Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-08-16


lars as to how you CHANGED to escape
from the Steen dungeons?"
"Only that just in the nick of time
l was discovered by some tourists who
had come down to see the awful place
for themselves"
MY name was not mentioned?"
ITO the best of my recollection, not
at ALL"
Good! Then, if l meet the ogre,
you can introduce me as one of your
friends"
Il trust such is only the truth" shy
ly.
whom you have always entertained
feelings of profound respect"
1T shall be as you say. I am sure
you have some motive in this action" F"
"I certainly have. Truth to tell, l
believe have seen this gentleman be-
fore, under other conditions. l shall
know to a certainty after l have been
in his society a while. At any rate,
there is reason to hope for the best" I"
"Shall we go out and meet him"
asked Airline.
Yes, indeed. The Fates have decid-
ed that Captain Brand and l shall
come together for a trial of strength,
and it might just as well take place
now as later. am ready"
So they went out.
The ex-sailor quickly sighted them
and bore down with all sails set," as
he would have nautically expressed it.
nj arf
He met the captain in a bluff,
friendly manner, just as a young man
might wish to receive the father of
lovely girl he admired.
Plainly Captain Brand found no es-
pecial reason for alarm.
He set out to be even more jovial
and debonair than usual, with the idea
of creating a good impression on
his daughters old friend, whom he
wished to study at close range.
When he set out to entertain, Cap
tain Brand of the Hespasia was a
bowling success, relating the most as
tonishing incidents connected with his
long captivity in the desert, his perils
on the sea, and the deep fountain of
love for wife and child that had sus-
tanned him through all his trials.
Charlie was no mean actor himself.
thanks to the splendid control which
he was able to exercise over his facial
muscles.
Although he now had not the least
doubt as to the fellow being a fraud
of the first water, Charlie felt that he
owed it to Arline's respect for filial af-
fection to prove this fact.
This was the task he cut out for
himself.
He laid his little trap.
Captain Brand was SO much engag-
ed with his flow of oratory and the
charming of this friend of the family
that he did not notice the pit so deftly
dug
Thus, almost without an effort,
Charlie had him admit that he knew
considerable about Valparaiso, in
Chill, and had been there, in the
course of his wanderings, many years
ago.
In Charles mind this settled the
matter. He was confident he knew
with whom he had to deal, and when
the time came he would be ready to
dare all in defying the adventurer.
While they sat thus, speaking of
the sights of Antwerp, there came a
messenger from the hotel Office inquir-
ing for Mr. Charlie Stuart, whom a
gentleman outside desired to see.
AS he went, directed by the clerk,
to the spot where he would find the
gentleman who had asked for an I'M
mediate interview on serious business,
he was making up his mind to tell
Peterhoff the whole story and enlist
his favorable consideration for Airline,
so that when the denoument came the
doughty captain could be taken care
of.
Judge of his surprise, then, when.
upon coming upon the party who
wished to see him, he found it was no
other than Artemus Barnaby, with his
honest face clouded with an air of the
darkest mystery.
1t did not require much prophetic ic
skill on Charles part to tell that his
erratic friend had news of some i'm
portance for him.
He pressed a forefinger on his lips
to indicate dead silence, when he found
that Charlie had recognized him
Charlie stood there waiting while
the other crept on his tiptoes to the
corner in the regular orthodox stage