The Atlanta constitution., 1896-06-22

mlar to mo during my short West FL,
ca~cer. seated round tanlc, upon which
stood q stcamiug soup turcen filled with
punch. At the further end. very much at
his ease among the arstocrGts and eNguis-
ites Who surrounded him, sat- the cham
p.cu of Englaud his superb figure thrown
b-rk iu his chair, flush upon his hand
some l3rc. a"d a loose led handkerchief
kaoltpi car, lc-sly round his throat ia the
picturesque fashion which was long known
bv his name. Half century mas passed
SINCE thon. ANA have seen my share %
fine mcn. Perhaps IT is because l am a
slight creature myself. but Il is my uecu-
Isrity. 7 had rather look upon "A splendid
man than upon ans work OF nature. Yet
during an that tiWc I nave never seen
finer man than J.n Ecicher and if I wish
20 match him in my memory / can only
turu TO chat other Jim whose fate and for
trn's -m trying 90 lay before you.
There was a -hoat OF jovial greeting
when uy unclc's face was seen in the door
way.
Come I'm. Tre;-rI'is Iyc were expecting
You. There's a Gevillcd blade bone ordered
What's tbc latest frcm London? what is
the meaning ~ tho long odds against your
MANI Have She folk gone maJg What the
dcvii is il an atcutr' They were all talk
nig at once.
EXCUSE me. gentlemen" my uncle an
sworcd. II shan be happy TO give you any
Information in ny power a lietia later. /
have a matter OF slime slight importance
10 decide Beichcr. 4 would have q wort
wiki you
Tho champion came out with US into
the paCsa"c.
where is your man, Bolchcr?''
"Ic has gone TO has room. sir. ] believe
that he should have a. clear twelve hours
sleep before lighting"
What sort Of day has he had?''
~ ala hlm I@hty ia the natter of exer-
else. Clubs. dumhhcils walking and a half
hour with the mullcTs. Iic'u DO us all
proud, sir, or I'm a pGlchlau. Eut what
IA the worlds amss with tho betting? If
] didn't know that he was as straight as
a line. III "a thought he was planning a
cross and laying against himself"
IFS about that I've hurried down. l
have good information. Bolcher, that there
has been plot to cripple him. and that the
rogucs are 50 sure Of success that they
are prepared 10 lay any thing against his
appearance"
Belcher whistled between his teeth.
"I've seen no sign OF anything of tho
kind, sir. No one has been near him or had
speech with him except only your nephew
Their ami myself"
-Four villains. with Berl1s at their head
got the start Of Us by several hours. 1T
was War; vino told me-
what BIN War; says is straight, and
what joe Ber1s does IS crooked. Who were
the others. sir2"
"Rcd Ike Fighting Yussef and Chris Mc-
Cartny."
a pretty gang. too! Well. sir. the lad Is
safe. but it would be as well perhaps. for
one or other Of rs to stay IN his room
with him. For my own part, as long as he's
ny charge I'm never very far away"
ITS q pity to wake him"
"Ie can hardly be asleep with ell this
racket in tho house. This way, sir, and
down the passage"
We passed along the lcw-roofed devious
corridors of the old-fashioned inn TO the
back of the house.
This is my room. sir" said Belcher.
nodding to a door upon the right. This
one upon the left is hts" lie threw it open
rs he SPOKE ~Here's Sir Charles Trcgeiis
corac 10 see YOU. jim" said he, and then,
Good Lord what is tho meaning Of thiac''
The littIc chamber lay before us. brightly
Illuminated by a brass lamp which stood
upon The table The bed clothes had not
been turned down, but there was an inden-
tati0n uron tho couuterpauc which showed
that some one had lain there. one nall
OF tho lattice window swinging, on
it's hinge and a clo,h cap. lying upon tie
tsalr. was the only san Of the occupant.
NY uncle looked around him and shook his
head.
"It seems that we are too late" said he.