Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-23


speedily make his appearance, I might
have to wait for an opportunity until
tomorrow. Was this, by any chance.
what was wanted by those who would
use me as puppet. if they could?
l watched the moments crawling by
on the face of the clock. The pedlar
and the organ grinder were preparing
to go. Outside the rising wind purred
like a tiger-cat gorged with food.
The pedlar picked up his pack. The
organ grinder whistled to the monkey
which had left his shoulder; and as
the creature scrambled nimbly back to
its master, the woman returned with
an air of haste to take the money from
her customers. Without a word or
nod the two slouched reluctantly away,
while waited for change that she
seemed oddly slow to give.
Il don't know what's 'appened my
son Bill" the old woman began chat
tering in the Cockney accents, which
sounded so out of place in this north
country. "'E don't usually leave me
to shut up. KS sure to be back soon,
but l can't keep you ere, sir. I'm
sorry, but if you wants to find out any
think as I don't know, you'll ave to
look in again to-morrer, or else"
She stopped, and her sunken lips
moved toothlessly.
'Or else-what?" I echoed, on the
alert.
you kin tyke room ere fur the
night, sir. We ave one to let, and
with wicked drop of the eyelid, and
a lifting of the mouth at one side that
did duty for knowing smile folks
does engage it sometimes, if they
wants fur any reason to stop lyte. You
know she hurried on, perhaps seeing
a dubious expression dawning on my
face, you don't need to stye on all
night. If you tykes the room and is a
lodger, that's enough fur the law"
She was rather too eager, but, re-
flecting that her wish to keep me
might be wholly mercenary, and feel
ing 10th to go without having made
the smallest effort to unravel the mys-
terry of "Mr. Smith," decided to avail
myself of the offer.
"Since you think that your son is
sure to come in soon," said, 'I'll take
the room and watt
I'll show you to it, sir the wien
ed creature croaked. thine. to shut
up now, see. But as I don't know you
if you wouldn't moind pyin' in ad-
vance"
I took half-a-crown from my pocket
and rung it down on the counter, from
which the yellow hand seized the coin
with avidity, carrying it to the mouth,
where some unsupported tooth applied
the well-known test.
Under the mantel several keys were
suspended from nails, and the largest
of these the woman selected. Then,
limping ahead, she led me down the
long, dim passage, to the room at the
end, which bore indications of being
for so-called human inhab-
itants.
Through this, SIR" she explained.
Mind the steps, now!"
A low door creaked. I bent my head
to pass under its frame, and kept
wary hand within reach of my revolver
as l followed down the three crazy
steps of which / had been warned, the
witch's candle faring backward with
brown smoke wreaths, into my face.
The guest chamber" of the Spinning
jimmy Inn boosted more pretensions
to decency than the family sleeping
room, as I thankfully discovered when
my guide had set her candle on the
and it's flame had regained
normal steadiness The bare wooden
floor was not dirty as might have been
expected, and. fortunately, there was
so little furniture that no excuse for
neglect was given. A small old-fash-
toned bed was crowded into one cor
ner. Besides, there was only chair,