The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-04-10


have not noticed them at all except
that one 0: hem-the better looking.
who If he had been shaved and well
clad might have been called good look
ing-had slight cast in his eye.
physical blemish which the old gentle
man had ever regarded as Il sort of
name plate OF the front door of scala
wag. He saw the man only.a moment
or two before getting out of the train.
and in the stress of far more impor-
tant matters the incident passed out
Of his mind. 1t was recalled later on.
He was sitting on the front porch of
Restmore, where he had just taken
luncheon. when tramp entered the
place and came timidly to the house,
begging for food In the usual profess
Gonal whine.
Mr.. Corrigan had small patience with
tramps and was about to order him
off the place when something changed
his mind. The fellow had a cast in his
eye. He recognized him instantly. 1t
struck the old gentleman at once rs
being singular that this man should
claim to be starving when not two
hours before he had been eating heart
lily fro@ n brown paper parcel in the
train. Trampsi did not usually travel
by train-not inside of them, at any
rate-which was an additional cause
(or suspicion. Uncle Michael deter
mined to investigate the matter fur
Their, so he led the tramp to the back
of the house, where plate of bread
and meat was set before him. He ate
sparingly for hungry man, but took
in the premises with a seemingly care
less eye, while the account he gave of
himself was far from satisfactory. He
claimed to have come from Albany on
foot, as was shown by the travel STAIN
ed condition of his shoes, which was
clearly a lie, for Mr.. Corrigan had
seen him travelling in an entirely oppo-
site direction and was more convinced
than ever that a cast in the eye was
the brand of q scoundrel. He declined
to give the fellow money and watched
him suspiciously until he left the
place, feeling instinctively that some
thing would bring him back again.
Richard, who was sitting on the
lawn with Miss Harriet, had also seen
the tramp as he limped through the
open carriage gate into the road. Bills
had ridden over to Tarrytown in quest
of pipe tobacco for his master and
was stopped by the vagrant at the en-
trance of the drive. Richard saw him
bend in his saddle confer with the
man for q moment or two, then turn
into the stable yard. Presently he re-
appeared and crossed to his master
with the tobacco which he had Sc
cured.
"Navy Capstan, m lord" he stated
triumphantly, 1.-The kind wot you
smokes at 'ome, sir"
Thanks" said Richard. "By the
way, Bills, what was. that queer look
ing beggar saying to you just now?"
Bills started slightly, as one ashamed
of being seen in such evil company.
ooh, i'm? Yes, sir. wy, e was
awskin' his way to the station, m lord.
! A rum sort, l calls i'm, sir, beggin'
your pardon for
Eyes, yes, Bills" Richard reproved,
with show of impotence. THAT will
do. You may CO.,
The valet bowed respectfully and
departed, while Miss Harriet looked
at her com&pnion in polite surprise.
"Why are you so short with him."
she asked. ITO me he is perfectly de-
licious. l don't believe he ever laugh
ed in all his life, did hep
Don't know, I'm sure" drawled
Richard lazily. 81 curb his tongue
from necessity. The fellow is inclined
to be loquacious. At times am forced
to-ah-sit on him."
Miss Renwyck laughed.
"Do you know" she said, you are
becoming an American very rapidly?
Really, / am beginning to be quite
vain of my success with first pupil"
"NIy dear young lady," the Texan
answered in q tone half banter, half
in earnest, which was deeper than she
dreamed, 'if you should wish 1t I'd
gladly become-er-a kangaroo"
Again Miss Renwyck laughed till
the silvery echoes reached the ears OF
Michael Corrigan, who lounged on the
front veranda.
"By George" he chuckled to him.
self as he rubbed his hands in the
manner characteristic Of him, that
young man is making progress"
In the evening when Mr. Renwyck
came up from the city Mr.. Corrigan
took him aside and related the days
experience with the tramp, suggesting
that detective be employed while the
valuable lot of diamonds was in the
house. The two gentlemen, as has al
ready been stated, never got on to-
gether peaceably. If one Of them Of
fered a suggestion the other found rea-
son to combat it vigorously, and in this
case Mr.. Renwyck took the opposite
side with a vengeance, poohpoohing
the possibility Of theft from start to
finish.
"Why, my dear Michael" he said in
a tone of undisguised scorn, what you
say is nonsense, pure and simple. The
house is equipped from top to bottom
with a perfect system of burglar
alarms, which set myself each night.
Unless there is collision with some