Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-07-12


as Belfry."
The sly landlord chuckled and con-
tinued:
First two times she acted nervous
and only came to the door and seemed
to be covering up her real voice. The
next two times she was nervouser, but
she came in. The last time she got a
little scared at her own boldness and left
d letter to be delivered TO this man Dye
Immediately on his return, to save her.
self the trouble of calling again, she
said"
"a sealed letter?''
"Oh, no, of course, of course, Mr..
Maxey. Don't think she would tell Bel
fry any of her business. Oh, mol She
was mighty particular about that, but
she brought me this envelope all sealed
and directed in as pretty little hand,
as nice as you please"
II SUPPOSE began Maxey hesitat-
ingly, II suppose it would be scarcely
justifable for us to open that letter."
The landlord responded promptly:
''Oh, no, certainly not. And besides
tit wouldn't do you any good. I
think-in fact, II kinder guess what s
in that letter. "
'Guess? How? I don't understand
you"
The sly landlord winked so profusely
that he actually succeeded in stimulat-
ing Maxey's limited knowledge of hu-
man depravity into comprehension of
the situation.
"Oh, see. You mean you have al
ready opened the letter ="
''The letter is just as good as ever it
was," returned Mr.. Belfry evasively.
"It is sealed up as good as before, but q
man keeping humble lodging house
can't afford to countenance any under
handedness, you know. 1 like to know
the nature of any mail I'm carrying.
Belfry is cautious, Or he's nothing"
Maxey smothered his secret contempt
and smiled.
"Well," he questioned, and what
did the letter say?"
''The letter said, replied MFR. Belfry,
marking off the words on the tips of the
fingers Of not superlatively clean hand,
''the letter said: Leander Dye-Come
to me in the evening at 16 Livingston
street. Come for your own interests and
fail to come at your peril I have some
money for you. The sister. That was
the only signature. What do you think
of that?"
Maxey was silent.
Gas for me, " went on the sly land
lord, "all these circumstances look
queer. Z"
"What did Mr.. Dye leave in his
room?"
'He left two trunks locked and moth
ing in them but old clothes, one of them
women's and the other mems. There
warn't much finery. His rent amt up
for over two months, you understand. !"
IT understand What sort of looking
man is Mr. Dyer"
''Belfry's notion Of it is that he's
some very badly run down parson. Bel
fry may be wrong, but that's the way
he sizes up L. Dye. He might have been
enjoying himself too much and the con-
gregation got down on him. It's my ex-
perience, Mr.. Maxey, after years in the
lodging house line, that most of the re-
verses Of this world can be traced, more
or less direct, to hy-canery. If mans
down and you go hunting around in his
records for the reason of it, 40 to
you'll run against piece Of shy some-
where, and bigger rather than littler,
generally, too. That's Belfry's ulti-
matum.
The sly landlord might have moralized
for half an hour if the impatient Maxey
had not interrupted him:
II understand all about that. But
what I am after now is Mr.. Dye. Can
you tell me the exact date of his coming
and his disappearance"
Mr.. Belfry referred to greasy pocket
diary.
"He came on Dec. 7, Mr.. Maxey, and
he went on Dec, g.
Maxey's hair rose at once, but he con-
trolled himself and went on:
Every well, Mr. Belfry. I now have
a proposition to make to you--one that
may prove exceedingly profitable to
yourself. If you will by hook or crook
gentle means if possible, forcible
means if necessary-bring that Mr.. Dye
to my rooms the day he sets foot within
this house again, Or failing to do that
keep him o prisoner until can be sent
for--if you can do this, will reward
you most literally Meantime shall
probably see you again very soon. I"
Maxey, having transacted his business,
arose to go. The landlords eye rested
abstractedly on the $40 bill lying on the
table, but again he did not seem to see
it.
'Belfry is ALWAYS glad to accommo-
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