The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-03-14
AFTER TwILvG MIDNIGHT

hs selsiy tpt uosh - ~ sAs1t '"f~'
Yet Thouss Nedtsm ~ ibs nrm q Ast
han A WilAins vss 20 Tool he vss u
puted 10 be- . cote msn si bu.itsss. wt,
kass hos 10 keep bic ceunstl vhsa BIZ
uos.y vss 81 stake. aud yet befe hs ws'
tonight, on the ifctt sect Of . cfowdet
omnibrs. Boosting 70 bic peisbbc .hst ti'
s.i,ss pl.,s sss the heaviest 10 eli HsrT
stead
Bnrsistsf be laughed 10 scsstr TO .
question. l bsve been 30 yesrs . house
holder, snd never one OF The gentry hss
del. ned TO visit me- I often tbirk ibs,
the man sbo tskss no precsntion comes
oii bssi 10 the us.ter. l have known
some men spend fofsuns 10. locks snd
b ils and hsvs . boosebresker 10 ss reau
larry % . ahinney svser, You did not
Lnov my psrinsr. Wikinsf Hes been
dead these dox,n years sod before things
vent wrong sith hin and b0ush, him
oot be he'd . collection OF coins worth
fl 600 Well, be kept The tressufe 10 .
room whose vincoSs we're sbebthed night
ly 10 heavy shutters, boltsd sod bolted
sgsin. But oi course be rose one fise
motnins TO fad the lot eons. That broke
the old fellows heart. and from then I'll
they placed bin in Norwood cemetery he
w.s never Of the rocks.
As the old gsntlensn proceeded 10
lover voice TO tell stories OF the burslsries
tbst be had knosn TO teisll bis friends
the tall youpa fellov Immediately behind
hin showed sigIs OF nervousness. He
shifted unessiiy in bis sest. and % ever
aud anon the ss'.iighis we're passed his
pinched fscs showed white, end HE big
eyes ssemed rive,ed on the jovisl Nsdhsm.
When the merchant left the bus with
bssrty 'aood night to oil and sundry,
the STRIPPING rose sod slipped of too.
Twelve midnight had long since doomed
from the church s,eepls opposite, and
still Thomas Nsdbsm. city merchant aud
porter. Icy vide svske. Ususlly be WAS
heavy sleeper, bot tonight sluuber had
deserted him. though before coming TO
bed he hsd dooe bis best 10 WOO her by
the subtle aid OF tso tumbles OF strong
toddy.
His active brain insisted on scrutiniz
log and disseclips the stock and share
list Of the previous day end gambling
through bis nov silent city warehouse |
The old gentleman chucklsd ss he held
nis eyes tight end copiursd before him the
thousands Of erest bales that Numbered
every inch Of bic stores.
Wonderful he said sudibly. What Q
great thing msy sometimes grow from
small one. to be fnrel Ooly 80 years ago
| wss wondering how | could meet bill
for 81 los Nov new blocks sddei. six aod
ffty wsrehousemen. piles OF paying work
snd still groving. growing. growing.
Wonder vbs. Wilkins would think Of it
sll il be we're looking up nowi Poor vii
kins They tell me be died declaring that
hsd robbed him. That ives hard thing
to ssy. No robbery, say /. but . business
transaction - smart business transaction.
Besides, in sny case, 1t was . question Of
tit icr tat. Bat for Wilkins l should not
have been bachelor.
Nedhsm moved uuessily in bsd, and
through . doorway srched with troubled
me uory, be stole to the lsnd Of iorsetful
ness.
How long be slept be hardly knew, but
be woke with . start he had the dis
tin. impression that he felt warm breath
on bis face, aud springios out OF bed. he
switched on tbs electric light. No trace
OF 40 intruder was 10 the room, bat the
door. which Nedhsm felt sure be bsd shot.
stood partly ,iar.
Hastily pulling on bic dressing gown
end showing bis bare feet into slippers.
be reached heavy riding crop from the
ssIl and stumbled downstairs. As be
opened the dsssing room door ttele was
the sbt iiiiog Of hssty feet, and when the
light vent mp . tall youDe fellow sbsbbi
y dressed stood reveslsd. The two men
faced each other across the table. Ned
bsm gripping tight the whip handle.
Nov, be ssid 10 q wonderfully compos
cd voice, Iva caught yon elssn. What IN
oil the world msy you want herei
The younester II moved his battered hat.
snd bis eyes fell - . tiuss oi color rose TO
bis cheek.
A straight question demands . strsisbt
stsstr, be replied. lam 10 ques, Of some
OF The silver plste you bossted sbont on
the top oiibs Hampstead bus last hight.
| oserh card thst convfrss,ion.
Nsdhsm lsustei aud laid the crop on
the table
Ycn yonre icoli be ssid You do no.
knos Ton Nsohsm. or you would not
have tried this mugs game on. Hs rnbb
% bic hands Ton Nsdham hss never
bseD knosd TO be caught osppios. nevefl
! bave hesfd SAID, replied The burglar
that yon ere smart man Of busi
ness very smsrt man Of business. be
.daed, rsising bic eyes and looking Ned
ham squsrsly 10 the face.
You H.tter ms. yoops man, cbuckled
Ihe ror,iy mstcbsnt. And shc. usy
lsk, reported 90 fsvorsbly Of met
Ny name. replied The siripiios, lsspi 9
,vsr The table : ny name 10 Wilkins. Ny
|slssr vss Jour psrtuer Add tsvipg Is
lfsd that sbot be sssiied results. Il
Nedtsm stisered sliahily, sod bis face
toi,r 10 = moment. however. he q
asd Mastered Li1ssii. o
Al. be ssid lightly. sre you The boz I've
.a.xA Tim a. est 40 nfteu shnutf Hov q