Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-10-24

cloak room and took out portman-
teau, which he had left there before
going down to see his father.
1t was necessary that when he ar
rived at the Langham and registered
he should have luggage, and Mr. Hank
! had arranged these details for him.
When Mark rockingham drove
away in a hanson, Hank hailed anoth-
er and followed him. He saw him
safely in the Langham, satisfied him
self that no one else had been SINH
larly engaged, and then went off to the
little suburban villa where, in the in
tervals of conducting his private de
tective agency, he cultivated the do
nestle virtues and little hack
garden, which was the admiration OF
the neighbors and his own especial
pride
The young convict, who had day
or two previously quilted his free
quarters without the formality Of bid
ding his hosts farewell, registered at
the Langham as Mr. Mark BrettinG-
ham, Of Drycott Hall, Kent. and took
a bedroom and sitting room.
It was late, but the smoking room
was still open. He sat down and or
dered a brandy and soda and looked
at the evening papers.
He had been too much engaged to
renew his acquaintance with the press
until then.
A newspaper was a luxury to him.
He mad been for several years with
out the privilege of having the worlds
news arranged for him in a convenient
form from day to day.
He turned from old habit first of all
to the racing results. The names of
the horses were unknown to him.
There were very few of the jockeys
whose names were familiar to him. In
these circumstances the racing events
did not interest him much. He
scanned the sheet listlessly. When
you have been for some years out of
touch with the days happenings it is
difficult to take up the trend of
events all at once.
Suddenly his eye lighted on head
line:
"The Escape From Dartmoor."
Beneath was only little square
block of news, but Mr.. Mark Bretting
ham read every word of it with deep
est interest
There are no fresh detaiU to hand
concerning the convict John Wilson,
whose mysterious escape is greatly
puzzling Dartmoor officials At pres
ert they are without the slightest clue
as to the direction taken by the runa-
| way. The more the facts are investi-
gated the more convinced the authOri-
ties are that the convict had con-
! federate or confederates outside the
prison. 1t is rumored that workman
and one Of the wardens have been sus-
pended, but concerning this the arl-
thorities decline to give any informa-
| ton. Wilson is a man of fair educa-
ton and good appearance, and an ex-
| soldier. 1t is thought that he may
probably try to re-enlist, and full de-
| scription of him has been forwarded
to the various recruiting centers.
Mark Buckingham put the paper
down and glanced round curiously at
| the ha1f-dozen men who were still in
the lmoking room,
| They had probably all read the head
| lined item of intelligence, and he-the
escaped convict-was sitting here
| among them.
And then, seeing his escape public
! " pronounced there flashed upon his
mind an idea which seriously dis
| turbed him.
His wife-whom he had deserted
when he enlisted-had written him af-
fectionate, forgiving letters since he
| had been in prison. She was alive
, and earning her own living. He had
| had a letter from her only month
ago. She was at big millinery estab-
| lishment in Regent street. The girls
there would read the papers and talk
about the contents. She already
! might have read of his escape
In the sudden good fortune which
had come upon him, the complete
change of his position in life, he had
| forgotten that in London there was a
woman to whom he was legally mar
ried, and who. when he succeeded to
his fathers title, would be Lady
Buckingham.
He had not told Hank of his mar
! riage He would have to do So and
at once. Here was a source of danger.
An accidental meeting, a recognition,
and all his schemes for the future
might fall to the ground like house
of cards.