The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-23

the latter mnst bev' acquired his disguise
before he kem TO the hotel. Where Use,
thin, than at the bleak and lonely house 70
which Mr.. Range he'd retained regularly
at I o'clock OF each and livery AFTERNOON Oh
the last t'irty yearsr -
Having learned from the help tnat
number wan, as he was gineraly caneu,
was a we'll set up. smooth faced young
man, and having asoertained at NE stashun
that tho hs2py pair had taken the tram
which was to bear thin on their IMP 10
the moon, large and l winded our weary
way to Mn Ranges hum on the outskuts
OF the town. -
Nellie wtrtz has been on the vartty
STAGE reflected large. az We gyrateo
along. she must hev' picked up some
likely young actor for q sid pardner'
Pritty good skit, hey, Smithers, for a out
tun r~aiser7'
-Yis, and for a dust raiser, too an,
swered. Either Mr., Range Ii dead sno
they re goin' to milk his estate, or they We
got him in quod and expict to sell him bread
and wather at the rate of q t'ousand dollars
per bite and sip"
If we are true to our ideels and oppor-
c~hoonities. replied large loftily. there IL
no reason why wa shudn't take eeoer Ioo
OF their unworthy hands,
And with sech delightful converse our
journey bekem light and short.
MT. Ranges villa was as taohe as
he hisself had ever been. It stood IN the
midst OF a decayed garden, with vacant
lots on livery side like the unly rowne
cake In the cintre Of q griddle.
At the rear dure somethin' shone white.
With a flash Of the glim I med out the
follering, writ In a hand condemned 70
hard labor: Don't leave no milk until
next Toosday." That was all; but It was
enough.
the old housekeeper thinks her master
has gone until thin," I whispered. She
has gone herself
For answer, large slapped a porous
plaster on the cut pane and n'iselessly
rapped out a hole by the ketch. In anudder
Moment we was gropin' t'roo he lower
hall and I'D the basement stairs, prickin'
the blackness now and again with a tunn
Of the slide.
A cold house, a desolate house, lackin'
the bare comforts Of a receivin' vault; l
was glad whin our search KEN to an ind;
I was glad whin in the third story baos
we faced a grisly old man, half naked
gagged and bound In an arm chair. 1t
was the sure enough Mr.. Range. .
large pulled down the cuttuns right md
tight; he lighted the lamps; he lighted his
cigar. Thin he cut the gag.
The way of the digressor is hard he
said, be way OF polite conversashun.
II may hev' been the gag-no doubt It
wore a disturbin' ilemint, but I t'ink 1t was
mad, clear, clean, unadulterated mad.
At all events, Mr.. Range frothed al the
mout'.
-where is he, Where is she1' he fairly
dubbed. .
Threading the primrose pat as Mr.. and
Mrs. Reginald Range answered large.
Il knew II. 1 knew It, oh, besotted dolt
that I was to bring him here, to give him
the chanel to ~overpower mel / seen him In
my clothes, maxim up before that glass In
me very image, Iheerd him send my servant
away-oh, a cuss-tln t'ousand, t'ousand
cussesl'
Here, old gintleman,' I ventured, -re-
serve your a~mmunishun until you git t'roo
with us. 1t may come In handy be way Of
q partin' saloot.'
He stared, unsuttun.
You're a pair OF thieves, robbers-
he began.
large TUX up the gag significantly.
'Sech langwidge,' he said gintly, is too
~gratootusly o~finsive to be endured
We'll, gintlemen adventerers, thin; I
meant no harm. Indeed, I'm glad you've
| come. 1 tInk It will be ~muchooally bene-
| fetal, II I kin unly git my bearin's. What
is their game? Will they be back7 Tell
me all you know"
"Of ooorse, they'll be back, by marnin'
I shud say, whin hunger an first hev' med
you more complissant. It's business with
thin, old gintleman, fust; and love unly
on the side. They're arter your gelt, your
mazooma, the prishus savings Of your life
time, and they're goin' to starve you into
tellin' your odder, your sweeter self jest
| how to 20 to work to git It. He'll take
your place in the oomp'ny until he kin strip
it, he'll cash your checks, and scoop your
securities"
Good" screamed Mr.. Range; with a
horrid laugh that med ms look YER me
shoulder. Good; / take it all back; I'm
| glad they hev' done it; it cudn't be better.
Don't you see7 Don't you seer"
Il see thet you're gittin' in form for q
straitjacket and padded cell, large broke
in stunnly.
Don't you believe it; I was nivsr saner
in my life, I was niver 50 sane since I've
lost all desire for that painted hoppy. So,
this lover Of hers is goin' to diligate hisself
into my place to-morrer, is he?
LET him. So, he's goin' TO SCOOP, and
cash and strip, is hep Well, all power to
him.
did you liver hear Of q busted balloon;
gintlemen bot'7 Well, the Charakter
Surety has been fioatin' on wind for years.
It's a whited sepulchre without even did
bones within. In two days time the collap'
must come.
Il was p~lannin' TO fee, unly, unly-oh. 1
| was crazy, madl But he, 90 ignorant, 90
greedy, 30 misadvised by me, don't you
see7 He's sure to be caught wan way or
The odder; either as Reginald Range, the
fugitive embizzler or as his murderous
impussonator.
Stay here with me, and guard me. Who
l 49,. A,,k kAoxY NIaO e. n,,k r- z.A