The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-13
SHADOWED.

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-
ture all their lives without 80 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 tho summer months, but
in the carly spring
In 1s-, 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.
Il brought this with me on the chance
that you were going to Pittsburg. You
vii do mo great favor by giving 1t into
my brothers hands there. 1t contains o
brilliant of such raro value that / could
intrust 1t 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 a friend" said
Dibbs lightly. 81 would tako the Kohl
moor as n travelling companion under the
same circumstances.
Tho two men were standing at the
study window, the blind of which hap
pened to be up. While in the act of plac-
ing tho case in his pocket Dibbs' eyes
wandered to tho street. At that moment
the light from lamp in front of the
door struck on the face of man who was
passing-or had no 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
quired of Goldsmith.
Not "a soul, my dear fellow. The mat
ter is entirely between you and me- My
head clork alone knows of the existence Of
the brilliant" +"
what is he like'"
Like you-likc mo. Responsibility it.
self What arc you thinking OFF,
Has ho black whiskerss'
"Gray as badger's-whito even. But,
bless my soul, what is the matterf What
do you means Have you seen any ones"
"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 tho street STILL"
said Goldsmith, throwing up the window
and putting his head out. Dibbs did tho
same. The night was bright. Not soul
was to be seen anywhere. The street was
quite deserted.
"A neighbor or neighbor's butler. He
has gone into some house" Goldsmith
withdrew from the window. TN any
case, no one could have heard, nor, I
should think, have seen u.s.
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 undcniable comfort
of a Pullman coach in the express to Phil
adelphia, with a mind as free from care
and uncasiness 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 a 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 tho man complete stranger,
as he had supposed? Had he not seen the
faco beforei And wheni Where? The
face was peculiar, with straight, black
whiskers. With the suddenness of a flash
biDpS lltliuls WIS lHe DitH
opposite was the same who had stood in
the lamplght outside the window in
Ninth street. There was no doubt of It,
no mlstaking the unusual face and re-
markablc 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 the 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 creed cannot be
lightly renounccd. Dibbs was miserable
at the Continental simply because 1t 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. His be-
ing In the train was q mere coincidence.
He probably has never cast thought
about me. 1 must walk this nonsense out
of my brain"
As Dibbs left the room he passed at the
door a late guest being ushered into soli-
tary dinner. With certain revulsion of
feeling, he recognized his fellow traveller
tho object of his thoughtsl
The earliest train for Pittsburg next
morning saw Dibbs' departure from Phil
Rdelpliia-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
Rnce.
In the pleasant coolness Of moonlit
night he sat on the veranda of the hotel
His mind was undisturbed as the peaceful
scene around. Suddenly he became aware
of the presence of another man on the ve-
randa, and 10 Dibbs' eyes were abruptly
revealed the face and figure Of the man
with the black whiskersi
The shock was tremendous. Its sudden
ness was too much for him.
All the clear reasoning by which he had
convinced himself of tho groundlessness
and folly of his alarm at Philadelphia was
now overthrown and swept out of sight
He was shadowed by the man belowl That
was beyond i,,..,, wherever he was, tho
secret Of tho diamond was known to him.
Either chance or design had made him ac-
quainted with it OH that night in Ninth
street.
The success of his maneuver in leaving
Philadelphia made him repeat 1t, and be-
sides he was in perfect fever to get to the
end of his journey and rid himself of the
charge of the diamond. His spirits rose
considerably as the hour Of the trains de-
parture drew near without any appearance
of the ''shatlower" In tho station. Dibbs
remained on the platform until tho last
moment then, with fervent sigh of re-
lief, he entered the car. Tho train was
jus moving of, when tho door was sud
denly opened, and a breathless porter
dashed in handbag, followed by still
moro breathless traveller. The door wai
shut; the engine shrieked the last depart.
ing signal; the train moved from the sta
tion. In one corner of the car sat Dibbs;