The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-04-06
AT FOUR O'CLOCK.

For more than a month there had
been growing among the men of Town
sends set suspicion that he was 60
ing to the bad. Once he had been seen
coming out of a house which seemed to
the eyes of Chadwick, who met him,
to conceal possibilities of faro. To be
sure, it was found afterward that
Townsend had been to visit his
''goody's'' husband. who was laid up
with a broken leg; but the impression
clung, nevertheless
Then Morton saw him one day on
the street in conversation with young
woman of somewhat flamboyant archi-
lecture, and although it was proved
beyond a peradventure that she was
the very respectable person who did
his mending, yet there were many who
believed that Townsend was mashed.
Unexplained. however, was his dis
appearance from his usual haunts at 4
O'Clock every afternoon. There were
rumors of his having been seen in din
gy streets in the port by men who were
walking out from Boston and were TAX
ing short cut through that region
Such being the state Of public opin-
ion, no one was surprised TO have Town
send throw down his hand one day as
the clock struck t. although the last
jack pot had been unusually exciting.
80 IN, h,
fact, I'm going out an attempt at
wit that was greeted with derision.
With the shutting Ct the door every
hand was tossed upon the table as if by
common consent.
Hes doing this every day to my
personal knowledge" said Chadwick
"and I'm going to see it out this after
noon. "
I'm go with you'll" cried Morton
The rest had no theories, but went
from curiosity-all except Allen. who
was a senior and who knew Townsend
mother and was in love with his sister
andshence felt it incumbent upen him
to take the interest of an elder BROTHER
in his welfare.
For 30 minutes he led them at a smart
pace through the better part of Cam
bridgeport. and then turned aside into
short bystreet that extended toward
the river.
There was no electric light in this
obscure alley and the early dusk Of the
winter afternoon concealed the group
of spies in it's fast deepening shadows
Townsend passed the tenements and
went up the steps Of a cottage, the on
ly detached house on the street 1t was
at the end-beyond it a tin can strewn
vacant lot. extending to the marsh.
Allen looked grave as he saw Town
send knock as if to warn the inmates
of his coming and then take latchkey
from his pocket and enter before the
door could be opened from within:
With one accord the eavesdroppers
moved toward the vacant lot, where
shaft of light streamed from a side
window Once around the corner they
did rot see woman who left the house
almost as soon as Townsend had enter
ed
What they did zee as they pressed to
the window. whose partly raised cur
tain allowed them good view Of the
room and its occupants, was of a ma
ture to surprise every one of them.
Before the fire sat an old woman
whom the novels of SO years ago would
have described as ''beldam. Wild
eyes indicative of disordered mind
blazed in a face crowned by mass of
unkempt white hair. Her thin figure
ever swayed to the rTomptlngs of an in
ner restlessncss, and her nervous hands
clutched incessantly at her dress or at
the air
The onlookers were in time to see
Townsend greet her She responded to
his salutation by blow of her cane.
which the young ma:i lodged with
coolness born Of experience.
Seemingly unruffled by this reception.
Townsend went to closet in the room,
and taking from it chafiug dish and
eggs and milk and butter he set about
the preparation of an omelet.
"Well. Ill-be-hanged! !" said Chad
wick, slow in his amazement
"By Jovel' exclaimed Morton.
That's the silver dish his mother sent
him on his birthday ! thought he'd
put it in hook.
Allen said nothing, but he felt a
| twinge Of remorse, for he had thought
so too.
1t required some skill to serve the
meal once it was cooked Townsend
placed a small table before the old lady
She promptly ki Iked it over
When at last she was induced to hold
the plate, she first threw Il bit Of the
onlelet to the cat GA libation to Feils.
Whispered Grimston who had taken
honors in classics and antiquities). and
then flung her fork into the fire Town
send rescued it and substituted spoon.
which seemed more to his patient $
fancy
To air the oyerheated rooT Townsend
opened the window directly over their
heads as they squatted on the ground.
H4 lifted the curtain higher and l"oEAh
- - c-sY- L.