The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER VIII.

became conscious that a well-favored gen
tlemanly looking man at the gate was
watching her proceedings with apparent
interest. Finding himself discovered, the
stranger raised his hat, and opening the
gate. came forward with a bow, and
said:
This is Miss Caterham's. | believe
and you, / presume, are Miss Chiches-
ter?''
Certainly" replied the girl, my aunt.
Miss Caterham, lives here, and | am
Mary Chichester; but you must excusi
my saying that | cannot recollect that
we have ever met before. Perhaps you
wish to sc, my aunt on business?"
Exactly replied the stranger. "You
are quite right. neither you nor your
aunt ever saw me before, Miss Chiches-
ter; but l have the authority Of a very
old friend of yours TO excuse my intru-
sion-Mr. Carbuckle."
"Mr. Carbuckle," exclaimed Mary.
YES. he is very old friend. You had
better come in and see my aunt. Auntie,
you see, is not strong. However, we
shall no doubt find her in here, and
thep-Well, / think / must leave you to
present yourself!'' and so saying. she
opened the drawing room door, and, adj
vancing towards Miss Caterham, said
| briefly, "This gentleman wishes to see
you on business"
| The stranger bowed and he said. "My
name is Ringwood; you have doubtless
received a note from Mr.. Carbuckle, in
PRODUCING me, and saying how glad l
oh ha Il ha Of ,
| to YOU"
ANY friend of Mr.. Carbucklc we shall
| always be delighted to see; but l certain
~ have received no note from him men
tioning your name to me. Perhaps it
mlscarried but l really don't know, Mr..
Ringwood. that require assistance about
| anything"
1T is very odd" replied Mr. Ring
wood, that Carbuckle should have neg
lected TO write; but as it is so. l must
ask you to take my own account OF
things. Carbuckle, as you know, a very
busy man, with more work TO do than
what / hope to be myself in days to come,
but young barristers at starting have al
ways to complain that they have got no
work to do. Carbuckle is a very old
| friend of my family, and he happened to
| tell me the other evening about the dis
appearance of Terence Finnigan. He
told me all the facts, Miss Caterham."
Instead of thanking him for his volun-
| teered assistance, or welcoming him as
he had imagined a friend of Mr.. Car
buckles might expect, Miss Caterham and
| her niece gazed at him with evident dis
may and uncertainty. At length the elder
| lady seemed to recover her speech.
Il must trouble you to go away. sir
don't know how you became mixed up
| in affairs of mine. or where you gained
your knowledge; but l shall certainly re-
quire no assistance from you. Ring the
bell. Mary, please"
"One moment. Mr.. Ringwood one mo-
ment, Auntie, DEAR" exclaimed the girl
Don't you think it is but justice to tell
Mr.. Ringwood what he appears In our
| eyes. 1t is difficult to conceive what
object any one can have in imposing
upon US in this matter, and it certainly
seems unlikely that Mr.. Carbuckle would
have, almost simultaneously, sent two gen.
tlemen to inquire into this business fol-
us; but it might be So"
1.-Two gentlemen :" exclaimed Mr.. Ring.
wood do I understand you, Miss Chi
chester, that some one, claiming to have
been sent by Mr.. Carbuckle. has called
here to inquire about every detail you
can remember concerning Terence Finni.
GAM"
Certainly. A gentleman called upon
my aunt two days ago, protesting to be
exactly what you represent yourself 10 be
now, friend of Mr.. Carbuckle's. come to
make these very inquiries. My aunt an
swered all his questions. and he promised
we should hear again from him shortly
This is interesting said Mr.. Ring
wood quickly. ''Of course, Miss Cater.
ham, you look upon NE as an impostor.
! cannot blame you. There undoubtedly
is an impostor in the field. and can most
| thoroughly understand his object in the
| imposition"
! Il do not know what to think" replied
Miss Caterham nervously. "Mr. Pegram
said just the same thing. Mr.. Carbuckls
would never send two gentlemen about
this affair without letting one know II
he had only mentioned the name there
could be no doubt about which is the
| inpostor, and even Mr.. Ringwood admits
that there is one. l don't know what tc
do; but think Mr.. Ringwood had better
go away. 1 don't feel well / don't
know what is the matter with me-" fall
tered Miss Caterham, with a nervou:
twitching about the mouth. Take me
upstairs, child. You will excuse me, sir ,
AS she led her aunt from the room the
barrister opened the door for them, and
in passing him the girl said. "Wait 6
little, please, Mr.. Ringwood. / should
like TO see you again before you CO."
Left to himself the barrister did what
most men similarly situated would have
done in his place. He wandered aimless
| IL about the room, musing over the pas
| conversation. His brain was Of course
| busy as TO what was to be made of the
/ fact that some one else was interested IL
| the discovery of Terence Finnigan. "Pe
| gram" be muttered: "a somewhat singu
lar name. / am glad Miss Chichester tolC
me to wait, as II Is essential that
should get that name right. 1t conveys
nothing to me, but it very likely woult
to Carbuckle. Pegram" and here hi,
eye fell on a card basket. He turned
two or three of the top ones carelessly
over, and then suddenly exclaimed. "Ah
here it is; Mr.. Robert Pegram- / have
cot the name right then; and now, wha
the deuce can Pegram want with Terenc'
| Finnigan? OF course his interest in hin
must be in connection with the 'Grea
| Tontine Pegram is either one of th'
last shareholders, or acting for one. anC
upon what manner of man Pegram o.
his principal may be, turns the use thel
will make of Finnigan's discovery" Herr
lis reflections were interrupted by tn
| opening of the door, and Mary onc'
more entered the room.
Now. Mr.. Ringwood." she said. ''it i
my turn. What made you say so marked
Is to my aunt that you knew all the fact
ia connection with Terence Finniganf"
simply that / understood Carbuckl
had placed me in possession Of the entire
story" replied the barrister.
Il certainly thought that you mean
more than that" said the young lady
| now OWL ain To mo uicrSa tn. rrsa