The southern sentinel., 1901-10-11

l kSu u NOW mucu money oue t00u
Don't be bashful: make It q hundred
or say two. We've been bled before
no doubt We can stand bleedin,
again"
There seemed to Lowndes to b
something pathetic In the rough iron,
| OF the mans tone; he began to fee
heartily sorry and ashamed that b,
had allowed himself to be persuaded
into this adventure. The pretty, pal.
girl, standing mute behind her uncle
the uncle himself with the dull per
plexity In his eyes. seemed 10 him II
the ghostly light Of the early morning
20 utterly broken down. 20 bewildered
20 miserable. that hs wanted to SLIM
away without exchanging q further
word with them. But this. Of course
was out Of the question.
II have had nothing taken" be said
hurriedly. 'Nothing whatever"
You think the woman was maybe
only taking q look round by way Of
passing the timer" suggested Claris,
still In the same grim tone.
Lowndes was silent
"And. pray. IL may make % bold =
went on the inkeeper. in a threatening
tone. after q few minutes pause.
what was she like. this womang
II couldn't see. 1t was dark, you
know"
"But you're sure It was a woman. Of
courser
There was. perhaps. a note of inter-
est in Claris's irony this time.
"Yes," answered Lowndes. with q
little more decision. 81 am sure Of that
She moved like a woman, and had a
womanss head and q woman's skirts.
I saw her head as she got out Of the
window. I saw her skirts moving
about before me. when I got down to
the ground"
And that's all you've got to sayf
Now. Nell. tell rs what you saw"
And he turned triumphantly to his
niece.
Nell was standing opposite the win
dow. and the gray light of the morn
Ing came over the top Of the shutters
full on her face. 1t was white. weary,
and there were dark lines under the
eyes. which were heavy and lusterless.
Every word she uttered bore-so the
young man thought-an odd stamp as
Of truta and sincerity.
II woke up suddenly. hearing a loud
noise. saw the door fall In and
some ore rush through and get out Of
the window. I sprang up and looked
but. and saw this gentleman sliding
iown from the roof Of the outhouse on
% the ground"
Il didn't see you," interrupted
.owndes. sharply. with another doubt. |
You did not look up" replied the |
,irl. with composure. You ran away
through the garden to the right. I
lressed quickly. and ran downstairs
md out by the back door to see what |
vas the matter. When I got out you
'ad scrambled up the bank and were
alking to my uncle"
Lowndes said nothing; there was
othing to say. But. although it ID
rue that he had not given much at
ention when he burst into the upper
oom to anything but the window and
be escaping figure. he felt convinced
hat II there had been q person In bed
, the room he should have seen her.
heard some cry. some word, to indl- I,
ate her presence.
"Now, you've heard another story.
nd. Begging your pardon. I'd sooner
Ike her word than yours" |,
But" suggested Lowndes In a con-
liatory tone. do the two stories con- ,
adiet each other? All this young
dy says is that she did not see the ,
oman pass through her room"
mo. nor any one else. either" burst
1t George Claris. as IL his patience
- at last exhausted. AN look here
l won't stand no man coming down
re to spy about. and taking fancies ,
to his head. and breaking into the :
oms Of my house-not for nobody.
q GO. Sir: you can just go up stairs :
d pick youf p6rtmanteau and clear
It between this and breakfast time.
't apother bit nor drop WIN you bs 5
rved with under my roof. And you
~ just tell the three young scoun-
els that sent you that whatever they Z
'es to call themselves they're no
ntlemen- IL know them. you see.
know you were put up to this By
rdan, King and Co" |"
Uncle! uncle! No; Mr.. King never Q
1t him. I win answer for thatr' y
md Nelrs face became suddenly q
mson with . blush that betrayed .
: secret. IN
Iowndes was touched.
You're right" he said to her. very a
nply. "Mr. King knew nothing v
put my coming" He turned to CT
urls. LET me have my bfll," & CT
d. II win 80 at once" q.
ND the young man. ashamed Of his al
n action. but more perplexed every ei
ment - he considered. from every u
Mt Of view. his singular adventure, RI
the Blue LION within the nAxt Al
enty minutes. and returned to town RI
relate his experience to Otto Cony.
re and While Jordan. e
- - Il