The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-01-16
CHAPTER XIII.

New tufk newspapers, ueatht
Of which would strike q cas-
aal reader as being Important: but, 8
far as this narrative Is concerned. thel
led TO complications The brst wa
an obviously exaggerated report ant
read MS follows:
TEXAN FATALLY INJURED.
Mr.. Riehaf1 Williams. son of the IA
nous millionaire and cattle kihg of Sar
Antonio, Tex. was severely injured or
Sunday last ln an automobile accident
He was taken 20 81 Lakes hospital
where our reporter called last evening
Mr.. Williams Was too Frustrated by th'
shock 60 be interviewed, but We learf
from one In authority that the young mar
7 10 Suffering from concussion Of tho brain
besides sustaining a fracture Of the shoul,
der and internal injuries. The accident
was due 10 tie carelessness OF an mex.
periencsd chauffeur, who gave his name
as Peter Wilson. but whose address had
! not been ascertAinsd up 10 q late hour
last night She police are making In
| quiries
The above paragraph chGnced TO
catch the eye Of certain Mr.. Logger
who had taken the morning train for
Chicago. lie was an Intimate friend Of
old Bill Williams and would have
gone 10 look after the son himself ex.
cept that urgent business necessitated
the continuance Of his journey west
Mr. Logger therefore wired his friend
from Pittsburg. stating that Richard
had been hurt and lay at the point OF
death In a New York hospital
On receiving this startling iDforma-
tion the father became greatly agi.
tated. He had not heard from Richard
for several days and had begun TO
worry even before the receipt OF Mr.
Logers telegram. He wired at once TO
the ST. Regis, where be knew his son
to be stopping. and received an answer
to the effect that Richard Williams
had not been seen since the previous
Monday morning though his dress
suit case and other belongings were
still In room No, 926 which had not
been given up.
Bill Williams, who loved his son as
he loved no other being ON earth, com.
mitted the deep water harbor and i'm.
proyement business to his most trust
ed subordinate, although AFFAIRS had
reached a critical stage, and started
for New York on a special train.
The other newspaper item appeared
In the social column under the head Of
Gossip" II read as follows:
On Friday evening OF the present week
an entertainment will be given In the
beautiful country home OF Mr.. JaeoD
Renwyck. at Irvington-on- the Hudson.
Among other features little one act
play viii bs presented. entitled THE Man
and the Bird" In which Miss Imogens
Chittendon. one Of the seasons most
charming debutantes, win take the part
Of the bird. while the charming and
accomplished Miss Renwyck will assume
the leading role. wearing a costume or
dered specially for the occasion and tho
famous Renwyck diamonds. The enter
tsinment, we understand. IL given 10 a
few intimate friends In honor OF dis
tinguished guest. Lord George Fitz- -Ciar-
encs de Courcy Howard. earl OF Croyland.
The affair promises to be an unusually
brilliant one.
This breezy but otherwise unremark.
able item caught the attention OF one
Jack Bibbs. a gentleman possessed Of
much ingenuity. some varied expert
ence quite collection Of aliases and
a passion for acquisition. He had re-
celved no Invitation to the above men-
toned social function, though he hoped
to profit thereby In ways best known
10 himself.
Mr.. Michael Corrigan, returning from
business meeting In the city. took |
the IL O'Clock train for Irvlngton and
went into the smoker, where he seated
himself and lighted short black pipe. |
the pet aversion Of his refined broth
er.in-law. Jacob Renwyck, who visited
most OF his disgust upon his unfortu.
nate wife. His business transactions
In the city evidently pleased Uncle MI.
chael vastly. for that gentleman kept |
chuckIlng to himself and rubbing bis
plump white hands In the manner Of
one upon whom good fortune has de-
scended suddenly.
After a time his attention was ar
rested by two men on the seat oppo-
site him. They were engaged In
whispered conversation while they ate
their lunch from brown paper parcel.
To a casual observer there was moth
Ing unusual In the appearance OF the
two passengers. They were roughly
clad, unshaven and apparently poor,
having the air OF workingmen out Of
a Job. Mr.. Corrigan would probably
have not noticed them at all except
that one OF them-the better looking.
who n he had been shaved and well
clad might have been called good look
ing-had q slight cast In bis eye. a
physical blemish which the old gentle
man had ever regarded as q sort OF
name plate on the front door OF scala
wag. He saw the man only moment
or two before getting out OF the train.
and in the stress Of far more impor-
iant matters the incident passed out
Of his mind. II was recalled later on.
He was sitting on the front porch OF
Restmore. where be had just taken
luncheon. when tramp entered the
place and came timidly 10 the house.
begging for food In the usual profes-
sional whine.
Mr. Corrigan had small patience with
lrsmps and was about 10 order him
ofY the place when something changed
his mind. The fellow had cast in his
rye. He recognized him instantly. II
struck the old gentleman at once as
Icing singular that this man should
claim TO be starving when not two
hours before he bad been eating heart
ny from q brown paper parcel In the
train. Tramps did not usually travel
BY nain-noi inside Of them, al any
rate " bich was an additional cause
for suspicion. Uncle Michael deter
mined TO Investigate the matter fur
Their, 90 be led the tramp 20 the back
of the house. where plate OF bread
and meat was set before him. He ate
for q hungry man. but took
In the premises with seemingly care
less eye. while the account be gave OF
himself was far from satisfactory. He
claimed 10 have come from Albany on
foot, - was shown by the travel stain
I'd condition of his shoes. which was
tI.sftg 4 lie for Mr. Tarr4x.n lad