The Bowbells tribune., 1904-11-11

oPS~AAfSN' s S " 49, 80 - -
him."
"Got whom?" ,.
Broad Weasel John. the false,
'treacherous dog And as he spoke
his voice spoke with suppressed pas.
sion.
What is the matter? What has he
been doing now-no violence, hope"
mot to me, sir, ut-well-worse--
worse
Try to collect yourself and tell me
about it quietly" said the curate.
His matter-of.fact voice and manner
seemed to have tonic effect on Ruff
fidge, for when he spoke again it was
| with more coolness and restraint.
"Well, sir, it's long story and not
much time to tell it in, but if you don't
mind walking toward the cottage can
-wcll-I can tell you the most of it
on the way. It's--well-it's like this,
! you see. I've hated this-this Weasel
John for long time now, and that
kind O. makes man-well-it wakes
him ready to believe any evil. So /
said-I said to myself, It's only your
y
| what you do think about him. But
! then, again-well-the same notion
| came back over and over again, and at
last-well-I saw the whole thing"
Here he stopped and peered seaward
through the darkness,
But I haven't an idea what you are
talking about, man." said the curate, a
hot mr.
tion of yours that came back over and
! over again."
"Why, Mr.. Leife, you know what a
| number of losses there have been the
last few months. One bad one here,
one over at Buddle, one at Brixham.
You see, some of these-well-fshin
boats are worth getting hold of when
| they've been far enough for their car
goes. They're too-too sharp for the
revenue men, but it looks as if-well-
as II some, one; else swSs ttoo sharp for
them. There's been-well--piracy,
that's the long and the short Of it.
| within a mile or two of where we're
standing" r
"I've thought of that myself" NUT
7 tered the curate. under his breath.
well, sir, last night when got
hone was thinking over what-what
you had said about having your suspi-
cions and being on his track, and L
WE'LL began toto think things over
for myself Bit. I've got a-well-a
good sort Of memory, and a queer
thing struck me. You know that wonl-
an they call his wife that comes to his
-well-to his Bilge, as he calls it. now
and again? don't know what brought
her to my mind, but seemed to re-
member her coming on one occasion
in the dark of the morning. hap
pened-well-I had to be up early my
self that morning, and you must know,
sir, it was on that very day the Cur
lew came to grief. Then about cou-
pie of months ago the Gypsy was lost
near Buddle-at least, there she was
bound for, and just about that very
time this woman was over here again.
md2L3, ,Aiatlas t&gfrmittis m: m m M
well, last night was thinking
things over and I'd put out my hight
and was ready to turn in, when heard
scottish step outside. and then little
tap ON the next door. BY good luck
my window was-well-it was a bit
open and can hear more than most.
l ran to it and took one-well-obser-
walton as you might say, and just
caught sight Of the woman, but l
dursen't look out for fear of showing
myself-those weasel eyes of his, they
can see in the dark. heard the door
open and shut ever SO quietly. Then
all was still. I was kneeling by the
window, and got SO stiff waiting
there that thought shoald have to
give it up as bad job.
"Just as I was going to get up I
heard the door open again and the
sound of whispering. They spoke SO
quiet couldn't catch what they said.
But just as she went out at the gate
she must have turned her face my way,
for her last words reached me quite
plainly: Tomorrow night at nine, if
it's cloudy
"Now, expect you to know, sir, that
the Cowslip is due In tonight after
dark from CherbOurg with the best
cargo Ol lNe yctlF, Luey Sdy, anu IL
sticks in my crop that Broad has some
foul trick he means to play her. l
couldn't rest noways till I'd seen you.
BY luck my nevvies have come over
for the night, and / thought, If you felt
that way inclined, we four might pull
out to meet the Cowsip and perhaps
| do her a good. turn and see whether
/! that chap there is really up to any mis-
chief"
| It was a long speech, and, after the
first, it was hardly broken by any Of
the usual hesitations and repetitions.
| The curate thought for moment.
Right, Ruf1ldge." he said. think it
is our duty to see whether there is
anything in our suspicious. We may
be doing the man great injustice,
and, one way or the other, the ques-
. tion ought to be decided. Stay. though.
l must go back and tell Mrs. Clay"
| They were standing outside the cot
tages. In the Bilge the windows
were all dark, but the parlor of Anchor
| Cottage was lit uD.