The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-06


warm manner of an old and affec-
tomato friend 'haw is the, world
treatin' of you?'
my name don't 'appen to be
Emily" she retorted, with toss of
the head and a comprehensive wipe
of the pewter counter.
"Nol" exclaimed Smithers in &C
cents of well-simulated establishment.
Surely i amt maxim no mistake!
Amt you the lady as took the beauty
prize at Barnet Fair lars year,"
The Nbarmaid's face relaxed with a
reluctant smile, and she made play
full dab at him with her damp cloth,
a dab which Smithers fielded cleverly.
go along with you." she said, put
ting up her hand to thrust a hairpin
in it's place, and displaying a costly
brass ring set with coloured glass.
"Well, you'd have took it if you'd
been there said Smithers with en-
phatic conviction. 1.-THE one who did
must ave been your twin sister-by
another mother"
You're full of your chaff," she re-
torted, but with a still wider smile.
That's what the donkey said to the
easy CHAIR remarked Smithers, a lit
tie absently, for he saw that Ronald
was growing impatient. well, I
must be on the move-get back 10
my job
And what may that be-" she ask
ed, with a yawn which only partially
hid her curiosity.
I'm engaged at present in keepin'
gent awake-he's a clerk in a
Gov ment orfice. Well, so long! Meet
you at the same place and time mex
Sunday evenin'! My love to muvver
and brother Teddy
Dodging a slap with the cloth, he
went out. Ronald, impatient, but
half laughing, followed him. Smith
ers was deliberately unconscious of his
pursuer until they had reached. a cross
and, pausing presently, waited for
Ronald to join him.
cts all right, sir" he said. tive
clean put him off the SCENT
How on earth did you manage it ~
asked Ronald laughingly.
'tOh, it warn't difficult, sir,'' said
Smithers, with a little air of self
satisfaction which was quite excus-
able. 81 walked straight upstairs TO
the nat and knocked at the door, and
presently up comes my gentleman.
'Hullo," says he.. what do you want,
my MANI I don't know what it has
to do with you,' says I, eyein' i'm up
and down, but I've come to call IN
a gentleman by the name of Desbro',
RonaI' Desbro'.' Oh he says, what
do you want with imp looked i'm
up an down again. You've got bad
! attack of curiosity I says; it's flown
to yer cad I says. IF I was you, I
should see a doctor, good one; but,
| if it will do you any good an relieve
your pain, 7 don't mind tellin' yer
| that the gentleman, Mr.. Desbro', en-
ployed my valuable assistance to git
is luggage aboard a ship at the Vic
| toria Docks this mornin', and e, bein'
| in a hurry, give me a sixpence,
| thinkin' it was a 'alf soy. He didn't
find out is mistake till he was on
board, then. he calls out to me TO
come to these rooms of is and ask
is man to make it up to me-"
Smithers paused here. and eyed the
pavement with dissatisfaction.
| 1T was a precious thin kind OF
story, sir; but it was the best I could
make up in the time; and in an or
/ binary way the tee would have been
/ on me like a terrier on a rat; but he
was caught by the words Victoria
Docks; an though he thought I was
a plant, he was too keen on gettin' a
clue to you to drop on a insignificant
cove like me; so he says, says he
quite Indifferent like-'Oh, so Mr.
/ Desbro's gone abroad? Do you zap.
pen to remember the name of the
Ship? Why, of course I says; ii
was the Hairy Sonny
1.-The what?" asked the puzzled
Ronald. 'Ah, yes; the Arizona"
/ That's what 1 said, SIR" observ-
ed Smithers, continuing. "'Oh, it was
was it?' says he. I was wantin' te
see Mr.. Desbr8; but there amt any.
one ere. His mans gone-got g
'oliday, I suppose; so both of us i.
done, my man. He winks at me
as if he knew 1 was tryin' on &
swindle, but that it weren't worth i:
while to trouble about a sprat Xix,
me. I grumbles and .grauses a bi
all the way down the stairs; an
KNOWN that he was watchin' me,
set off UP the street, instead O. down
an makes my way by kind O.
round to the public. And now, VIVA
is to be done, sir?
81 don't quite know" said Ronald
but the first thing 1 have to do L
to thank you, Smithers, for the clev
er way in which you've come to m,
assistance. You're the sharpest fel
, low I've ever met; and a plucky one
, too. You might have got into trou
h1o with that dofo Too1-