The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-04
tcontinuea froln Yesterdayl

and, glanclnS Gp, StN tHdl ~ hae w"
shut too soon by minute and half
A moment later tho clerk came out at the
door, and, catching sight Of me. motioned
me within to show me one Of the familiar
yellow coins.
"Done again. hang IT. was his excited
exclamation. as 1 whistled out over the
sham haif-soyereign. -,
who passed itg-did you nouceV 1
quickly asked.
III didn't notice-I was too hurried,
with every other shouting az the WIN
dow" was the chagrined reply. Dlo
you not notice anyoneI
! thought for moment. and then saiu-
WAS IL not that tall, gentlemsnly
young fellow i'm light weeds Yet ne had
not the look OF slnasner.
IL believe II was a man at least. You
might take a walk round the station ana
see IL you can recognize him.
l did as he advised, and alter suoh
round at last found a young and remark
ably good-looking gentleman seated COM
fortably i'm a hrst-ioss carriage going 10
Portobello. lie had fast look, ana was
evidently hautily aristocrauc; put
was quite sure that he was the same who
but few minutes before had bought
third-class ticket; so. after thinking for
. moment. / retired and prompted one
of the men on the platform to go ana
ask him to show his ucket The man
came back in moment
'ssays he got a third-class ticket I'm mis-
take, and will pay the difference at Por-
fobelo,r was the message he brought
back: whereupon l conceived longing
for Portobeiio as irresistible as II was In
the happy boyhood days when had 10
frudge to it in the broiling sun on bare
foot. Accordingly got into the carriage
along with my genteel acquaintance. ana
tried 10 draw him into conversation. AT
first he WAS IN naughty and shy, but
he thawed by degrees. and
then. TO my surprise, he incl
dentally men..oned that he was the son
OF a gentleman OF high standing In the
city whom | knew perfectly and who was
wealthy enough to keep both town and
n country house. There was such strik-
ing similarity In his features TO those OF
the gentleman he named. that j had not
the slightest doubt OF the truth of the
statement. which made my hopes OF
capture sink suddenly to zero.
"What an ass ! have been to come
away on this slight clue." was my exas-
perated thought az we neared Portobello
s'Coming down here. while the real
emasher is doubtless laughing at me up
yonder.'
secret
recfion of course was that the description
Efves-hv- -Tnrnbul tailed pretty closely
with that of the man before me- bat the
more / talked with my companion the
less hopeful | became.
/ parted with him at Portobello, and
was out of temper with myself that i did
not even leave the station. / merely wait
ed till the train was gone, and then turn
ed TO the booking office To ask a ticket
for Edinburgh. There was a considerable
crowd already there and being served
and had 10 wait my turn. What was
my surprise, then, to notice that the sec
ond man before me In the slowly moving
flle of ticket-seekers was my new ac-
qusintance In light tweeds. Mr. Albert
1dilnei
.'Strange that he too should return by
the very ffrst rrafn?' l thought. and then
he was before the window, and heard
him say, "Edinburgh--First-Clas with
something approaching To rudeness, !
crushed forward over the intending pass
enger as he laid down a coin in payment;
saw that the coin was yellow, and repre-
senting a haif-sovereign: and with sud
den remorseless push and jostle ! strug-
Ried past the person before me, and
grabbed at coin and gentleman at the
same moment
There was commotion at once; and
Mr. Milne turned upon me with look
OF surprise and indignation which made
me fcrvently hope that | was not making
q mistake.
''Well? What is the natter he asked
without trying to discngage himself.
Ny answer was to examine the coir
closely. 1t was OF the same make, date
and appearance as those already In our
hands. drew a long breath of renef
and said sternly--
You are trying TO pass bad half-sov'
ereign. It's mere bit of tin or lead gil
oyer--see," and l doubled it between my
finger and thumb.
lis IL? Well. that's not surprising
there's a deal of that floating about JUS
now and he quietly thrust his hand intC
his pocket and brought out half-crown
which he tossed down. THAT is not bad
surely?"
nodded 20 the ticket clerk 10 give hin
the ticket and change, after had looked
MT the coin: and while he was picking /
up 1 quietly snapped hsHdcuff on hi
wrist. Then he started round with
tug that nearly dislocatcd my own wrist
and with blazing eyes and a bsited lool
which would have frightened many, hu
which were only pleasing 30 me. reveal
ing as they did the fact that his forme
caimness had been assumed
How dar YOU. you sconnirelv n
shouted. "Cnfosten that thing, or IL
throttle you whore you stald
I did not obey. nut ~ rely whi1tled &
one OF the country police IA attendance
He did not throtsie me eth z. seeing 10
man lent me ms truncheon Ia moment
but he still struggled little. and the
cried OUT
"What authority have you 10 treat
gentleman thus2
put my discnragcd hama into m
waistcoat-pocket. and produced my Ell
vcr-crowred staff OF authority. and al IN
same moment some one IN the crowd M
tered the words-"It's MGovan--lts ia
ME McGoyan." and then my prisoner be
came quirter In an instant
''But--but my dear sir. this Is mos
prepostcrous. he said. as soon as h
could speak. and with an attempt az
smile. u hope YOU don't imagine for
moment that am responsible FOR th
coin teirg badg'
! had no oplrion 20 offer: and ne wen
on pieod'~r. ard rrotes'irr and enr-r
srating hls POSITION and ei'hv corr e
tlons. til the Portobeilo Police state
was reached
We searched him there 10 the vcr
boots ard stoc'-i~gs but found no has
money ~ his ro~~ar~frn. when he r~1f
renewed ris prot 80 fio-a ard d--,7 i-
70 be sof free ~ frr - fe' = 2
fla father. or a. rtrf' irr tc .fre Mfr