Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-02-01

had lot to put up with. Our estates
no. better than barnyard. We're
psck OF idiots, that's what we are, Mr..
Greatorex. And when there's liquor
about Well, you know what it is. !"
didn't quite follow out his mean
ing, but, on the whole, he struck me as
a verv amiabIe fellow, honest accord
ing to his lights, and bearing certain
distinction OF person which, derived
from long and gentle race. could not
wholly be concealed in the dull and
uneducated individuality of its last
representative. He certainly knew
great deal about horses, and as re-
suit we grew very friendly ere he left.
when he did so, it was with frank
hope, boyishly expressed, that intend
ed to live at the castle.
But it was not due to the arguments
of Montgomery that finally decided
to stay at the castle, but to an incident
very different, which fell out in the
following way on the next evening:
had dined early, and as the light was
still very full across the valley saun-
tered out through the park and wan
dered down the road toward the
Woodman. When / reached the inn
noticed in the twilight the figure OF a
stranger leaning against the stone
coping before the doorway smoking
cigar. At this moment Hood emerged
from the taproom, and / nodded to
him, asking if he had heard yet from
the solicitor.
.sYes, sir; thank you, sir" he replied.
Its a very welcome present. sir;
many thanks to my poor master
"Well, you seem to be getting on"
said /, with a glance toward the
stranger, who, seeing my eyes on him,
lifted his hat and smiled.
Eyes, sir" responded Hood in a
lower voice 1.-THE gentleman's come to
stay bit, sir. Name Captain Ser
combe, sir. You don't happen to know
| him? No, sir. I thought I'd mention it,
in case you did. The gentleman likes
the fresh air, sir. He's been living
abroad. / always told poor Mr.. Kes-
teven that I'd make it pay, sir And
a furtive smile crept into Hoods SOM
| Der face and broadened it into grin.
The stranger advanced in a leisurely
| fashion and said good day; then, cock
ing an eye at the clouds, asked me my
opinion of the weather. I gathered
/ that he was a fisherman and that the
stream in the valley had excited his
hopes. He was very tall man OF
forty or more, somewhat stoutly built
| Ifc
which was bare save for long red
| dish mustache, was puffy and swollen
| but he had a pleasant graygreen eye
and genial and engaging manner
His thin red hair was carefully brush
ed over rather bald head.
! cMy landlord tells me there has been
| a death up yonder,' said he, nodding
| toward the castle "a regular romance.
if I'm right in supposing you gre Mr.
| Greatorex?"
told him that | was.
s'Ah, well, you're very lucky"
/ replied somewhat coldly that he
seemed to know more than l did my
SELF.
s.Come, come" said he, with laugh
! ssAIy dear sir, we are all gossips, and,
after all, / was bound to talk of some.
/ thing besides the weather." and his
way was so good humored and withal SC
frank that / could not but join in his
laugh. InA the issue accepted his in
vitation to drink little whisky in his
room, and being apparently talkative
fellow he was very soon in the full
swing of soliloquy. l must confess
| that he was an entertaining talker.
| He had seen vast deal of life and in
many countries He had apparently
| been a soldier of fortune since he left
the English army, for he spoke of serv-
ice with the Peruvians, of brushes and
escapades in sundry parts of South
America and of multifarious adven-
lures in several continents. It might
have seemed odd that the lord Of Ivol
castle should be seated there in the
parlor of a shabby inn, hobnobbing
over whisky and cigars with an utter
| stranger about whom he knew nothing
and cared less, but myself was little
all events / required no excuses fof
myself 1t has ever been my habit to
give myself full license in my commune
with my fellows, and in the result
have usually found the custom produc
| tive of amusement and interest. We
parted on friendly terms, and con-
graduated myself as walked home
upon very agreeable neighbor.
When / reached the castle the night
had fallen, unrelieved by stars. rang
for lamp and retired to my bedroom
for a pocketbook which had left in
one of the drawers in an old bureau.
I remembered to have placed it in the
left hand drawer in the secretary.
took the key from my pocket and
twisted it in the lock, but as it would
not turn I became impatient and shook
the handles The lid fell open of it.
self Clearly it had not been locked.
And yet / could have testified in