wantsd. The
story was current that this
gentleman's daughter was soon to be
married, and it was ANTICIPATED that
! would receive a very fair order.
The value of the Jewels packed up
for me for tina: trip was something like
$1,000. From my very first trip / had
always travelled after a certain fashion,
the fashion of a commercial traveller.
Many OF the fraternity believed that
was a genuine member. In nv grin I
carried about a dozen small bottled OF
dyes, and it was supposed that I was
travelling with that lire. The iewelry
case was placed In the grip, and l left
the affair knocking about with such ap.
parent carelessness that no one could en-.
terrain a suspicion of its value.
There was only one odd thing about
the letter from Morpoth, aud that was
not commented on until after my adven.
ture. It mentioned day and date and
hour when my arrival would be expected,
and left London to hit the exact time,
this matter been brought up before.
hand we should have said that the gentle.
man was probably going to leave home lat.
In the day. 1t was in the month of DC.
tober, and | was timed to reach town at
ten o clock in the forenoon. The letter
said that a carriage would be in waiting
Tor me to drive at once to the manor.
The train was on time TO a minute, and
| got off in company with two travelling
statesmen. / found the carriage after a
bit. There were two men on the box.
md they seemed to question that | was
right party. Their doubts probably
arose from the fact that | was plainly
dressed and was in the company of the
statesmen. One of them asked If | was
the jeWelry man Sir Blank was expect
ing, and | replied that I wanted to sec
Inc gentleman whether expected or not.
they hesitated about driving off, but as
no else appeared we finally made q
tart.
tell you honestly that / had no soon
y entered the carriage than | had queer
ceilings. The outfit was too common to
% owned and publicly used by such a
nan. as Sir Blank, and the two men
iidnt appear at all like servants. Ihad
FEVER been in Morpeth before, and was
therefore, Ignorant of the direction we
'nght to take or the distance to be trav-
led. After getting away from the de.
'ot q bit we turned to the west, the
.orses gong at a sharp trot and the men
conversation in low tones. we
'assed plenty of houses and vehicles and
'edestrians, and as we left the town be.
looked ahead for Sir Blanks great
ouse and well kept grounds. Perhaps
ne pair observed my anxiety, for one of
hem turned and said
TITS 9 bit over i've miles to the Mace.
That satisfied me only for a moment.
ne more ! looked at the men and the
oser scanned the outfit the stronger |.
rev my suspicious that something was
Mss. Three miles to the west OF Nor
sth is . hill from which one can survey
e country for miles around. AS we
'ached the crest of this hill | saw onlv
naii farms and plain farmhouses before
e. # Sir Blanks mansion was on that
ad it was beyond my vision and still q
,od ten miles away.
ttSee herei'I called as we began to
'scend the hill. 81 think there is 8
stake. / think / have got Sir Blank
Ixed up with Sir Dash, Is it Sir Blank
DO is financially interested in a great
factory at Manchester. ~
The may be. but / dunno said thu
who was driving, as he pulled no
j horses.
IF he isn't It won't do me any good
see him. You see getting OFT some
the bottles), | wanted to show him
na Ct tbess new dyes for. fxusts.n |