The Morris County chronicle., 1907-09-03

| IF you once leave your wife," he
naively said, her own people will get
round her, and you will find it diff
ficult to reopen relations with her."
and as her income was paid into her
own hands. this would be obviously
inconyenient.
| There were certain circumstances
| which rendered it injudicious for
Adair to be seen travelling in a raA-,
way carriage in the direction of the
seacaost; while for Mr.. Dawson such
a step would have been still more
| hazardous. 1t had therefore been
settled that Mrs. Adair and the child
should journey to Gravesend alone,
while her husband and his confeler-
ate were to drop down the river at
night and join them in the morning.
| A boat manned by crew whom they
could trust (i. e., who were well paid
| for the job) was to await them at
| midnight by the stairs at the bottom
of Miller street, where Dawson had
some place of business. The two
men, though united by the bond of
common interest, were far from be-
ing on good terms; their natures
were aptipathetic. Dawson was q
coarse and brutal rufian, whose So
ciety could not but revolt man of
education, however morally degrad-
ed; he enjoyed himself after his fas-
hion, which Adair never did, but he
was not a whit less suspicious and
]
they we're to meet together at wa
terside tavern in the East of London
that afternoon to make their final ar
rangements, and thither now Adair
bent his steps.
The rendezvous itself was charac-
teristic enough of one of the two
men; a rickety erection with beetle
head), its wooden walls bulging on
the river and overhanging at low
tide mud and slime; the haunt of
profligate and noisy sailors. Adair,
who though INSCRIPTIONS, was fas~
tidious in his way, surveyed the
place, which he had never entered
before, with a shudder of disgust.
of which it formed the termination
his heart was full of bitterness. The
old houses almost meeting over his
head as they leaned forward in age
and weakness, made shadow above
him which, though there was no 9TH
er point of likeness, heaven knows,
suddenly reminded him of the time
Trs, h
had trodden it in cap and gown;
man of mark and promise, with a fu-
ture before him, and now he had be-
come the companion of thieves. With
not one pang of remorse, he felt an
excessive repugnance to the thing he
had become; pent-up fury ragged
within him against circumstances,
fate, whatever it was that had
brought him to such pass. It was
not his own fault, of course; the
knave out of luck is seldom aware
that he had chosen the very worst
profession in the world; he only
knows that he is "cursed unfortu-
nate" What most excited his wrath
was the fact that his own flesh and
blood had deserted him, though they
had, in fact, only, escaped him. Next
to them, he loathed the man to whom
it was necessary to disclose that hui
initiating circumstance.
He found Dawson awaiting him in
a low-windowed room looking on the
river, smoking pipe, and drinking
hot brandy and water.
tPunctual, as usual, Master Jack"
was his familiar address. That's
we'll; sit down and have glass.
mo; / have neither time nor taste
for drinking. Matters are getting
too hot for us. Dawson. For my
part, wish we were well off. !"
t.It is always safer-which means
quicker-to wait for night, when it
comes to running. Besides, the men
have their orders, and could not be
got together all in moment. What
has happened to frighten your"
Il have reason to believe that
there are people looking for me at
home"
indeed" said the other laying
down his pipe and dropping his care
less manner Il hope you have got
your women folk we'll away"
They are not coming, z said Adair,
suIlenly; they have fed the house,
and / don't know where they have
gone"
Come, come. Mr.. Adairl" ex-
claimed his companion, menacingly;
this will not do. Miles Dawson is
not the man to be made catspaw
Of. 2
II tell you / know no more than
you do where my wife has gone.
wish / did know. It's more my loss
than yours. suppose.
To be Continued.