Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-11-13
SUSPECTS.

gray top hat to match, strolled up to the
common with an expression of injured
dignity on his plump, clean-shayen face.
Mr.. Jubb felt that he was being ex-
lied from his home, and he was going to
do without his tea as protest against
the countenancing of evildoers. Mrs.
Jubb was having friends to tea, and
among them her sisters fiance, a certain
Douglas May The invitation was one
Of more than fortnight's standing, but
in the meantime young May had been
accused by his employers of forging a
check, and after an appearance before
the magistrates had been remanded on
bail
Mrs. Jubb, Mrs. Jubb's sister and her
fiance himself all declared that the
charge was a preposterous Que, and
would be proved to be utterly unbound
ed. Mr.. Jubb said savagely that there
is never smoke without fire, anil That
it is impossible for suspicion 20 attf oh
itself to man who has not something
shady in his constitution. At my rate,
he was not going to countenance a sus
pect Mrs. Jubb WIS equally determined
to show her faith IN the young man. ard
so it came about that Mr.. Juhb was
beating a dignifed retreat from his own
home Just a little before the time that
Douglas May, with his wife's other
guests, was expected.
The common was favorite resort of
his. In parts it was truly rural,'' as
Montmorency often observed. There was
one very sequestered seat, where hedged
in by the silver birches and brambles,
one could imagine oneself secluded in
h &c ha 10
himself to his favorite seat now to brood
over his wrongs. But he did not brood
long. The afternoon was warm, and,
substantial midday repast than usual in
anticipation of sacrificing his tea. In
ten minutes he fell asleep.
He woke abruptly to find a rough
looking fellow, in an extremely dirty
pair of white ducks, a greasy REFER coat
and a Misunderstanding peaked cap
holding a revolver to his head
In less time than it takes to tell, he
stood in his shirt, which the bandit
fortunately for him, seemed ready to
dispense with, and helplessly watched
the man dressing himself in his clothes.
"Ta-ta, old billiard BALI" said the
assassin, as he took his hat-his i'm
maculate, light-gre hat-and disap-
peared through the silver birches.
Mr.. Jubb could have cried with min
gled Indignation and impotence. Here
We're barefaeed robber exposing him
to an indigniIy unheard of, and he could
not pursue him-he could not hasten in
search of assistance and the police be-
cause he was not dressed Instead of
thinking of pursuit he began to wonder
how he was to get home.
1t was true that the highwayman had
left him his own clothes, but Mr.. Jubb
shrank from the idea of donning them
with an unspeakable loathing. He could
not touch, much less walk through the
High street in filthy pair of white
ducks, a greasy reefer-coat, and vii
famous looking peaked cap, not to men
ton the unspeakable pair of boots that
had been left in place of his elegant tan
shoes.
He would rather remain where he was
forever, he told himself-or, at any rate.
till one of the keepers of the common
came 70 his assistance, and could be dis
patched to Berkeley villa for another suit
of his own clothes.
But he was not safe, even in this favor
tie secluded retreat, he found. As he sat
on the bench and moaned, he was reused
by shrek of horror. Two elderly
maiden ladies, whom he recognized. had
made their way through the birehes, and
caught sight of him sitting, weeping. in
his airy attire. One of them had turned
preeipitately as she shrieked. The other
stood staring in petrified recognition
"Oh, Mr., Jubbl" she cried. in shocked
indignation; and then her sister caught
her by the arm and hurried her away,
talking shrilly about the need of a po-
iceman.
At the thought his fastidiousness van
ished, and he hurried into the dirty
white ducks. He was so nervous lest
the old women should be returning with
an officer to arrest him that he did not
hesitate moment even over the peaked
cap.
If his wife had been alone. he would
have approached his home boldly, and
found a pleasant solace for his own suf-
ferings in the CONSERVATION which Ma
tilda would feel at the sight of his de-
plorable appearance. But he could not
run the chance of being seen by her
guests-some of them strangers waiting
to form their first impression of the
important Montmorency Jubb.
He avoided the front of the house. and
erept round stealthily to the back. He
would enter by the kitchen door, explain
matters briefly to Rosabel, the maid,
telling her to inform nobody, and slide
upstairs to change his clothes. prepare
tory to visiting the police station, and
laying an information against his das-
tardly assailant. He seemed more for
tunate even than he had hoped. The
kitchen was empty.
In the drawing room two very excited
old ladies were breaking to Mrs. Jubb
the painful announcement that her hus-
band had apparently become suddenly
mad on the common and that she ought
to set out to secure him with closed
carriage and dressing gown.
Mrs. Jubb's sister had retained suf-
ficient presence of mind to send Rosabel
from the room before she heard more
than maid ought to hear; but Rosa
bel had heard enough to know what it
meant when she saw her master gro
tesqnely attired, stealing upon her with
strange antics