The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-15
CHAPTER /.
THE cRcfE.

gT1t world have done the same. Why,
slisn' theold man Try to disgrace him
1s'5!ght before his sweetheart and a lot OF
ss''
Well anyway, said the storekeep-
SCR rezns,ssag his pipe to speak, sssnart
sor fool i guess they'll get him. I hear
now the squire is terrible cut up
Z al0utss ssaiis thing, and he's sent down to
s. Hnsson for q regular detective
she squiress sent to Boston for 9
81 #afecsive?' said Everly wouldn't T
have believed that the squire would do
:ssrck q thing. TO set a spy on the track
sl s.l one ef his neighbors. Why, it's dis
Over IA thecorner, ON chairs drawn
close 70 ths stove, sat two strangers.
had arrived ID Lee, that morning,
ana after taking drinks at this the only
81 taxefn in the town had apparently set
b0us getting warm. The elder OF the
& Sw0 here yentuEed a remark.
sentlesnen, 2 said be, Sif you'll
pardon .thes curiosity Of stranger, I'd
s keto ask you what crime this young
znan has committeds:'
paSse followed, while the strangers
became the object of a close scrutiny by
Sal plesent. Finally VIII Eyerly stepped
eeward, and, looking his inter1ogator
steadily IN the face, said:
am I'D EVERY, Walter MaryePs
Before I answer any OF your
must knowwho you are and
6 6 9ilgu wish to know this story. Z
onr talk aroused my curiosity, =
said the stranger. 2. 7.
you deny that you are q detect
lyess, EYerly eyed his man closely, but
not 8 sign indicated that the question
had caused surprise. He was eisap-
pointed for he had expected him to be
disconnected The reply was simple.
shall not deny it, for I never lie. =
He handed EVERY a card upon which
WIS neatly engraved. john Barnes,
Detective Boston. =
After reading it, conciEated by the
detectives honesty. Everly said:
thank you for your candor. I sus-
pected you, forwes seldom have strangers
IN Zee. AS I am Marvel s friend, and as
you have come here to make trouble for
him, you viii pardon mo If give you
no information which Will be of use to
you.
! g No need. young man. Veil get
along well enough without you. " Ever
y recognized the voice Of Squire Olney,
Whe had just entered, ,and he turned
away. The squire shook Mr.. Barnes
cordially by the hand. saying:
8 You are Mr. Barnes, the mar sent
down by the Pilkingtons, ! presume? I
am glad you are SO punctual- Iexpected
to find you here, as received a dis
patch from your chief last night. As
soon as you are ready shall take you
up 10 Mr.. Lewis house. for it is in con-
nection with his affair that I sent for
You. =
Il am ready togo with you at once, I"
said Mr. Barnes in an undertone, but
first let me introduce to You my friend
Mr.. Burrows. He is young man in
whom the. chief is interested, and he
works with the older men that he may
acquire experience. He is beginner,
but he is shrewd and promises to be-
come frstclass detective .
Burrows arose, and the squire shook
hands with him, swhereupon the three
men exchanged few words In an IN
dertone. Meanwhile another stranger
appeared upon the scene. This was a
man dressed in the garb Of a sailor. He
ordered a hot drink, for which he paid
IN advance. Then lie asked one or two
questions, whereupon the storekeeper
called out:
81 say, squire! Here's a man you
may as we'll see
Thus summoned, the squire left the
detectives and approached the new
coaaer.
Well. my sman, y he asked. what
can I do for you?'
+ My name is John Lewis, = was the
reply. 81 have been at sea for several
years, but have at last reached home
again, or rather I should say my fathers
home, for this is my first visit to Lee.
was asking to be directed to my IA
theirs house when this gentleman told
me that you were about to go there and
might be willing to take me with you. !"
Il shall be delighted to do SO, said
the squire, offering his hand to Lewis
in cordial recognition. II have often
heard your father speak of you, and as
know that he loves you and longs for
your return it wiz be pleasure to ME
70 restore his son to him. .
.'You can't think how your words
gladden. me- said Lewis, apparently
: overcome by emotion. 81 ran away
from home when ] was yonngster,
and now that I have come back it is
good news to hear that welcome
awaits me.
welcome? Yes, indeed Your father
has often said to me that he would
: cheerfuny forgive your foolish escapade
ifyou would hut return. But Gene. We
sSu,us start att once = have: business OF