Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-08-21
111RMoNr FREDERICK COUNTY, MD, THURSDAY AUGUST 2 1902

since tIl cAlllDlIlOll VI IL Nouiu ohiJ
have closed the detectives lips more
| tightly.
II should like you to make an expert.
mcnt, though" said he. "Will you
make it on my account? l want 1T
very well done, no matter what 1t
| costs"
You're throwing your money away.
sir" replied Hemming civilly. "Still.
| If you wish it, and choose to pay foi
| it, of course ii can be done"
Clifford found card, and gave 1t TO
| the detective.
"Thcre is my address," said he. II
rely upon you TO do your best"
"And you won't be dissuaded, sir,
from useless expense"
"No."
Before they parted, Clifford and the
detective had arranged between them
| the details of a little plot which Cliff.
| ford thought would certainly suffice
to excite the appetite of the astute but
daring thief who was at the bottom
Of all the mischief.
In the week following Clirord's de.
parture, therefore, there arrived at
the Blue Lion a rough-looking person
who gave himself out as a successful
cmigrant. who had returned to his ma
tive land with his pockets full OF
money. The man stayed at the inn
for several days, boastcd openly in the
bar of his luck, showed the results of
it in lavish 'troating' and in the ap.
parently careless exhibition Of hand.
fuls of gold.
But it was all in vain. IIcmminS
had to report to Clifford, not without
secret triumph tnat the wealthy emi.
grant had been allowed, after a pro:
| lonGCd stay, to leave the inn without
having received a visit from the midi
night thief Clifford was much chag.
rincd, although he affected to think
| that it was only in common prudence
that the thief, on whom at least tho
suspicion OF murder nrw hung, had
grown moro careful.
But when Hemming had left him.
Clifford began to think out new
problem which this last occurrence
had presented to him. Was jCm Stick
els the chief?
But then it was certainly not Jcm
StickclS whose hand he had caught
under his pillow. And Il shivcr passed
through the Young fellows frame as
hr rcmcmhcrcd the touch Of the
lmooth skin, of the little slender fin
gers.
1t was not until the first day Of
March, on n clustering, stormy morn
ing, that Nell ClariS, her resolution
broken down by pathetic appeal
from her uncle, came back To Stroan.
George Claris met his niece at the
station, ana each was shocked at the
changed appearance of the other. Nell
seemed TO have lost half her beauty;
her checks had lost their rOundncss
which had been one of her greatest
charms.
"Oh, uncle" she cried softly. when
she had received his silent kiss on her
forehead. you don't look the same
uncle! What have you been doing to
yourSclfT
"Oh, we've been potisring along
much in the same old way answered
| the innkccpcr affecting an Indifference
which he was far from feeling.
"Nothing's happened in particular.
since Mr. King went back to London.
He wanted your address, rs l told
in lntt lthU 1rntIlIn'i
| let me give it to him.
Uncle, l like him too much" an
swcrcd the girl, steadily. 'If it had
| been in the old time, now, he should
have had it quickly enough. But un-
| Ill this miserable business, that's been
the ruin OF everything to us all, is
cleared lH,, I'll not let any man care
about involve himself in my disgrace"
Disgrace, Nell"' echoed George Cla-
| riS in Il low voice. Don't say that,
child don't say that"
In this tone the girl detected all the
emotions which the story and the ru-
mors about it had set stirring in her
uncle's simple mind. She felt kcenly
| the affection, the doubt, the anger,
which had tortured him during the
long weeks of the winter. She gave
Il sigh, and tucking her hand under
his arm, whispered:
I'VE won't say disgrace, then, but
misfortune"
AYE, that's better, dear" agreed the
poor fellow mournfully.
4 4 tbnt ,Oo,,npt tb,I- npnnrrnI from
the shelter afforded by the trees Of
Stroan Court, the mansion which stood
Just outside Of the walls of the old
town. They were within sight Of the
spot where the body Of Jcm Stickcls
had been discovered; but any emotions
they might have felt at the recollec-
ton were overpowcred by sense of
actual physical danger. For the wind.
which had been boisterous all the
morning, was now so strong that they
were afraid that the dog-cart would
be blown over; while at the same time
binding snowfall made it almost
impossible for them to discern the road
a yard in front of the horses head.
"It blows straight on the Shore"
said George Claris. "Itll be lucky
thing If none of the ships in the chan
mel get drove out OF their course to-.
night"
Nell shuddered. Living rs she did by
the seashore, she was accustomed to
storms and the horrors attendant up
on them to the ships at sea. Every
gale brought disaster; and although,
the inn being on the shore of bay,
most of the accidents Of which Nell
heard happened some few miles away,
yet she and her uncle were always
among the first to hear Of them, from
| the lips of the frequenters of the inn.