The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-11-30
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BY 7. CARRel.
Confound tho fellow!"

,ndcr my breath Perhaps | had the
more reason for | had re cCcived a nasty
knock on the knee from Wadc's bag.
But then, IL was my fault. | was
making u reckless dash for the high
level platform at Willcsden junction,
and came into violent collision with
the detective We recoilcd and rccog.
ni2cd each other Then the flash of
anger was exchanged for laugh
rucfu on my sidc-and we graspcd
hands
You are in n hurry. Mr. Curtis"
81 was but have time to talk TO
you
"Ah, YOU are on the lookout for
news But haven done much for YOU
vet. The trail of our man is uncom.
monty hard to find. Still, | think ]
shall do it. I've word from the north
nIout ituow, and | am talking the eN-
press to Liverpool. 1t is news that has
come in an odd way, but | am bound to
test it. We mustn't let our party slip
out of the country without leaving us
an address 1t is little awkward for
me to go There has ! cen II rot berry
at Cadmorc Manor-Mr. Gerald Hum-
Ucrs place. Know it?'
YES: y little"
"Ilc has wired me to go down at
once, and get at the bottom of it. But
can't; or, at all events, that must
wait My first obligation Is to you
20 run to earth the rogue who windici
your father so audaciousiy | will try
10 effect that if it is only because the
triclister shows such good sport and
has such bag of ruscs. / am on my
mcttlc.'
(Which means that we shall win"
And indeed, ] have never known n
man in the spy business Of to-day so
clever so successful and withal so
thorough n good fellow us Sylvester
Wade. 1t was native aptitude not to
tereprcssed that had put him into his
profession and that kept him there,
even when. as he owned 10 me, he
sometimes loathcd it.
II hope so"
As Wade spoke. n rumble was in the
air He again put out his hand.
Time up-she' S coming along" he
said. ITS rarely have many minutes
to spare. unless | figure for some
reason as station ghost But | don't
care about driving the thing as close
as You do can't afford TO lie cut out
OF the running by perhaps, some con-
spirator in hurry. Hope to wire you
good tidngs tomorrow. Ta-ta.'
The express was slowing in; and |
had anotion that Wad. wanted to fol-
low his own devices in selecting Il seat
and mpanionship ], therefore, ac-
elm LinS the stairs again. little
thought that this meeting was part of
curious dou bic chance which would
shatter an ingenious piece of viilainy
ana help me to my own. Looking
back | see that | met Wade in the
nick of time. His errand on my behalf
is easily desert bed: Ny father had been
ruined through the Vaccinations of
scoundrcls. lie was an honest country
gentleman--a Curtis OF Paignton Cur
tis--and land values fell, and men
farmed TO their ruin. He fell a victim
to money lenders, and they sucked him
dry. There was cheating in the trans
actions that made him uanNrupt and
killed him with the blow. Wade was
in pursuit Of the rogue who had tagged
the suoils. If he could be caught there
was proba bilitv that something
might be recovered and buy me minor
city partnership | was waiting TO see
II IT would be so.
What had now heard had set me
face to face with another old problem
Nobody could mention Codmore Manor
to me without giving FLIP to
my imagination and causing me
to see visions. Mirage pictures l
called them, when sober sense
began to crlticise. But they came con.
stantly. and they were fair and fed
upon them when my days were full OF
desoation. saw the dain tiest maidc II
in all my home shire smiling at me be-
cause called her, with strange, mad
daring, Christie And ! saw the small
oval face flush through its tints soft
olive, and the hazel eyes first droop
and then uplift with II glorious won
der of faith in them. Sometimes there
followed the vision of n pleasant fire.
side and Christie Humber, changed
into Christie Curtis seated there, and
making home for the lucliiest fellow in
the great town.
When the steady consideration of
hard facts wrung the romano, out OF
my mood, | had to admit that few
things were less likely than that tins
should come to pass My fortunes
were under Il cloud; and though our
old ueighbor at Cadmore Manor was
outwardly genial when we met, was
aware that the sudden check to our in
tercoursc meant that | was TO harbor
no foolish thoughts about his daughter.
My prospects were not brilliant before
the catastrophe; they were now ouui
ous in the extreme. Gerald HUNT Der
was Il rich railway contractor, who had
him ,elf twice married well, and who
would naturally look for good match
for Christie. Whatever words OF dan
gtrous regard had been spoken when
the storm was only threat must faII
TO the ground He would convince his
daughter that as n serious suitor / was
imp possible.