The Van Buren press., 1895-04-27

board and lodging, and-f wanted to 80
| the end Of the drama
sBut mean to stop . few days" be
said.
"Do you? Well, can come back be-
fore you,r continued. ..At all events
the jaunt will not be unpleasant, even
in this bitter weather, and we shall en-
Joy II better together"
"All right" said Montgomery. In
tone that suggested it was all wrong.
got the trap. and we set out over
the rough road which the winter rains
and storms had made worse than be-
fore. We were q little behindhand to
start with. Montgomery had taken an
uneonscionable time to dress, and by
his bulky appearance had stuffed all
he possessed into his pockets. This
delay lost us our train, and when we
got to the station there was nothing
for us but blankness and disappoint-
ment. There were but two trains out
in the day-this at noon which we had
lost, and one at four o'clock to catch
the up mail train at Lancaster.
"What shall we do?" said, when our
fasco was made apparent.
10 my surprise and Indignation, my
lodger's only reply was q torrent OF
about the foulest oaths l had ever
heard from human lips.
Swearing won't help u.s." l said,
gravely, land please remember am q
clergyman
Montgomery seemed to pull himself
together upon this. and made an apol-
ogy of sort
LET us go for a drink to the pub" :"
he said.
"All right" answered. "You have
your drink and I'll have some tea
We turned up to the little village
where the Wheatsheaf held out all
manner of promises of good cheer for
man and beast. In the bar parlor we
found among others old Bob Liant,
lounging about as usual. As we en-
tered and gave our orders-Mont-
gomery for his brandy and / for my
teal saw the old fellows eyes fixed
on nv companion with an anxious
scrutiny. After a minute he went out,
and could see through small pane
let into the door what Montgomery
could not-the old constable alter
nately reading a sheet Of paper and
looking at Montgomery.
Then he went into the street, and |
watched him go into the post Office,
which was also a telegraph Office.
Was there any connection between
this and his scrutiny of my lodger?
We were lingering about the place,
Montgomery resolute to go to Lam
caster by the four o'clock train. and
as resolute to wait at Fellside with
him-I thought to his chagrin-when
the noise of an engine painting into the
station was heard. 1t was at an en-
tirely uncovenanted hour, and it meant
q special. 1t meant something more;
for presently two policemen walked
up the cobble-paved street and turned
into the Wheatsheaf, accompanied by
Bob Liant. My lodger and had gone
back there for shelter from the rain,
which was falling steadily.
When they entered saw Montgom-
cry start, turn white, and as it were
COVER The elder of the two came
up to him and tapped him on the
shoulder.
II arrest you in the queens name" "
he said, '.for stealing Lady Asplin's
Jewels"
"Stealing!" cried; and l knew that
I was as white as my friend, my charm
ing lodger.
YES" said the man, stolidly. "This
man, Jim Brown, was Lady Asplin's
confidential butler, and made off with
her jewels on October 20 last. Since
then we've missed him, and only to-day
came up with him. But now he's safe, v
be added, clicking the bracelets sharp
and firm.
So I had taken to my home as an
equal and man of honor clever and
unprincipled thief, and confounded the
superficial "gentility" of sharp but.
ler's quick study, with the gentlehood
OF one of the purple born. 1t was a
lesson never to be forgotten nor re.
peated. Since then l have elected tc
bear my solitude uncompanioned and
to give myself away no more to lodg
ers, charming or otherwise. For the
bargain was bad one, and l lost by
the arrangement all round.-Chicagc
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