The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-23
SHADOWED.

Mr.. Portnan Dibbs was a prosperous
slderly 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-
bure all their lives without SO much as
knowing him by sight.
Among Mr.. Dibbs' fixed habits was a
yearly tour. But he did not take it, like
most people, in the summer months, but
In 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
ing before his departure an old city friend,
Mr. Goldsmith, dined with him at his
house in Ninth street. When about to
leave, Goldsmith drew small case from
his pocket.
II brought this with me on the chance
that you We're going to Pittsburg. You
VII do me great favor by giving it into
my brothers. hands there. 1t contains
brilliant of such rare value that I could
intrust 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 a travelling companion under the
same circumstances -
The two men were standing at the
study window, the blind of which hap
pened to be up While in the act Of plao-
ing the case in his pocket Dibbs' eyes
WANDERERS to the street. At that moment
the ligkt from lamp in front of the
door struck on the face of man who was
passing-or had he been standing there?
"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 commission9" he in
quired of Goldsmith.
mot 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 likes"
'tLike you-like me. Responsibility it,
self! What are you thinking OPP
'sHas he black whiskers?"
"Gray as badger's-white even. But,
bless my soul, what is the NATTER What
do you mean? Have you seen any one?'
"a man was standing there by the
lamppost 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
and putting his head out. Dibbs did the
same. The night was bright. Not a soul
was to be seen anywhere. The street was
quite deserted.
"a neighbor or neighbours butler. He
has gone into some house, Goldsmith
withdrew from the window. I'm any
case, no one could have heard, nor, I
should think, have seen us. -
Portman Dibbs set out next morning
for Pittsburg via Philadelphia, staying a
few days at Philadelphia on the way He
took his place in the undeniable comfort
of Pullman coach in the express to Phil
adelphia, with q 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
On 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 complete stranger,
as he had supposed Had he not seen the
face before? And whens Where? The
face was peculiar, with straight, black
whiskers. With the suddenness of flash
Dibbs' 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 it,
no mistaking the unusual face and re-
markable whiskers. On a 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 a peculiar expression.
BY chain of reasoning, of which he
felt half ashamed, Dibbs, before reaching
Philadelphia, decided on changing his
usual hotel, the Bingham, for the Cont
Mental Setting out for the latter, he lost
sight of his fellow traveller on the crowded
platform of the station.
Fixity of habit as creed cannot be
lightly renowned. Dibbs was miserable
at the Continental simply because it was
not the accustomed Bingham. Discomfort
with himself and everything else was the
result 'sWhat an ass have made of my
self about that man who came in the CARP
was the burden of his thoughts while
smoking his after dinner cigar. 'His be-
tng in the train was mere coincidence
He probably has never cast thought
about me- must walk this nonsense out
of my BRAIN
AS Dibbs left the room he passed at the
door late guest being ushered into soli-
Barry dinner. With a 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
| adelphia--an alteration in his usual pro-
| gramme, which always included day or
two in the city. The closest scrutiny OF
the train did not discover his bugbear.
| There was no sign of him at Altoona.
| A tranquil night in his accustomed
hotel there restored Dibbs' mental bal
| ence
| In the pleasant GOODNESS of moonlit
| night he sat on the veranda of the hotel.
4