Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-07-27
SHADOWED.

Mr.. Portman Dibbs was a prosperous
elderly gentleman of quiet ways and fixed
habits. A small circle of familiar friends
supplied all his social needs. He concerned
himself little with the rest of humanity,
belonging to the class who can live side by
side in the same street with fellow crea-
lture all their lives without 80 much as
knowing him by sight.
Among Mr.. Dibbs' fixed habits was q
yearly tour. But he did not take it, like
most people, in the summer months, but
On the early spring.
In 49,, when March came round, he
made the usual preparations for his yearly
tour in his customary way. On the even
ling before his departure an old city friend,
mr.. Goldsmith, dined with him at his
house in Ninth street. When about to
leave, Goldsmith drew a small case from
his pocket.
II brought this with me on the chance
that you were going to Pittsburg, You
vii do me great favor by giving 1t into
my brothers. hands there. 1t contains q
brilliant of such rare value that could
tntrust it to few. 1t will give you no
trouble, being so small-there is no risk,
as no one will know you have such thing
with you"
Anything to oblige friend" said
Dibbs lightly. 81 would take the Kohl
moor as travelling companion under the
same circumstances"
The two men were standing at the
study window, the blind of which hap
Ipened to be up. While in the act of plao-
ling the case in his pocket Dibbs' eyes
wandered to the street. At that moment
the light from lamp in front of the
door struck on the face of man who was
lpassing-or had he been standing thereS
"a peculiar, dark face with straight,
black whiskers.
The man moved on; Dibbs drew back
hastily.
"None of your people knew that you
were giving me this commission he In
lquired of Goldsmith!
mot a soul, my dear fellow. The mat
ter is entirely between you and me. My
head clerk alone knows of the existence of
the brilliant"
''What is he likep"
'Like you-like me- Responsibility IT.
self What are you thinking OFF"
HAS he black whiskers"
''Gray as badger's-white even. But,
bless my soul, what is the matterS What
do you meanp Have you seen any one"
"a man was standing there by the
Ilamppost as you handed me the jewel case.
He was apparently looking at us and
might have heard what was said"
''Then he must be in the street still,
said Goldsmith, throwing up the window
land putting his head out. Dibbs did the
same. The night was bright. Not a soul
Twas to be seen anywhere. The street was
quite deserted.
"a neighbor or q neighbours butler. He
has gone into some house" Goldsmith
Withdrew from the window. "In any
lease, no one could have heard, nor, I
tshould think, have seen us. "
Portman Dibbs set out next morning
for Pittsburg via Philadelphia, staying q
few days at Philadelphia on the way. He
took his place in the undeniable comfort
of a Pullman coach in the express to Phil
Iadelphia, with mind as free from care
and uneasiness as elderly gentleman ever
possessed.
Nearly an hour had passed before Dibbs
laid down his paper and glanced round the
car. He was thinking Of the story he HAD
been reading, and not at all Of his fellow
travellers, when ON sudden his eye caught
that of the man opposite curiously fixed
ion him. Each becoming aware of the 9th
er's glance withdrew his at once, not, how
ever, before Dibbs' attention had been en-
gagged Was the man q complete stranger,
las he had supposed Had he not seen the
face beforep And whenp WhereS The
face was peculiar, with straight, black
whiskers. With the suddenness Of flash
tDibbs' memory was illumined- The man
opposite was the same who had stood In
the lamplight outside the window in
Ninth street. There was no doubt Of 1t,
no mistaking the unusual face and re-
markable whiskers. On sudden impulse
Dibbs put up his hand to feel the jewel
case in his breast pocket. AS he did SO his
eyes met those of the stranger fixed on
him with peculiar expression.
By chain Of reasoning, Of which he
felt half ashamed, Dibbs, before reaching
philadelphia, decided on changing his
usual hotel, tho Bingham, for the Conti-
mental. Setting out for the latter, he lost
sight Of his fellow traveller on the crowded
platform of the station.
Fixity Of habit as q creed cannot be
dignity renowned. Dibbs was miserable
at the Continental simply because it was
not the accustomed Bingham. Discomfort
with himself and everything else was the
result. what an ass have made Of my
self about that man who came in the carl"
was the burden Of his thoughts while
smoking his after dinner cigar. Ellis be-
hng in the train was nero coincidence
He probably has never cast a thought
about me. 1 must walk this nonsense out
of my brain"
AS Dibbs left the room he passed at the
door late guest being ushered into soli-
tary dinner With certain revulsion of
feeling, he recognized his fellow traveller
the object of his thoughtsl
The earliest train for Pittsburg next
morning saw Dibbs' departure from Phil