Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-09-28
CHAPTER XvI-(Continued.)

malignant satisfaction stole over his
face. He merely remarked. "Fhen the
Rev. Mr.. Porter will have visitor next
Sunday that he little expects. Let me
see," unused the Professor. BURY st.
EdmCnd's. l can take the early train
on Sunday morning, and get back at
night. / shall have plenty of time to
do my business, and his, too"
What do you mean to doT' asked
Josiah
"Never you mind will tell you all
about it when / get back
"Oh, what a jolly revenge it will he,
for all he made us suffer. to bowl the
old hypocrite out so cleanr' cried Josiah.
gleefully. You can give mine and
Silas' compliments-~
mo, no; for heavens sake. do not
mention my name in any way l ex
claimed excitedly.
why notY asked Mr.. Montgomery,
turning sharply round and casting upon
me one of bis old scrutinizing glances.
"Because-bec8r use" | could not
give reason. "Oh. please to promise
that you will not speak of mev' plead
ed
He did promise. But, somehow. put
very little faith in his keeping his word.
When l was at old Browns, the
printers" said Josiah, Il heard a good
many things about our reverend pastor,
who was not in very good odor, except
among his own sect, in spite of his sane
timoniousness When lie first came into
the town, he was IN open air preacher,
with no chapel or congregation; but he
managed to ingratiate himself into the
good graces of a bevy of old women;
and upon the death of the minister Of
Little Bethlehem. which happened about
the same time, the elders or deacons, or
whatever they call themselves, of the
chapel got him appointed. So he set
himself up as a converted cobbler; and,
as converted reprobates of all kinds were
the rage just then, he dropped into tidy
thing"
While we were yet talking, old Mr..
jennings came downstairs to go to his
mornings work. We had sat up the
whole night. 1t was just 5 o'clock
Spite of my new anxieties, l fell asleep
the moment my head touched the pillow
and woke about FIVE LoCrs afterwards
Martha had a good laugh at my misera-
BILE looks when / went in TO breakfast.
Neither Mr.. Montgomery nor Josiah APP
peared until much later. They took a
newspaper between them and discussed
il over their breakfast. While "the Iro-
lessor" was lansuidly scanning the ad-
yertseneat sLeet, he suddenly uttered
an exclamation of surprise, and read
something with keen attention.
Just cast your eye over that" he
said, handing me the sheet. and pointing
with his finger to particular advertise
ment. With the utmost dismay, | Rad
the following:
"Absconded, from Tabernacle House,
near Bury st. Edmund, a young man.
nineteen years of age, about five feet
nine in height, slightly built, long, dark
hair and dark eyes, small features. very
pale complexion. Whoever will send in
formation chat will lead to the appre-
hension of the same to the Rev. Mr.
Porter shall be handsomely re Tarded
~ B.-Should this meet his eye, no fur
Their proceedings will be taken against
him if he at once returns; but should
he be apprehended, he will be proceeded
against on a grave charge. The police
are OH his track"
The newspaper dropped from my hand
and l thought / should have tainted.
Martha was obliged to battle my fnce
with cold water to recover me. This
little scene was not lost to the sharp
eyes of Mr. Montgomery. | saw him
quietly noting it. but he made no re-
mark Josiah began to hector. and boast
what he would do if he were in my
place.
| was to see Clara in the afternoon;
and for the first time, | felt 10th to
meet her. That advertisement reused up
a train of painful thoughts. What was
| doing?-feeding a mad love for one
woman, while another could claim me
as her husband. How could it all eLd,
but in misery? If Clara should learn
to love me, and then discover all. what
a monster she would think me-
In the face of such impending dam
ger. hut one course was open to me: to
see her for the last time. bid her ndieu,
and then fy from her forever Yes: |
would do it, if my heart broke in the Of
fort. l called in at Martha's as / passed
by for something / had left there. Mr..
Montgomery proposed to bear me com
pany as far as our roads lay together.
Don't you make yourself uneasy
about that advertisement" he said as
we walked along. at is half gas; es-
pccially that part about the police. He
must set some value upon You to make
this fuss. There's something more in
this than you know of. or choose TO tell"
he added, with a sharp look. II know
Bill Stokes so well; he wouldn't take all
this trouble without some very good
reason. But. as | said before. don't
frighten yourself. 1t is more than like
ly. before this day week. that he may be
advertised for as 'absconded.
Had l looked through the newspaper
that morning, | should have seen two
other advertisements that concerned me
equally with the one did read. One
ran thus:
IF the young man named $
c.. who left r House. near
b st. e., on the 31st of August
last, will communicate with Messrs. Fo-
gle & Quick, solicitors. Gray's Inn. he
will hear something to his advantage"
This advertisement, which had been
inserted for three consecutive days pre-
viously, was observed by Mr.. Montgom-
ery for the first tire that morning. and
not pointed out to me. for certain rea-
sons of his own.
The second was couched in these
terms:
SHOULD this meet the eye of the
young man who deposited n suit of
clothes with the owner of Rose Cottsge.
Slopperton. he will oblige by ut once
sending to. or calling personally upon.
]. r.. Norley's Hotel. Trafalgar
Square"
This last. # observed by Mr. Mont
cOmery. conveyed no meaning 10 him. as
] had told the episode, to which IL re-