The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-20

have already given you my
word
VERY good He suddenly sprang
up, and darling like lightning across
the room, he flung open the door. The
passage outside was empty.
That's all right said he. coming
back. I know that clerks are some
times curious as to their masters af-
fairs. Now. we can talk in safety He
drew up his chair very close to mine,
and began to stare at me again with
the same questioning and thoughtful
look.
"a feeling of repulsion, and Of
something akin to fear had begun to
rise within me at the strange antics
Of this fleshless man. Even my dread
of losing a client could not restrain
me from showing my impotence.
81 beg that you will state you;
business, sir said 1; my time is OF
value. Heaven forgive me for that
last sentence, but the words came to
my lips.
"'How would fifty guineas for a
nights work suit your he asked.
Most admirably.
L say 4 nights work, but an
hours would be nearer the mark. /
simply want your opinion about a
hydraulic stamping machine which
has got out Of gear. If you show us
what is wrong we shall soon set 1t
right ourselves. What do you think
of such a commission as that?'
The work appears to be light and
the pay }munificent.'
Precisely SO. We shall want you
to come tonight by the last train
Where TOP
"'Eyford, in Berkshire. 1t is little
place near the borders of Oxfordshire,
and within seven miles of Reading
There is a train from Paddington
which would bring you there at about
11:15.
Very good
az shall come down in a carriage
to meet you.
""There is drive, them
eyes. our little place is quite out
in the country. 1t is good seven
miles from Eyford Station.
Then we can hardly get there be-
fore midnight. l suppose there would
be no chance Of train back.
should be compelled to stop the night.
eyes, We could easily give you
shake-dOwn.'
THAT is very awkward. Could ]
not come at some more convenient
hour?'
"'We have judged 1t best that you
should come late. 1t is to recompense
you for any inconvenience that we are
man, fee which would buy an opinion
from the very heads Of your profess
sion. Still, of course, IL you would
like to draw out Of the business, there
is plenty Of time to do So
II thought Of the fifty guineas, and
of how very useful they would be to
me. Not at ALL said /, ! shall be
very happy to accommodate myself
to your wishes. / should like, how
to dnrc a nd n mo
clearly wll.I, it is that you wish me
to do
Quite SO. 1t is very natural that
the pledge Of secrecy which we have
exacted from you should have aroused
your curiosity. l. have no wish to
commit you TO anything without your
having it all laid before you. | sup
pose that we are absolutely safe from
eavesdroppers?
Entirely?
""Then the matter stands thus. You
are probably aware that fullers-earth
is valuable product, and that 1t is
only found in one or two places IN
England?'
81 have heard So
Some little time ago / bought a
small place--a very small place-with-
n ten miles of Reading. / was fort
nate enough to discover that there
of my fields. On examining it. how
ever, ! found that this deposit was a
paratively small one, and that IL
formed a link between two very much
larger ones upon the right and left
both of them, however, in the grounds
OF my neighbors. These good people
were absolutely ignorant that their
land contained that which was quite
as valuable as gold-mine. Naturally.
1T was to my interest to buy their land
before they discovered it's true value;
but, unfortunately, ] had no capital by
which I could do this. ! took a Few
Of my friends into the secret, however,
and they suggested that we should
quietly and secretly work our own
little deposit, and that in this way we
should earn the money which would
enable us 20 buy the neighbOring
fields. This we have now been doing
for some time, and in order to help
us in our operations We erected an
hydraulic press. The press, as / have
already explained, has got out OF or
der, and we wish your advice upon the
subject. We guard our secret very
jealously, however and If it once be-
came known that we had hydraulic
engineers coming to our little house.
it would soon rouse inquiry, and then.
il the facts came out, it would be
goodbye to any chance OF getting
these fields and carrying out our plans.
That is why have made you promise
me that you will not tell human be-
ing that you are going to Eyford to,
night. l hope that I make it all plain
~ quite follow YOU said I. The
only point which l could not quite un-
derstand, was what use you couldl
make of an hydraulic press In exca-
fuller's-earth which, as I un-
derstand, is dug out like gravel from
a pit
"'Ah!' said he. carelessly, we have
our own process. We compress the
earth into bricks, SO as to remove
them without revealing what they are.
But that is a mere detail. l have
taken you fully into my confidence
now, Mr. Hatherley, and l have shown
you how 1 trust YOU He rose as he
spoke. L shall expect you. then, a,
Eyford at l1:15.'
81 shall certainly be there
land not word to a SOUL. He
looked at me with last, long, ques,
tionng gaze, and then, pressing my
hand in a cold, dank grasp, he hurried
from the room.
''Well, when / came to think it all
over i'm cool blood / was very much |
aStoniShed as YOU may both think, at