Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-11-13
feet. Not my beard" no begged:

Nonsense" snapped the stranger.
rs with a quick movement he restored
! the revolver to his pocket and brought
out a razor. you've got your lucky
stars % thank that | hold strangely
| superstitious views about murder or |
shouldn't have taken all this trouble.
don't want to resort to extremes.
but If you don't sit still He made
an expressive gesture, first drawing the
razor across his own throat and then
throwing out his arms as if casting a
heavy body out of the carriage door.
"But my beard!' cried the wretched
bishop. Think, If you shave me,
i" and then his voice failed, the
crooked light in the mans eyes looked
so ominous and the razor cleaned so
sharply bright in the sunlight that for
the first time in his 5j years he fell for
ward in n dead faint. When
he came to himself some time later
the train wa: still buzzing and rocking
through space and the whistle was
shricking %ch,erfully. He felt uncom-
monty sick and cold, and with frcnzied
haste he put his hands to his throat.
His throat vas still intact, but his
beautiful bea'd-the envy of the whole
bench of bis!ops-the theme of poets
and journalits-was gone!
He turned his heavy eyes round the
carriage. FIR the first moment he
thought he vas alonc-thcn he had a
misty impression that he had wakencd
up in anothF world and was looking
at himself fer orpolte to him reading
his paper, With crossed legs and
naughty d%encanor, sat to all intents
and purposes the bishop of Steadmin-
ster. He say It all now. This villain,
housebreaker diamond thief, or what
ever he might be, had conceived this
extraordinary haring plan for Guiding
justice. He wIuld trade on his possess
sion OF a hanbomc beard to pass him
self off as III Bigworth, and SO get
free of the slaiOn-pcrhaps of London.
What was 10 be done? The real
bishop lay bJk in his corne think
ing out a plaiof campaign. He would
sit still ill TIE train stoppcd-noth-
ing was to be gained by argument
and give tnis audacious Dlackguard
into charge lcforc he had time to
Stir. lie & antcd r~uefully at his plaid
trousers and rubbed his chin afresh.
Of course, he must look odd, but there
was sure ID he some one on the train
who would snow their own bishop from
| a makc-beleyr. Yes, it all depended
On rapidity Of action directly they had
e reached their journeys end. lie edged
= "A little nearer to the door. The pseudo
divine went un calmly reading, and
seemed entirely Unconscious that ther"
"n' ""'""" else In lnn """'""''
AT last the lrain dashed ont OF he
olen fields ana in between rows of
smoky houses; then it Slackcncd and
III a few minutes they mad crawlcd
into p%addington. DR.. Bi%Worth, with
IA sharp movement, put his hand oven
the door and claspcd the handle with
his Ringers. Fetch the guard he
whispered 70 "A porter, who lad come
civiily up and said Luggage, SIR"
To his trayelira companion. The
Porter only stared az him and sup
pressed a smile. But at that moment,
AS lack would have it, the guard
CHANGED 10 pass. Guard" cried DR..
EigwOrth, c%Hcltcdly, Il wish to give
tins fellow IN charge. | am the bishop
Ci 5tcadminstcr, though I am aware
| don't lOpk exactly like him at this
moment, This villain has taken my
clothes, threaten ne, sha-'
At this point .1" guard, who hal
been exchanging rs with the falls,
bishop AT the en- the compartment
held up his ham,
'Qui,tly, my man, quicily." he said
l turning round to wink at an inspector
who stood close by, "Oh, yes, you're
! the bishop OF Steadninstcr right
enough. Now, just let this other gen.
tlcman get out res in a hurry anl
then you can tell no all about it,"
l But | am the bishop, | tell you
you fool cricd The cXaspcraied di
=. vine; ask anyogc IN the train VIII,
! knows me-this mans an impostor."
The impostor mean while haG quietly
gathered up his bag and the bishops
travelling rug, and vas engaged in put
ting on the bishops hat. He ben
across and Whispered something rapid
ly into the guard ear.
, The guard touched his cap respect.
fully. yes, m'lurd,' he said, defer
s entiaIly; Il hope he hasn't worried
n you much, mlord?"
Not at all-not at ALL" said the false
bishop, in a patronizing tone. III
weren't in such a desperate hurry IG
s try to find the poor fellows friends
T. | fear he's escaped from somewhere
g GOod-day."