The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-02-08

tie as possible of the conversation.
| BY and by my attention was aroused
in spite Of myself by hearing the elder
lady mention my name. You see, she
said, L had to come down today because
John has asked that tiresome Johnston
to spend week with us, and of course
1t wouldn't do for me to be away
But, auntie, said the other, how do
you know that he is tiresome if you have
never seen him?'
:" L know it, for one thing, because
Johns friends are always tiresome. 1t
does seem as If he deliberately selected the
most stupid men he could find and asked
them down to Greencroft just to make life
burden to me. And then, my dear, for
another thing, I've tried to read this de-
/ testable Johnston's books. Anything
moro stupid and silly you can't possibly
imagine
lis he young or old?' asked tho girl
Pm sure l don't know He isn't
married, for no woman would marry such
a tiresome person.
"'Who knows but that shall marry
him myself replied the young lady. 4
like dull people and people whom nobody
else likes. What will you give me, auntie,
to take him off your hands while he is at
| Greencroftf'
" Pm sure l should be awfully Obliged
to you, replied the aunt. He couldn't
possibly have come at a more awkward
time. WANTED to stay in town until Mon
day, and then I wanted to begin house
cleaning. Instead of that have to come
back today, and of course there can be no
housekeeping until Johnston goes. Good
ness only knows when he will go, for
feel convinced that he is one of those per-
the way. BY tho bye, he may be in this
very train, though rather think he would
take the 10 O'Clock train
SO was actually travelling in the same
carriage with ScOble's wife and niece, and
the former was dreading my arrival at her
house and looking upon me as tiresome
nuisance. What would she say when, on
| reaching Greencroft, she should find that
tho man whom she had supposed to be
| deaf and dumb was the undesirable John
ston himself, and that he had overheard
all her remarks regarding him? OF course
| twas now utterly impossible that should
| sither go to her house or disclose my iden-
| tity to her in any way. l would get out at
| Rugby, where we were to change for
| Greencroft, and would wire John that 1
had been recalled by important business
and must postpone the pleasure of meet
ing him and his wife until some other
| day. But then, there was my portman-
| teau, which was in the van and labeled
| for Grcencroft. could not afford to aban-
don it, for in it was the manuscript of
story that / had promised to finish that
week and had taken down with mo for the
| purpose of finishing 1t. No! 1 must go
OIL to Grcencroft, rescue my portmanteau
and run the risk of meeting John on the
nile could
| Mrs. Scoble and her companion at Rugby
| by getting into another carriage. We
should be at Rugby in an hour, and 1
must endure that hour as best could.
The two ladies talked on, but happily
seemed to forget the existence Of the I'M
| fortunate Johnston. Once Mrs. Scoble
| caInu to the window where ] was sitting,
to point out something to her niece, and
| tho swaying of the carriage nearly threw
| her on my lap.
That poor man seemed dreadfully
frightened, said the niece after her aunt
| had returned to her seat. He seemed to
think you were going to sit down on him.
He does seem timid Miss Nancy
said the aunt. 1 don't quite like his looks,
| though Some of those mutes have terri
| BILE tempers. He is certainly painfully
ugly, isn't he's
Il did not hear the nieoe's reply to this
compliment, but Mrs. Scoble continued,
after another glance at me: There is
| sneaky, dishonest look about the man. l
shouldn't be surprised IL he were the sort
of man that would carry off ones bag or
ones umbrella and then pretend 1t was
mistake if any one caught him at it.
"Things were growing more and moro
| pleasant. l already knew that Mrs. SEQ
! posed she had not seen as nuisance, and
now it appeared that she suspected the
Johnston whom she had seen as Il sneak
thief Luckily, we were near Rugby, and
1 should soon be able to see the last of my
| unconscious tormentors.
Just then the elder lady began one of
those nervous and hurried searches for her
| purse which women when travelling are so
| prone to make. l certainly do not blame
| them. If did not know where my pocket
| was, or whether in case l should discover
the way to it l should find anything in it,
| 1 should doubtless make half hourly
searches for my purse and exhibit good
deal of agitation in the progress. Mrs. SEQ
bic found the entrance to her pocket after
prolonged investigation and then an
| nounccd, with much alarm, that her purse
was missing. There are nearly $50 in it,
my dear, besides my railway ticket! am
perfectly sure l had it in my pocket after
l got into the train
=" Perhaps it is in your bag, or you may
| have put it into your BOSOM, suggested
| the niece.
Mrs. Scoble denied that either of these
| alternatives was possible but nevertheless
she searched every place in which femi-
| nine purse could by any possibility have
| concealed itSplf without tho lpaet SuccecS
1t is gone!' she finally exclaimed, and
1 am sure that fellow in the corner picked
my pocket when was looking out of his
| window
He could not have done that, replied
the niece, for 1 was looking at him at the
| very time, aud he never once took his
| hands or his eyes away from his newspa-
| per.
| My dear child! Do you suppose you
are quick enough to watch the motions of
| professional pickpocket? That man has
my purse, am perfectly sure of it, and
shall give him in charge the moment we
get to Rugby.
1T was clear that must bolt from the
carriage the instant the train reached the
| Rugby platform and before q policeman
could be called. The train was already
slowing, and hastily gathered up my rug
and umbrella and prepared to move to-
ward the door.
| mo, you don't, my mani said Mrs.
Scoble. rising and taking possession of the
door by the simple process of thrusting
half of her ample person through the win
dow.
II saw at once that the game was up.
could not drag her out of the way, and she
would never let me pass unless l were to
pass into the arms of policeman. l sat
down again with the calmness of despair
and awaited the coming of the constable,
whom Mrs. Scoble's excited gestures had
| summoned.
THAT man has picked my pocket, said
| Mrs Scoble as soon as the policeman
opened the door. Search him, and you'll
find my purse in his possession. 1t is
marked "A D. 81 and has four e5 notes,
sovereigns and SOME change in it, be-
sides my ticket.
What do you say to this?' the police
man asked me, evidently impressed with
the certainty of my guilt.
| Simply that it isn't true, I replied.
Il know nothing of the lady's purse, and
| can easily convince you that 1 am re-
spectacle person..
| MY goodnessp exclaimed my accuser.
why, the fellow isn't deaf and dumb, aft
| er all! Constable, he pretended to be deaf
and dumb. That shows what scoundrel
| he ISL
| You'll have to come along with me-
| said the constable You'd better come
| quiet, for there's no good making row.
| You'll have to come along, too, madam,
| and make charge against him.