The Jasper news., 1907-02-14


short journeys. sat UP
stiffly in my seat. Diagonally across
the aisle sat the very chap had met
in the curio-shop! He was quietly
reading popular magazine, and oc-
casionally smile lightened his sar-
donic mouth. Funny that | should
run across him. twice in the same
evening! Men who are contemplating
suicide never smile in that fashion.
He was smoking small, wellcolored
meerschaum pipe with evident relish.
Somehow, when man clenches his
teeth upon the mouthpiece of re-
spectacle pipe, it seems impossible to
associate that man with crime. But
the fact that had seen him selecting
pistol in a pawnshop rather neutral
ized the good opinion | was willing to
form. | have already expressed my
views upon the subject. The sight of
him rather worried me, though l
could not reason why Whittier was
he bound? Had he finally taken one
of Friard's pistols? For moment l
was on the point of speaking to him.
If only to hear him tell more lies
about the ten of hearts, but | wisely
put aside the temptation. Besides,
it might be possible that he would
not be glad to see me. | always avoid
the chance acquaintance, unless of
course, the said chance acquaintance
is met under favorable circumstances
like the girl in Mouquin's, for in
stance! After all, it was only an in
r.. 4. I'll.
that card, never should have remem-
bered him.
Behind him sat a fellow with a
countenance as red and round and
complacent as an English butler's,-
red hair and small twinkling eyes,
Once he leaned over and spoke to my
chance acquaintance, who, without
turning his head, thrust match over
his shoulder. The man with the face
of butler lighted the most villainous
pipe l ever beheld. l wondered If
they knew each other. But, closely
as I watched, l saw no sign from
either. | turned my collar up and
snuggled down. There was no need
of his seeing me.
lntu lily luOu6hI lCNSitSu W SAAS
ten of hearts again. My ten of hearts!
The wrinkle of chill ran up and
down my spine! My ten of hearts!
Hastily l took out the card and ex-
amined the back of it. 1t was an un-
commonly handsome back, represent
ing Diana, the moon, and the midnight
sky. A horrible supposition came to
me: supposing they looked at the
back as we'll as at the face of the
card? And again, supposing l was
miles away from the requisite color
and design? l was staggered. Here
was a pretty fix! l had never even
dreamed of such contingency. Hang
1t! | now wished l had stuck to my
original plan, and gone to the theater
Decidedly was in for it; there was
no backing down at this late hour
unless I took the return train for Jer
sey City; and l possessed too much
stubbornness to surrender to any
such weakness. Either / should pass
the door committee, or shouldn't; oi
one thing I was certain.
"Blankshire!" bawled the trainman;
then the train slowed down and finally
came to stop.
No turning back for me now.
picked up by suit case and got out. Or
the platform l saw the curio-shop fel
low again. Tramping on ahead, thu
smell from his villainous pipe assailinl
my nostrils, was the man who ha'
asked for a match. The former stoo,
undecided for moment, and duriD
this space of time he caught sight o
me. He became erect, gave me sud
den sardonic laugh, and swiftly dis
appeared into the darkness. All thi
was uncommonly disquieting; in vail
/ stared into the blackness that ha
swallowed him. What could he b
doing here at Blankshire? didn'
like his laugh at all; there was a
once a menace and challenge in II
-"Any baggage, sir?" asked one G
the station hands.
mo" But asked him to direct m
20 a hotel. He did so.
made my way down the stree
The wind had veered around and wa
coming In from the sea. pure and COLI
The storm clouds were broken an
scudding like dark ships, and 9
times there were. flashes of radiar
moonshine.
The fashionable hotel was full.
plodded through the drifts to th
unfashionable hotel. Here found a.