The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-05


graph. On, again, he thought be might
have Gibberts arrested on some charge
or other at Uhannor station. That, he
concluded, was the way out, dangerous,
but feasible.
By that time. however, the porter
had recovered his equanimity. Porters
cannot afford to cherish resentment, and
this particular porter saw half crown
in the air.
did you wish to reach Channor be-
fore the train that's just gone, STRIP
Eyes; can it be donef"
at might be done, sir, said the por-
ter hesitatingly, as if he were ON the
verge of divulging secret which would
cost him his situation. He wanted the
half GROWN to become visible before
committing himself further.
Here's half sovereign if you can
tell me how it can be done short of
hiring special.
"WeIl, sir, You could take the ex-
press that leaves at the half hour. 1t
will take you 10 miles past Channor to
Buley junction; then in II minutes
you can get local back to Channor,
which is due there three minutes before
the down train reaches there-if the To-
cal is on time" he added when the
goldpiece was safely in his pocket.
While waiting for the express Shore
ly bought q copy Of The Sponge and
once more read Gibberts' story On the
way down. The third reading appalled,
him. He was amazed that he had not
noticed before the deadly earnestness of
the tone. We are apt to underrate or
overrats the work Of a man with whom
we are personally familiar. Now for
the first time Shorely seemed to get the
proper perspective. The reading left
him in a state Of nervous collapse. He
tried to remember whether or not he
had burned Gibberts' letter. If he had
left it on his table, what might not
happen?
The local was five minutes late at the
junction, and it orawled over the 10
miles back to Channor in most exas-
perating way losing time with every
mile. At Chsnnor he found the London
train had come and gone.
Ibid man get off in long ulster
aud"-
"For Channor Chase, sir?"
eyes. Has he gomez"
ooh, yes, sir. The dogcart from the
Chase was here to meet him, SIR"
"How far is it?'
"About five miles by road, if you
mean the Chase. str. 1"
"Can I get conveyance"
~ don't think so, sir. They didn't
know you were coming, suppose, sir.
But il you take the path down by the
church you can get there before the
cart, sir. It isn't more than two miles
from the church. You'll find the path a
bit dirty, sir, but not worse than the
road. You can't miss the way, sir, and
You can send for your luggage"
1t had been raining and was still
drizzling. A strange path is sometimes
difficult to follow, even in broad day
light, but wet, dark evening adds
tremendously to the difficulty. Shorely
was city man and quite unused to the
eccentricities Of country lanes and paths.
He first mistook the cleaning surface Of
a ditch for footpath and only found
his mistake when he was up to his
waist in water. Tho rain came on heav-'
lily again and added to his troubles.
After wandering through muddy fields
for some time he came to cottage
where he succeeded in engaging guide
to Ohannor Chase.
The time 10 had lost in wandering
through the fields would, Shorely
thought, allow the dogcart to arrive
before him, and such he found to be the
case. The man who answered Shorely's
imperious summons to the door was sur
prised to find wild eyed, unkempt, be-
lunatic on tramp.
HAS Mr.. Bromley Gibberts arrived
YETI" he asked without preliminary
talk.
"Yes, SIR" answered the man.
"Is he in his room2'
"No; he has just come down after
dressing and is in the drawing ROOM"
II must see him at once," gasped
Shorely. sit is matter Of life and
death. Take me to the drawing room."
The man in some bewilderment led
him to the door of the drawing room,
and Shorely heard the sound of laugh
ter from within. Thus ever is comedy
and tragedy intermingled. The man
threw the door open, and Shorely enter
ed. The sight he beheld at first dazzled
him, for the room was brilliantly light
ed. He saw number of people, ladies
and gentlemen, all in evening dress and
all looking toward the door with aston
ishment in their eyes. Several of them,
he noticed, had copies Of The Sponge in
their hands. Bromley Gibberts stood
before the fire and was very evidently
interrupted in the middle of a narration.
II assure you," he was saying, THAT
is the only way by which story of the
highest class can be sold to London
editor"
He stopped as he said this and turn
cd to look at the intruder. 1t was a mo-
ment or two before he recognized the
dapper editor in the bedraggled indi-
vidual who stood abashed at the door.
"By the gods," he cried, waving his
hand, "speak of the editor and he ap-
pears. In the name of all that's Won
ai: