The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-04-28
Arthur Rlylngtons Narrative Con-
unued
CHAPTER XXNv


uuued
CHAPTER XXNV.
A DOUBTFUL FRIEND.
| have 60 resume the thread OF my
own personal story at the point
where. on the morning OF my %
cealment by HeFsog In the vacant
house az Totland bay. ! Was alarm
ed hy the appearance Of a man Ia
a blue guernsey at the window OF
the drawing room. n will be re-
memhered that l Was expecting
uerEag 70 return with supply Of
provisions. and that on drawing
aside the blind ; saw the stranger
inatpad
A moments reflection showed
that a. he had undoubtedly seen me
before ! dropped the window blind.
no good could be done by refusing
20 speak 60 him tie wound possibly
90 and tell everyone he met that
someone was living In the unoecus
pied house. with the result that I
should be al once routed out by the
agents or owner. So I raised the
blind. opened the window, and
beekoncd to him. That had made
no mistake In doing 50 Was AZ
onro made plain By the credentials
he preReuIad "a basket of proyiH=
Ions and a note. which proved 20 be
from HerHog
MY dear friend" Il ran. n. n.
h or 10 London by the first boat.
aud must stick 20 him like a leech
The chase will IN all likelihood lead
me TO that brave little lass Of yours.
So send the best substitute that /
can find al short notice. | should
not be diapossd to trust him too far.
bat ak AL theae Iale 81 Wight fisher
men have smuggling blood IN them.
they have Ru hereditary antipathY
90 Law aud order This chap has
been told that yen are an ahacond-
Ing debtor. Hts name Is Peter
rroai."
Ny visitor. when I tlnlshed read
ING. was regarding me out Of the
corner OF hts eye with a fuFltiFe
henevaienes that was b. no means
pleasing. II was AZ though he APP
proved % me. not from personal at
traction. but az a possible source or
income.
4 am Obliged 70 you for bringing
me these things. DID my friend
give you anything for doing 40 !
said
Mr. Peter croai drew his sleeve
across hts mouth and looked thirsty
In 3 maner Of speaking. the gen
tieman did. Don't he SAY 10 Ia the
letter. vas the tentative reply
which masis the diatraat the man
there and then.
aHe anesnt mention the amount"
I said. wishing % draw him out And
verify my suspicious.
ssDraf htm for that +" FstoFted The
fisherman. with fine show Of hays
Ing been hardly treated. The sen
fleman. he give mo the money for
the grub and the liquor. and arr a
crown for myself Hut CFual, he
sava. that Amt anything Ike
proper remuneration for a kind 81
saeFef lob like thia I only glFea
Won 'arf-a-crown because It's all the
change I've got III put u In this
hers note a. t'othsT gent il - give
you a sovereign
I rendered the sum demanded out
~ the little store with which Her
xor had supplied ne tn case
wider flight should be necessary.
but / did not believe a surd - the
story. Herxog had. without doubt.
adequately paid him. and this was
Duiy n fry=on 20 make tne most OF
the BIT ~ luck that haa come his
way the thin edge Of the wedge Of
blaekmail. n Ills was the spirit IN
which Mr. Peter croal entered upon
his trust I could forsAes heavy
addition 10 my existing anxisfica.
Having apat on and poekeied the
coin. the fellow showed no dispose
ton 10 20. nor vas |. In my impo-
tent nasitI0n. able 60 suggest de-
narture He leisureiY scruunized
the few pictures ca the walls. and
the furniture. and then his eye 100
friendly for safety. Travelled aiYiy
back to me again.
pretty little place-this you've
got here all 10 yourself. mister. How
long might you be going 10 hide In
Il he inquired.
eTIt I choose 10 lcave-or til you
give me away" I said. hoping TO
MEASURE his capacity for treacherY
nv the extent OF his disclaimer.
And full measure indeed he gave
me. such plausible, honey
toueued rascal a. that lale OF wight
lobster catcher Il haA never been
nv hi 10 listen 20. He had taken a
fancy 20 me. he av0wed the mo-
mout drew aside the blind. He
wss always one that stood BY the
unfortnit"
And then. suddenly. with a Sc
,veore OF IDEAS that may or may
not beeu accidental. he added;
ssIf you WAS the bloke that broke
TAFT AT winchester ! wouldn't peach
seeing what liking I've took 10 ye.
The newspapers say he's got away
~ America. but you cant believe
prfuted atnff nowadays. Like rs not
he's laying up. SNUG and eomtorsa-
HE In lest such n crib as this.
And Mr.. Peter Croafs benevolent
care roamed round the room again
With one little corner OF each mild
eye on me. Il was made plain later.
For the unexpected personality OF
hia remark sent a SILVER down my
anime. OF which I must have given
sone Visible demonstration, though
there was nothing TO show that
bnd committed myself In the lncon-
seauence OF his next speech. When
be had done examining the pictures
and the furniture for the second
tlme. he had apparently dismissed
an thought Of the bloke who broke
tau "A winchester. Ills ideas we're
an conferred on the weather.
Mazing fine morning, pc,
af,er the atorm last night, though