The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-11-14

TIE DdCk OIL MS uedu.
Wondering what he had come back
for, 1 slipped on some things and ran
down and let him in.
what is it?" called Seymour, as l
passed his room.
Its Lambsworthy," answered;
perhaps his landlady is out and he
can't get in"
1t t%ranspired that the house in which
he had been going to sleep had been
broken into. Lambsworthy was great
ly upset. The landlady, who had been
spending the evening out, and had only
returned a few minutes before himself,
had met him in the passage in a state
of terrible CONSERVATION. Her bed
room door, which she had locked before
she left, had been forced open. The
hasp was wrenched off, and the ward
robe and chest of drawers had been
rifed of all their contents.
1.-THE room is in a most dreadful con-
dition," said Stephen; "and the wo-
man, poor creature, is almost of her
head. She said she had never had such
an experience before. 1 waited until
a neighbor came in to keep her COM
pany-she was frightened to be left
alone in the house-or / should have
been back soone You must make up
a bed on a sofa for tonight, you fell
lows"
why didn't you stay there as you
intended?" said Seymour, who had
Joined us. "They haven't stolen the
beds, have they?"
WELL" said Lambsworthy, slowly,
do you know, it is strange, but it
didn't occur to me. 1t gave me such
a shock, the whole thing; it was so I'M
expected, that my own idea was to get
away as soon as l could. And they
have sent to the station, and the
police will be here very soon. There
is no sign of how the burglars effected
an entrance. 1t would really have
been very unpleasant to sleep there"
"Funks!" said Seymour, under his
breath; and, though 1 knew that
Lambsworthy was not a coward, l could
see myself his nerves were a little out
of order, too.
If confirmation had been needed, I
should have got it, as a banging came
at the street door again, and a shrill
voice was heard asking If "Mr. Lambs
worthy" lived there.
Stephen jumped up and went out,
coming back to say that it was the
servant, who had been sent to inquire
If he would step around at IL o'clock
tomorrow, or if he would be here at
the cottage, in case his evidence was
wanted.
Il said l would go with pleasure"
he explained; "but l do not see what
evidence l can give"
Nor a anybody else see it, eitherp'
returned Seymour. my dear fellow,
is it possible you don't understand
what the girl came for really? She
was sent to see if you had given a false
address or not. The police are sus-
pecting YOU"
] thought Lambsworthy would have
fallen.
"Suspecting me?" he Evacuated.
Certainly; very naturally, too.
You go to a house, a perfect stranger.
You engage a room, are furnished with
a latch key, and the same evening,
while the landlady is out, a burglary
takes place-a burglary never having
occurred there before. If they had
found no Mr.. Lambsworthy' living
here there would have been a warrant
issued for your arrest"
do you think that is so, old fellow?' .
asked Stephen, appealing to me with
big eyes.
l admitted that it sounded probable.
1, however, added that his respecta-
bility was a very easy matter to prove,
even If it should still be doubted; and
after he had regained his composure,
we imrrovised a shakedown for him on
the couch, and we all retired.
How can l describe the development?
Lambsworthy went around to the scene
of the late commotion at IL O'Clock
next morning, as he had proposed; and
when he came back, he was in the
nearest approach to a rage that l hac
ever seen him in.
"The old chap, the wretch does sus-
pect me!' he exclaimed. Seymour
vas right! She gave me my deposit
back and said, If it was all the same tt
me, she would rather not let the room.
OF course, I said l did not mind; and
as he was rather inclined to be high.
handed, l added that, on the whole,
did not know that | should fancy bring.
ing my luggage there. l said it was .
rather dangerous proceeding for a lady
to go out and leave a house "a taxi
care of ITSELF And what do you think
she answered."
81 cannot guess, Lambsworthy."
"She said, It's a good deal more dan.
gerous to take a ledger without a ref,
erence.' 1 told her if she dared to him
at her Internal suspicious to her neigh.
bors, I'd have her up for Islander. and
so l will! l never heard of such 3
thing!'
He was in a state of great excite.
ment all day, recounting the affair
over and over again to Seymour and
Miss Cardonnel and myself. l an
bound to say that l got a little tired
of it, but Seymour roared with laughte,
every time, and l caught a look il