The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-11-02

Mary bent forward to iisten-!o"i
clasped her hand in his own. Mr..
Brand sat opposite them. interested by
the speakers manner as he began:
"When I got the cheque l had an
idea that all might not be we'll. so to
make sure I presented it to the bank
er's. There was. as I told you. a con-
sultation before they cashed, and while
the consultation was going forward. l
noticed stranger looking at me in
tently. I knew the man in my younger
and wilder days. had met him often
at the race course. in billiard rooms.
and in other places more or less re-
| spectacle. Now lie vas changing a
cheque for some petty amount, and was
evidently astonished by the immensely
of the order 1 had presented. I left
the bank with my pocketbook full of
notes, and I found that had lost the
train. The next would be the night
express. so strolled into billiard
room. A man is just as safe with a
fortune in his pocket as if penniless.
so that be is wise enough to hold his
tongue. There was some clever play
going Oh. and I stood watching the
players till some one challenged me
10 have a game. If have one special
vanity, it is my science with the cue:
l accepted. and rs did SO a strange
feeling. which had been growing upon
me. took a sudden turn which startled
Inc.
My challenger was tile man whom
I had noticed at the bankers. There
was nothing strange in the fact of his
| being in the room. one of his favorite
resorts, but 1 was possessed by the
vague shadow of a single idea. I had
read somewhere of man being fol-
lowed and plundered in 4 train. and
somehow I associated the story with
the man before me. 1t was the first
time had ever paid him any particular
attention, but l gave MIN full o5serva-
ton now. The more I looked at him
the less I liked him. He was hand
some, gentlemanly, with fair form
and elegant figure, full of suppleness
and strength. His manner was singu-
larly unasSuming. his face frank and
genial. but by looking closely at him
you could see something sinister-look-
ing in the depth and softness of his
eyes.
"I never liked Il stranger to be affa-
BILE and prepossess;ng. and my friend
was the very pink of affiability and
grace.
"We played for an hour with alter
mating success: he was an amusing
companion, we'll informed, and had
travelled, but I still having some time
to spare, went to see friend in the
Temple.
"When, at the expiration of some
| thirty or forty minutes, I emerged into
Fleet street. almost the first person on
whom my gaze fell was my late an
tagonist at billiards.
Il thought there was something more
than a mere coincidence in this second
meeting since we stood together at the
bankers. He was in a cigar. shop op-
posite.
"Not Il hundred yards from the Tenn
ple gate stood a man whom I recos-
nized with very welcome feeling. 1t
was George Vixen, the detective.
He was fashionab,y dressed. and
looked an aristocrat of the first water.
went up and greeted him as should
an old familiar, held out my hand and
said:
"'Step into the hotel office. have
something to say
HE shook hands in the most natural
way possible. I took his arm. and
we entered the door of an adjacent
hotel.
Il told him my suspicion. tolf him
of the sum in my possession, and OF
the journey I had to perform by rail.
II saw that, watching through the
glass of the door, he was taking men,
tai photograph of two neil.
"'They mean business said Vixen
quietly, but shall be with you. We
must part at the door, or they will see
we have scented the game
land you,' I said, how Will you
act?
/ ".I' be said, shall travel to Liver
pool by the night express
He left me. I had no fear now
knowing him to be clever and de'
termined fellow.
Taking a casual glance across the
road, I saw my man with his COM
panion. 1t was quite evident that the!
were tracking me. though 1 lost sight
of them before reaching st. Paurs.
II strolled along the churchyard
wandered nearly to 1slington, then
, went through the city again before
. I made for the station; my acquant
ance of the billiard room did not come
; in sight. though I kept we'll on the
alert.
; II took my ticket, lingering almost
: to the moment Of starting before en-
tered the carriage, but my man did not