St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-06-01

prediction. however short lived and
capricious, for
"Confound the cad! Where did he
come from? Who are his family-if
he has oneT'
As the nobleman assembled the steps
Of his club he seemed again to be
thinking deeply. Within. his preoccu-
patton did not altogether desert him
In a corner, with the big pages of the
Times before him. he read with scant
interest the doings OF the day. From
behind another paper the face of a
gray haired. good natured appearing
person, quite different off the bench.
CHANGED to look out at him.
''Eh? That you, Ronsdale?" he said.
reaching for a steaming glass of hot
beverage at his elbow. How is your
friend Sir Charles Wray? l had the
pleasure Of meeting him the other
morning in the courtroom"
Same as usual, / imagine. Judge
Beeson."
"And his fair niece, she takes kindly
to the town and its gayeties?"
Every kindly" dryly.
"A beautiful girl our young Austria
lianr' The elder man toyed with his
glass, stirred the contents and slipped.
'By the way. didn't see John Steele
in their box at the opera the other
night?'
sit is possible" shortly.
''Rising man. that" observed the
other lightly. Coordination Of brains
and force. Did you ever notice his
hst? It might belong to prizefghter.
except that the hands are perfectly
kept. You'd know at once he was a
man accustomed to fighting. who
he wanted:'
think soT' Lord Ronsdale smoked
steadily. You as magistrate. / sup
pose. know all about him?''
mot much, only that he is an alien"
IAN alien?' quickly. mot a colo
niaI?"
"No. He has lived in the colonies
Tasmania. and so on But by birth
he's an American"
IAN American, eh? And practicing
at the British bar?'
ceptions have been made before and
aliens called as we express 1t.
Steele's hobby Of criminology brought
him to London, and his earnestness
and ability in that line procured for
him the privilege he sought. AS mem
Der of the incorporated society that
passes upon the qualifications Of can
didates it was my pleasure to sit in
judgment ON him. We raked him FORE
and aft; but bless you. he stood
squarely on his feet and refused to be
tripped."
$50 he came to England to pursue
certain liner said Lord Ronsdale half
to himself.
"A man with Partially for crimi-
nal work would naturally look to the
modern Babylon. Steele apparently
works more to crafty that predilec-
ton than for any reward in pounds
and pence. Must have private means;
have known him to spend deal Of
time and money on cases there couldn't
have been sixpence in"
How'd he happen to get down in
Tasmania? Odd place for Yankee"
That's one Of the questions he
wasn't asked" laughingly. Perhaps
what our Teutonic friends would call
the wanderlust took him there" Ris-
ing. my compliments to Sir Charles
when you see him.
Lord Ronsdale remained long at the
club and the card table that night.
Finally summoning a cab. he got in.
but as he found himself rafting home
ward to the chambers he had taken in
a fashionable part Of town he was
aware that any emotions of annoyance
and discomfort experienced earlier
that night had suffered no abatement
He went up to his rooms. On the
table in an inner apartment, his study,
something bright, white. met his gaze
"a note in Jocelyn Wray's handwr1t-
ing. Quickly he reached for it and
tore it open.
"a party of us ride in the park to-
morrow morning. will you join us?"
Lord Ronsdale frowned.
"a party!" That would include John
Steele perhaps.