Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-04

in his hand and turned from the Office.
The answer was significant:
Lieutenant Jerrold left Siblcy yesterday aft
ernoon. Not yet returned. Absent without
leave this morning. CHESTER.
CHAPTER Nj
Nature never vouchsafCd to wearied
man lovelier day of rest than the still
Sunday on which Frank Armitage rode
slowly back from the station. The soft,
mellow tone of the church bell, tolling
the summons for morning service, float
ed ont from the brown tower and was
echoed back from the rocky cliff gliston
ing in the August sunshine on the
northern bluff. Groups of villagers hung
about the steps of the little sanctuary
and gazcd with mild curiosity ut the ar
irving parties from the cottages and the
hotel. The big red omnibus came up
with n load of worShipcrs, and farther
away. down the vista of the road. Armi
tage could see others ON foot and i'll car
riagcs. all vending their way to church
He was in no mood to meet them. The
story that he had been out pursuing n
tramp during the night was pretty thor
Oughly circulated by this time, he felt
assured. and every one would connect
his early ride to the station. i'll some
way. with the adventure that the
grooms, hOstlcrS, cooks and kitchen
maids had all been dilating upon ever
since davbrcak. He dreaded to meet the
curious glanCCS of the women and the
questions of the few mon whom he had
taken 50 far into his confidence rs to
ask about the mysterious person who
came over i'll the stage with them.
He refined up his horse. and then,
seeing u little pathway leading into the
thick wood To his right. he turned in
thithcr and followed it some 30 yards
among bordering treasures of cOrcOpsis
and goldcnrnd and wild luxuriance of
vine and foliage. DisInounting i'll the
shade, he threw the rCins over his arm
and let his horse crop the juicy grasses.
while he seated himself on n little
stump and fell to thinking again. He
could hear the rcvcrynt voices of ono or
| two visitors strulling about among the
peaceful. flower dCCkvd graves behind
the little church and only short stones
throw away through the shruhhcry. He
could hear the low solemn voluntary of
the organ and presently the glad out
burst of young voices i'll the opening
hymn, but he knew that hclatvd ones
would still bc coming to church, and lie
would not come forth from his covert
until all were out of the way. Then,
too. he was Eiad Of Il little longer time
TO think. He did not want Ia toll the
| colonel the result of his morning inv,.s-
| LEGATIONS.
To begin with. the Waterman. tn,
driver and the two men whom he had
questioned were all of an opinion rs to
| the character of the stranGer-''hc was
n military man. The Passengers de
| scribcd his voice rs that of 4 man of
education and social position; the driver
and passengers declared his walk and
carriage to be that of n soldier He
was taller. they said, than the tall, stall
wart Saxon captain. but by no means ST.
| heavily built. As To age, they could
not tell His beard was black and curly
no gray hairs. His movements were
quick and elastic. hut his eyes wcrc
hidden by those cnlorrd glasses, and his
forehead by the SLOUGH of that broad
brimmcd felt hat.
At the station. while awaiting the
answer to his dispatch, Armitarc had
questioned IN" agent as to whether any
man of that description had arrived by
|
seen none. he said, Int there was Lar
sen over at the poStofiicc store, who
came down ON that train. Perhaps he
could tell. Oddly enough. Mr.. Larsen
recalled Just such party-tall, slim,
dark. dark bearded, with blue glasses
and dark hat and ClothcS-Sut ne was
bound for Lakevillc, the station beyond.
and he remained in the car when he
(Larscnl got off. Larsen remembered the
man we'll. because he sat in the rear
corner of the smoker and had nothing L.
say to anybody. but kept reading q
newspaper. and the way he came TO take
note of him WAS thar while standing
with two friends II that end uf the c.lr
they happened 10 TX right ,srULLd til,
man. The Saturday evening train from
the city Is always crowded with people
from the river towns who have been VI
to market or the matinccs, and even the
smoker was filled with standing men
until they got some 80 miles down. Lar.
sen wanted to light n fresh cigar and
offered one TO each of his friends. Then
it was found they had no matches, and
one of them, who had been drinking d
little and felt jovial, turned to tho dark
stranger and asked him for light, and
the man, without speaking, handed out
little silver matchbox. 1t was just
then that the conductor came along, and
Larsen saw his ticket 1t was round
trip to Lakcvillc. He was evidently
going there for visit, and therefore,
said Larsen. he didn't get off at Sablor
station, which was six miles above
But Armitagc knew better. 1t wa
evident that he had quietly slipped on
on the platform of the car after the reg
ular passengers had got out of the wa.
and let himself of into the darkness o.
the side opposite the station. Theme
he had an open, unimpctlei walk of
! few hundred yards until no reached tn
common, and then, when ovcrtakcn II
the hotel omnibus, he could jump aboar
and ride. There was only one road
only one way over to the hotel, and h
could not miss it. There was no don't
now that, whoever he vas, the nigh
visitor had come down ON the evenin
train from the city, and his return ticlC
: would indicate that he meant TO go bac
o the way he came. 1t was half past
> when that train arrived. 1t was nearl
midnight when the man appeared ut I'll
cottage window. 1t was after } whe
p Armitage gave up the search and WEI
to bed. 1t was possible for the man
y have walked to Lakeville. six mil'
$ south and reached the station thcl