Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-05-31

CHAPTER VIII.
Continued.


snow have no more idea who did
1t than you have yourself. At first
tried to think that this Mr.. Lowndes
went to sleep with his head full of
thoughts of robbery. and that he
dreamed all that long story that In
told us. But the more thought about
his manner OF telling Us. the more l
could not help believing that it was
not a dream. after all. And yet"
You saw no one go through your
DOM but him."
mo one answered Nell. emphati-
ally.
Gould it have been-:he-the serv-
ant, the woman / saw in the barr"
suggested Clifford. with lowered voice.
Nell smiled sadly.
Poor Meg? No She has been with
my uncle for fifteen years; and, you
know. they say ii is only lately. since
/ have been here. in fact" and again
she grew crimson. that the thefts
have been committed. l am ashamed
TO say that that night. when Mr..
Lowndes had told his story. l did go
into poor Meg's room. just to-just 10
see IL she was there. And she was
fast asleep: really fast asleep. not
shamming. l tried her with lighted
candle before her eyes: you see was
desperate she added. in apology.
And then even went downstairs and
had look ut old Nannler'
And Nell looked deeply ashamed of
the fact she was confessing.
But Clifford. who had naturally less
delicacy on the subject OF Mamie and
Meg. secretly cherished a hope that in
some inexplicable way one or the other
OF these estimable persons might get
them all out of thei- difficulty by
eventually confessing to the thefts.
But he was careful to give no hint OF
this hope 10 Nell.
Clifford did rot want 10 see George
Claris, but he fels bound to do so. The
innkeeper was. - he had anticipated,
very snrly in manner toward him. and
sAe frustrated CliffoTd's intention OF
opening his heart TO him on the sub
ject of Nell ly abruptly disappearing
from the bar almost rs soon as the
young man entered it.
Clifford did not see Nell again: she
had entered the house ut the back.
and he came In by the front. and al
though he fingered about until it was
would relent and come out and bid
him farewell. he was obliged to re-
turn to Courtstairs and thence to town
without that consolation. Nell. on the
alert for the expected visitor. was not
long before she discovered him. He
came. only a few days after Cliffords
visit, In the guise of a mild-looking
nan with sandy hair and pale eyes.
ne of those men whose age it Is diff
ult to guess until you perceive by
close inspection OF the wrinkles under
the eyes that the apparent lad is we'll
over forty.
George Claris had no suspicion of
his visitors profession. IL spite OF the
rumors about the house. there We're
travellers staying there about five
nights in rhe seven. But then these
were usually OF humble class. whose
rockets might be considered not
worth the picking.
The detective himself. for such he
was. called himself commercial
traveller. and professcd during the four
nights he spent under the roof of the
Blue Lion. TO do 4 round of business
calls in the neighboring towns. return
ing to the inn toward evening. now
from one direction. now from another.
in q perfectly transformations and bust
ness-lille manner On the second day
he announced that he should have
money TO receive on the fourth. and
he made this announcement in the
presence of as many people as 10
could. Jem Stickels. vino still hung
about the. Blue Lion with malicious
eyeS<on Nell. two or three other fish
ef1nen and a couple CT farm laborers
were in the bar at the time.
Jem nudged one of his companions
and winked knowingly. The de5ec-
tive. without appearing 10 do so. saw
he wink and took note OF Jem.
When the last linserer had boon
turned out. and the Blue Lion had
closed its doors for the night the De.
tective made few notes in his own
room before he went 10 bed.
On the fourth night. when he was
supposed to be in possession OF The
collected money. the detective went
upstairs as usual. but not to sleep.
He had avoided such an accident by
a nap in the afternoon. Fully dressed
he lay down under the he'd coverings.
and for three hours. listening intently
to the slightest sound in the house. lie
waited.
- And presently. about two hours be.
foIe the dawn. the expected visitor
came.
Very softly. with the rapid. light
movements Of an expert. the figure
crop, round by the wall. cropping,
Searching. Tn" man in bed spran:
up. leaped ou,. aud placed his back
against the door.
Then for five minutes he waited ID
van. Not o sound betrayed the pres
ence of another person in the room.
--fle took a box OF matches from his
pocket and struck light. He could
See the greater part or the small room.
but no trace OF human being beside
himself
After the lapse of a few minutes 1t
occurred TO him that the intruder
might have concealed himself in n cum