Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-06-04
Stairs Of
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bag and left 1t lying on the floor Then
he wrote a note to the landlord,
wrapped a banlknote around it, that was
more than his bill amounted to. sealed
and addressed it, and left it on the bu-
rcau where 1T could be easily seen, and
went quietly out of the room, closing
the door softly behind him. He was
rather glad that he did not find the
landlord below stairs, but even If the
worthy Peter had been there he would
have said nothing about his going
Let this spy and thief still think
am in town." he said To himself. as he
went out the door. so much the
easier for me to throw him off the
track
Thinking that perhaps there might
be unseen eyes watching him, he APP
preached the depot in a circuitous way,
! reaching it from exactly the opposite
road he had set out Then he kept out
OF sight until the train arrived that was
to carry him to Tarrenford, where he
knew that poor Dick Barnett was con-
hned. He felt satisfied as the train
moved out of the station that his de-
parture had not been noticed, and the
thought that the man who had been
left to watch him was outwitted filled
him with quiet amusement.
so 1T came about that the little man
III brown WAS never AGAIN seen in the
town of ENton, and the landlord OF the
Rluebell, when he found his star board
en- mad taken French leave. mourned his
loss for many weeks afterward and
was wont to regale the loafers of his
establishment with the prodigality of
the millionaire travelling in disguise
who had honored his roof for a few
short days.
Meanwhile Dick Barnett took his con-
finement coollY, and now and then his
| solitary life was cheered by IA visit
from Grace Ellison.
. She generally came with her
father and 1t seemed to Dick that
, Ellison did not treat him with the
j same feeling as in the past, before this
trouble came up. He often wondered,
100 what had become of the little man
VINO had acted in such a friendly way
While he was enjoying, or rather endur-
ing, Mr. Blivens hospitality at Exton.
He finally set him down as an eccentric,
VINO mad become tired of playing phi
lanthropfst In his case and was prob
ably amusing himself on fresh sub
ject.
When he was examined he was sur
. prised to find what weight of circum-
: stantial evidence there was against him.
There We're two things that counted in
his favor First, his good character and
even temper making 1t seem impossible
, that he could in a fit of anger have
hllicu tne 1llolHeT, SIMPLY because she
. opposed his suit; secondly, the discov-
, cry that Mrs. Ellison had been despoiled
of her earrings of diamonds and emcr-
, aids. Still, there was some doubt
whether she had Worn them that night,
though they could not be found in the
irceptacle where she usually kept her
Ijowels.
+ That the young school teacher could
: have been robber as we'll as guilty of
a deeper crime seemed absurd on the
face of 1T. On the other hand he was
very poor, and had made arrangements
5 to leave the town that night surrepti-
tiously.
! SO the case remained, and he was re-
3 manded TO await his trial with the
. prospect of some months in Jail. any
Nay, before he could be free. AS for
, Ellison, he promised to do great things
He would pay a force of detectives to
search for new evidence, and pro-
claimed dramatically in court his belief
S In the young mans innocence. He did
all he could to make his former protege
' comfortable in prison, and Dick, far
from feeling downcast, as he expected
e to be when he found the weight of evil
D dence against him, became confident
thag he had but to wait and all would
e be Well.
: ON the very day of the examination,
while James Ellison was still enjoying
) the proud feeling of n man who has
y been defending the cause of the poor
and weak, n card WAS brought to him in
: his hotel room that drew from him an
: exclamation of surprise.
SHOW the man up" he said to the
5 servant, and straightaway began to
y walk nervously up and down the room
: as if the prey to n violent excitement.
; When he heard n step in the corridor
y without and heard Il tinlid knock on the
door, he went and opened It, admitting
! -, GaI
e sharp face and closcly-cropped hair,
n who stood for a moment on the thresh-
: old. twisting a light felt hat nervously
in his hands
t Well, why don't you come in?"
: ,rumbled Ellison. And then. as the fel
: low seemed to have trouble ia making
: up his mind. reached out his hand and
U pulled him INTO the room, closing the
= door behind him.
Sit down." pointing to a chair.
n The visitor, who seemed to be UNI
: comfortable in his new clothes and ut
$ Il loss to know what to do with his
hands, slowly lowered himself to a rest
= ing position on the edge of n fauteuil,
while his black eyes turned here and
there about the room, as if looking for
Il means of escape.
Ellison. who had taken seat direct
u ~ in front of his visitor, eyed him with
y Il contenptuous smile.
e "Wel, what have you done to earn
a your money! he began.
y I'lime me, Mr.. I1ellison, l amt had a
good nights sleep since l went on this
S here 'untin' heHpedition" speaking with
:, Il strong coclsney accent. ,
+, That's all very we'll. But what did
h you accomplish by staying awake? The
paper--lid You get it,
e No; ] didn't"
II Ellison made a gesture of irritation,
$ and looked ut his visitor In no very
e friendly way.
h What chance was there for me to
e lay 'andsi ON it?" explained the young
e man, energetically. Didn't l plank my
self down in the same odgin' 'ouse with
y the party? Didn't | keep alter him all
D.. day-an', let me tell we, he amt u pc
If destrian you can give distance to-
e Didn't / ransack his baggage when he
t. was hcut?"
8. "Oh. that was all nonsense. You
II might have known that he carried 1t
about with him.
d And 1 suppose l was to knock the
e gent over in broad daylight, and take
it from 'im?" remarked the other, show
ing that he had Il pretty skill in the
way of sarcasm.
Il don't care what you might have
done. Your duty was to get the paper
and you haven't done it. / declare, yo,
q are not so clever as thought you
e were"
Come. e1vrlor I done the best