Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-08-31

No one answered this remark. Yet
he failed to see how it applied to him.
"He's fair dazed," said a strange
voice; "the villains half murdered
him"
Mr.. Teddy Watkins decided to re-
main fair dazed until he had a better
grasp of the situation. He perceived
that two of the black figures round
him stood side by side with detected
air, and there was something IN the
carriage of their shoulders that sug-
gested to his experienced eye hands
that were bound together. In flash
he rose to his position. He emptled
the little flask and staggered, obse-
quious hands assisting him to his feet.
There was a sympathetic murmur.
"Shake hands, sir; shake hands,
said one of the figures near him. per
nit me to introduce myself. 1 am
very greatly indebted to you. 1t was
the Jewels of my wife, Lady Aveling,
which attracted these scoundrels to
the house"
every glad to make your lordship's
acquaintance, said Teddy Watkins.
II presume you saw the rascals
making for the shrubbery and dropped
| down on them"
That's exactly how it happened. "
"You should have waited till they
got in at the window" said Lord Az
cling. They would get it hotter If
they had actually committed the bur.
glary And it was lucky for you; two
of the policemen were out by the
gates and followed up the three OF
you I doubt if you could have Sc
cured the two of them-though 1T was
plucky of you, all the same"
eyes, ought to have thought OF
all that" said Mr.. Watkins, "but one
cannot think of everything"
"Certainly not" said Lord Aveling.
81 am afraid they have mauled you
little" he added. The party was now
moving toward the house. ''Tou
walk rather lame. May [ offer you my
arm?"
And instead of entering Hammer
pond House by the dressing room
window, Mr.. Watkins entored it,
slightly intoxicated, and inclined now
to cheerfulness again-on the arm Of
real, live peer, and by the front
door "This," thought Mr.. Watkins,
sis burgling in style!"
The "scoundrels, seen by gaslight,
proved to be mere local amateurs I'M
known to Mr. Watkins, and they were
taken down into the pantry and there
watched over by three policemen, two
gamekeepers with loaded guns, the
butler, an 'ostler, and q carman, until
the dawn allowed of their removal to
Hazlehurst police station. Mr.. Wat
kins was made much of in the salon.
They devoted sofa to him, and would
not hear of return to the village that
night.
Lady Aveling was sure he was brill
iantly original, and said her idea of
Turner was just another rough, half
inebriated, deep-eyed, brave and clever
man. Some one brought up remark
able little folding ladder that had been
picked up in the shrubberY, and
showed him how it was put together.
They also described how wires had
been found in the shrubbery, evil
IDENTIFY put there to trip up unwary
pursuers. 1t was lucky he had escaped
these snares. And they showed him
the jewels.
Mr., Watkins had the sense not to
talk too much, and in any converse
tional difficulty fell back on his inter
nal pains. At last he was seized with
stiffness in the back, and yawning.
Every one suddenly awoke to the fact
that it was a shame tn keep him talk
ing after his affray, so he retired to
his room, the little red room next to
Lord Aveling's suite.
The dawn found a deserted easel
bearing a canvas with a green inscrip-
ton in the Hammerpond Park, and it
found Hammerpond House in commo-
ton. But if the dawn found Mr.. Teddy
Watkins and the Aveling diamonds it
did not communicate the information
to the police. Pail Mall Budget.