The times., 1898-05-30

| perhaps / Shall be able to inpdrt 10 you
In confidence the detaiis or case that
| will be a wholesome warning to you
Yes" murmured Mr.. Blest decidedly
as the door closed behind his nephew
The husband must know all.
| A week later Mr.. James Hedgeter who
was stout red-faced, and with tenden-
! cy to pImples. met man who was tan
and q little threadbare. and whose red
| facedness was concentrated in and around
| his nose and walked with him from St
James Peak toward Holborn The other
man SHE'D visibly at the recruiting ser
geants in Trafalgar Square, and crossed
hurriedly to the pavement by st. Mar
tins Church.
Eyer sure it's all serene?" asked the
tall man. This Blest amt going to cut
up rough? -
mot he" answered Mr. Hedgeter.
Hes a regular mild old family solor. II
you know what that is. II they'd meant
fighting hid have turned the job over TO
| somebody else. and then ] should have
fought shy of 1t. None Of your George
Lewises for me. I've seen Blest. and
sized him up. and you've done the same
| for the parsons wife.
II ave. and the parson. too. said his
companion. cxpectorating contemptuously
"E's a daisy; big as 'ouse, smooth. red
| faced. an oily in the pulpit; an didn't e
give er beans walking ome! card I'm
The tall man stopped and looked into
ShOp-WtndO&S In Great 1urnSlliS- MT
Hedgeter went on TO Bedford Row, and
asked for Mr. Blest with somewhat ex-
aggerated air of confidence and pomposf-
ty.
Mr. Blest stood on the hearthrug look
ing very hot and nervous. Mr.. Hedgeter
held out his hand. but he waved him back.
You have brought letters? he asked
briefly.
"An' you have the notes?" said the
| other doggedly. 81 come here, as you
wouldn't come where l wanted you TO,
trusting TO your honor"
..Did you?' said Mr. Biest dryly. Then.
as l put trust in your honor. Mrs.
Smythe will identify the letters"
He touched a bell, and with a rapidity
rarely seen off the stage when bells are
rung Mrs. Smythe appeared through
door behind Mr.. Hedgeter. He held them
up to her one by one, battered. worn strips
of foreign note paper, that she looked at
mournfully. Still she had wonderful
| nerve; her voice hardly shook as she
said, simply: There are two more, the
| two that were In these envelopes
There amt" said Mr.. Hedgeter.
There are" said Mr.. Blest. interposlng,
''and if they are not produced this mat
ter cannot proceed"
'PThen it's no DEAL" said Mr.. Hedgeter,
folding up the battered pieces of paper.
You scoundrel!' exclaimed Mr.. Blest,
''do you know that what you are doing
means penal servitude?"
''If she likes to tell her husband. 1t
might mean something of the sort. re-
piled Mr.. Hedgeter. coolly.
But she has" exclaimed Mrs. Smythe,
and Mr.. Blest touched his bell again.
Drop itr' exclaimed Mr.. Hedgeter.
turning a little pale. You don't bluff
me-"
He heard step behind him. and a heavy
hand was laid upon his shoulder.
| mellow
voice.
Let me introduce Mr. smythe." said
Mr.. Blest. who seemed TO have recovered
his nerve; "and let me remark that De-
tectiye Sergeant Drewitt, of the Metropol-
) itan Police. is waiting downstairs till l
ring again.
Mr.. Hedgeter's face turned dirty yel-
: low. Only his nose retained any redness,
, and that adopted a bluer tint that made
IL almost purple.
you just read these" he said viciously.
holding out the letters. Mr.. Smythe was
! tall stout and his hair was tinged with
/ gray: but his fingers must have been very
strong. for Mr.. Hedgeter wrlthed in his
. grasp without his seeming TO exert him
self
Don't. darling murmured Mrs.
: Smythe warningly. Her voice seemed 10
recall to her husband the necessity for
being calm
, put them on the table" he said in his
; booming deep voice; and then. as Mr..
Hedgeter mechanically obeyed. he Ioosed
, his hold upon him and went and stood
, by Mrs. Snythe with his arm round her.
: I'VE defy YOU" he said II know all. and
believe my wife; dearest" he added,
drawing her toward him. do not trem-
BILE"
Mr. Blest interviewed in incisive tones.
, What is more, Mr.. and Mrs Smythe
have decided to prosecute; whether on the
-
might in any way vary that decision am
not in a position 10 say.
{ Mr.. Hedgeter looked at them. The
clergyman was gazing Into his wifes
eyes. bending over her. She was looking
very pretty. Then they both turned and
; | faced him.
Sergeant Drewitt can accompany you
to fetch the others" said Mr.. Blest shift
ing his position impatiently.
Here they are, said Mr.. Hedgeter sui
lenly. laying two more slips of paper on
the table. Mrs. Smythe stepped forward
and nodded Mr.. Blest took them all UP,
/, | swung open the door OF his safe, threw
; | them in. and let the door clang oDon
them. And there they will remain he
| remarked in his most acid tones.
And now" said Mr.. Smythe TO his
! wife. I'VE will go and have luncheon to-
gether.''
She smiled a little embarrassed smile.
: | you KNOW L nave TO go 10 my dress
| makers she said. 'and you have TO tau
! to Mr.. Blest. He looked a little disap-
| pointed as she hurried from the room.
| Mr.. Hedseter, almost forgotten, broke
! in. "And amt I to have anything? Not
even a flyer for my services in recovering
your papers?" he asked. almost weeping.
Sergeant Drewitt is still downstairs. .
remarked Mr.. Blest. stretching his hand
| toward the bell; but Mr.. Hedgeter was
already vanishing through the door Five
minutes later he was being cursed in Lin
coins Inn Fields by tall man who lis
tened to his story. and until he had heard
all the details twice over refused 70 be-
lieve him. And around Mr. Blests room
stout gentleman in clerical dress dane
ed three times. while Mr. Biest beamed
f | through his gold-rimmed spectacles.
Didn't do IT well, uncle. and oughtn {
| you give me the credit of il he shout
ed; land won't you come and see Dandy
Dick and isn't all the padding hot just?
: say" he added thoughtfully "I was all
right. wasn't 1. just as I should be, Ell d?
I mean L couldn't have done any more,
: could I?''
Certainly not" said Mr.. Blest, decis-
lively; "and now you had better finish
that abstract
t "Confound abstracts" said his nephew
''She ought to have let me stand her
luncheon. Ell? Fancy me in this rig at
the Savoy."-St. James Gazette.
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