The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-08-01

some legal business IL transact III Far
IS, and knowing that it would take
aim several months 10 accomplish it
and being a man Who preferred peace
and quietness lie looked about for lodg
ings and soon obtained what he want
ed
Mr.. Steb6ins had turned the sixty
mark, and there We're young and en-
yiouS attorneys who spoke Of him as
old Stebbius He had never married
and there We're other young and en-
vious attorneys who said that 1t was a
blessed good thing for at least one wo-
man that he hadn't The fact was
that Mr. StebUins was bitter cranky
and not at all willing to extend the
glad hand He had never been known
to exhibit the least consideration for
womankind, even when one of them
was on the stand for him as wit
ness. As for being gallant, the idea
was ridiculous.
One day la walking about with his
hands cldsped behind his back and his
shoulders bumped over, the old law
yer happened on an auction room
There was a sale going on, and III idle
curiosity he dropped III An eseritoire
was up Tor bidding II was an antique
The bids were low aud the auctioneer
Indifferent. and rs u result the law
yer found himself the owner of the
piece OF furniture at what lie knew To
be about ole third its value.
A minute after 1t MAS knocked down
to him man came rushing in and
seemed greatly put out that the eseri-
toire had been sold. When he found
that Mr. Stebbins was the new owner
he took him aside aud said.
THAT article was included by mis-
take among lot of other goods sent
here for sale 1t belonged to "a friend
OF mine Who is dead and was really
left to me by his Will | will give you
100 francs advance on your bargain.
Mr. Stebbins was sorry If any one
il Paris had died and sorry II any mis-
take had been made Ia loading up vans
with furniture, but he couldn't see his
way clear to parting with his purchase
The offer was Increased to Two hun
dred three hundred five hundred. but
III vain. He said he might sell it when
he was ready to leave Paris, but not
before The escritoife was removed to
his lodgings and rubbed up bit and
its next adventure took place week
later
The lawyer was in the public library
10 look up some dates connected with
his case when he saw a man who close
ly resembied the one he had met In the
auction room. They did not speak. and
the tride was forgotten in five minutes
Three hours later the lawyer returned
to his lodgings just In time to halt two
men who We're bringing his recent pur
chase downstairs to be loaded into
van. The landlady explained that
very nice French gentleman had called
and exhibited an order signed by Mr.
Stebbins and of course she thought 1t
was all right to let the article 90. The
man lie had seen in the library had
put up the job to get possession of the
escritoire
Mir Stebb!i4s sat down to reason it
out IL haj paid 30 francs for the
piece Of fHiu.tIe He had been offered
500 francs advance. The piece wasn't
worth the money, Why was the man
So anxious, then, to get it into his pos
session. 1t had been pretty closely
examined when first brought home 1t
was now given another Inspection but
the lawyer could discover no secret
drawers. He gave the landlady strict
orders and went his way
Ten days later he told her he would
be gone all day. Half an hour after
leaving the house lie returned for some
forgotten data and found her showing
his room to a stranser-the man he
had met twice before The stranger
hurried away without excuse, and the
landlady said she was showing the
room because the gentleman stood
ready to take it as soon as Mr.. Steb-
bins vacated. The caller had looked at
and admired the escritoire and had
even moved 1t about, but had taken
nothing from ii. She was talked to In
plain, legal Philadelphia language and
her key taken away
A couple Of weeks passed away be
fore anything more happened Then,
as the lawyer sat reading one evening,
the landlady came UP with young
woman behind her This young wo-
man was plainly but neatly dressed
and looked To be u lady's maid She
introduced herself and the landlady
left. She had friends in Philadelphia,
and, learning that Mr.. Stebbins was
from that city, she had made bold to
call on him to ask for information.
The lawyer didn't believe her story
for minute. but while he was prepsr-
ing TO draw her out and show up her
Inconsistencies she suddenly clapped
her hand over her heart and tumbled
down in faint. OF course Mr.. Steb-
bins summoned the landlady-that Is
he started to 90 downstairs to her, his
room having no bell, when lawyer
like idea came to him, and he turned
about, He was Just In time to ind
the fainting girl at work at the escri
toire. She screamed. Then she was
taken by the ear and led to the door
and tremendously bowed out.
"Sir, you are no gentlenan!' she ex-
claimed as she went
Miss, you are not success as
faintest"' he called after her.
The cscritoirc was now hauled into
the middle Of The room. all the drawers
removed, and Mr. Ste5bins went over
IT inch by inch. He was In the midst
OF his work when the lady's maid re-
turned to say:
Il came here and told you a story,
and l am sorry for it"
Il have 10 doubt the jury will take
that into consideration" grimly replied
the lawyer
81 will now tell you why wanted to
look into the escritoire," she continued
THE date Of certain person Is writ
ten on the bottom Of one Of the drawers
or some other place / was offered a
tI,,, n f,.o.s 4