The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-02-19
The Adventures
By H. B. MARRIOTT WATSON
COPYRIGHT. HARPER c,


suit we grew very friendly ere he left.
When he did so, it was with a 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 l reached the inn
noticed in the twilight the figure of
stranger leaning against the stone
coping before the doorway smoking a
cigar. At this moment Hood emerged
from the taproom, and l nodded tc
him, asking if he had heard yet from
the solicitor.
Yes, 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 l, with glance toward the
stranger, who, seeing my eyes on him,
lifted his hat and smiled.
Yes, sir" responded Hood in a
lower voice. ''The gentleman's come to
stay bit, sir. Name Captain Ser
cOmbe, sir You don't happen TO know
him? No, sir. l thought I'd mention it,
in case you did. The gentleman likes
the fresh air, sir. He's been living
abroad. l always told poor Mr.. kes-
teven that Id 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 ut the clouds, asked me my
opinion of the weather. | gathered
that he was Il fisherman and that the
stream in the valley had excited his
hopes. He was Il very tall man of
forty or more. somewhat Stoutly built
and with military gait His face,
which was bare save for long red
dish mustache, was puffy aud swollen,
but he had pleasant gray green eye
d
His thin red hair was carefully brush
ed over rather bald head.
My landlord tells me there has been
death up yonder,' said he, noddins
toward the castle. "A regular romance,
if I'm right in supposing you are Mr..
GreatoreX:"
l told him that l was.
"Ah, we'll, you're very lucky"
l replied somewhat coldly that he
seemed to know more than l did my
self
"Come, come" said he, with laugh
MY 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 1 could not but join in his
laugh. In the issue / accepted his i'll
vitatiOn to drink a little whisky in his
room, and being apparently talkative
fellow he was very soon in the full
swing OF sOlilOquy. | must confess
that he was an entertaining talker
He had seen a vast deal of life and il
many countries He had apparently
been 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. 1t might
have seemed odd that the lord of Ivor
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 l myself was little
better than fellow stranger, and at
all events 1 required no excuses for
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 l con-
graduated myself as l walked home
upon very agreeable neighbor. =