Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-02-20

| Of ever recovering ii, for we dared not
noise abroad the loss of so precious d
gem, when. few evenings since, some
one came to the shop and offered it for
SALE
Who offered IL? Did your grardfath-
or know"
Il think he did, though he didn't tell
me. He was glad to get it back again,
for more than two-thirds of its full value,
without asking any questions
Falkland. as he slowly returned to his
lodgings, felt at loss what to do.
Scarcely a day passed, but that he reck-
lessly contracted some debt, without the
means Of paying for it, and now that
Jeduthun. the jew, had refused to adj
vance him the hundred pounds for which
he had applied, his last expedient for sat
isfying the most clamorous Of his credit
ors, was cut off. A thought struck him
as he placed the key in the lock of the
door which opened into his room. lie
stopped. reflected a moment. and then
retraced his steps
There was tract Of land SD in his
posse sion, belonging to the estlte left
by his father, which yielded him only
tritlng income He would Offer the Jew
mortgage Of this land, IT, instead OF
the one hundred he had asked for he
would give him two hundred He found
the jew preparing to close the shop. As
Stunning more conciliatory air than when
he parted with him, he made known the
reason of his return. His proposal was
accepted, and the following morning was
appointed for the transaction of the bust
ness.
When, at last, he found himself in his
own apartment, he saw a man sitting
near the table. who. as there was no
light, except what was afforded by a fire
nearly burnt out, he supposed to be his
valet.
why are you back so soon. Redding?'
said he. II gave you leave to stay away
till morning"
lyon mistook me for that rascally
valet of your, eh?' said the man, rising
and coming forward.
rs it you, Jem Corkle? How did you
get in?-through the key hole?"
As the door wasn't locked, such an
expedient was unnecessary"
Then | must have forgotten to lock
the door when | returned an hour ago.
As Reddiug has master key. supposed
it was he"
''You have great confidence in that
valet Of yours, | suspect"
NO, I don't trust h; ii at all in any af-
fair of Importance, and that is why /
sent him away to-day"
"There is little need of your trusting
him. for his curiosity is such that he
finds things out without being trusted"
what do you meant"
That he overheard the whole Of what
you told me, the other evening. about al
tering the date Of the will old Burlington
made in favor OF his niece"
How came you to know?"
No matter how. as long as what
tell you is true"
Il am lost, then"
"Not so bad as that. AS yet, he has
told only one person.
who. of course, then, must be you"
We'll. to confess the truth. it was"
Il didn't suspect that you were on such
confidential terms.
HE had little inclination to bestow
his confidence on me, you may be certain.
" IN, on the night in question LEI. you,
l opened the door rather suddenly, when
Go4itt bAt- baA Ath away rum htHiAu II III
such haste as to make me suspect it was
some one who had been listening. | man
aged to oyertake him, and by dint of per-
suasion and threats, succeeded in making
him confess that he had heard all we
had said. | didn't part company with
him, however. till had extorted prom
Use from him not to mention what he had
heard to any person living"
"A promise which he will be sure to
break, as he is as much given TO talka-
tivenesS as curiosits."
''Yes, and I've been thinking 1t will
need sharp argums Mt to keep his tongue
from wagging."
But where shall we find one who will
be willing to make use of such an argu-
ment?"
Leave that to me. But then there
must be time and opportunity"
Tomorrow evening / will find some
pretext for sending him to the shop of
Jeduthun, the jew"
AT what hour!'
mine"
Ten would be the better time"
Yes. but the shop viii be closed before
then"
Mine let it be. then. I remember
nice, snug place close by the Jews tum-
blc-down domele. where he who is to be
employed can conceal himself
And let him he sure not 10 part com
pany with him til he has lost all power
of telling tales"
"You needn't caution me on that
score
And tell him. il the affair occasion
noise or cutlery he will be in no danger
OF being surprised, as the Jews. who are
the sole Inhabitants OF that quarter, are
much like the snail, which. at the init
nation of danger. draws itself further
into its shell. Tell him. furthermore,
that he may count on a good round sum,
il all is performed with skin and dtx-
terity.'
That lies between him and me- l will
take care of it, and shall look to you fog
the pay"
Just then some one knocked ut the
door. Both started as guilty people will.
Go. Falkland, and open the door. or
/ will" said Corkle.
lie obeyed. though not without some
misgivings. 4 lad OF fourteen or fifteen
put Il sealed note into his hand, and
without speaking, withdrew. The TWO
had been sitting By the dim freight, as
If they did Hot care to look each other
in the face. To enable him to read his
note. Falkland was Obliged to light a
lamp.
From a lady or eourticr," said
Corkle, las one may know by the oder
s,f ttssf.k Which Il -