Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-08-15


the property and its owner, and /
knew the price to be low. We were
talking away when there came knock
on the door, and as 1 rose to open it
the landlord entered, and saw a
stranger behind him.
"Ah, Mr.. Cook" said mine host,
"please excuse me. l thought you
were out and some one might have
entered your room 1t is all right-all
right. Beg pardon, I'm sure"
He was gone before l could ask any
questions, and Mr. Bliss at once led
the conversation back to the property
and kept me so busy answering his
queries that l had no time to wonder
over the incident. He remained for a
full hour. AS he asked me to act as
his agent for the purchase Of the prop
erty and as he paid me f100 on account
/ was forced to be more or less inter
ested, though could not get over feel
ing a bit put out at the way he had
entered my room. Before leaving he
found that l was going down to Can
terbury in the morning, and he laugh
ingly exclaimed:
"How very queer! Why, I'm going
down there myself. I'll meet you at
the station in the morning, and we'll
make the Journey together"
After got to bed began to go over
the incidents of the evening in law
yerlike way. found had some curl
osity about the way the landlord had
burst into my room and also as to the
identity Of the man who had remained
In the background. Mr.. Bliss had
seemed to talk straight enough, but I
was considerably puzzled over him.
After nights sleep felt better, how
ever, or at least less annoyed, and
tion I gave him cordial welcome. In q
casual way also noticed that he car
ried Gladstone bag, but Of course
thought nothing of It at the time. We
were a little early for the train and
had taken our tickets and were walk
ing up and down the platform when
was accosted by a stranger who ask
ed for a word in private. 1 suspected
at once that he was detective. When
we had stepped aside, he respectfully
Inquired:
"Am right IN believing that you are
Mr.. Cook of Toronto, Canada?"
Perfectly So" replied.
"You are stopping at the Kings
Arms"
lam"
"And the party with your"
"Mr. Theodore E. Bliss, SIR"
"Ah, Just so! Thanks, sir. Mr.. Bliss,
being in your company, must be all
right. Good day, sir"
Had he fingered 1 might have put
some questions myself, but as he hur-
ried away instead l turned to my
to himself and appeared cool and
placid. He asked no questions, and
volunteered no information. / was
upset again, however. II Mr.. Bliss
was all right because he was In my
company, the detective must have had
a suspicion of him previous to this
meeting. | had in a way guaranteed
the man, and had 1 been right or
wrong? AS soon as we had taken our
seats in the train l began to pump
him as IL l had him on the witness
stand. In the course of an hour he
made a dozen slips about Toronto, and
he lodged so many questions that
made up my mind he was a man l
wanted nothing to do with. 1 insisted
on returning his money and taking back
the receipt, and l declined to act as his
agent in any manner. He was certain
ly surprised and put out, but he did
not argue the matter. Just before we
reached Gullford Junction he said he
must get off there to see TO little
business, but we did not part in bad
feeling. 1t was not until l arrived at
Canterbury that discovered there had
been a change of bags. Mr.. Bliss had
taken mine and left his.
Perhaps it was not exactly the right
thing to do, but in my room at the ho-
tel tried my keys on the lock OF the
strange bag and opened It. 1t was
stuffed full of what at first supposed
to be clothing. but after n little inves-
tigation | grew white in the face and
weak In the knees. Down below the
clothing We're English consols and rail-