The Washington times., 1912-09-13
CHAPTER XVI (continued).


local shop, and had paid cash for a
heavy bill. 1t was further known that
all the tradesmen's accounts were set
tied every Saturday morning, and that
the household was run on generous but
not extravagant lines.
,That the new tenant of Aboukir
Lodge was possessed of ample means
was evident: who or what he was. or
had been. nobody knew. AS there were
no ladies' in his establishm ent no ladies
bands as met him in the town remark
ed Of the newcomer that he was a plain,
homely sort of person. uneducated, but
He amused himself entirely with fish
Ing and gardening. He also, according
TO the news agents. read great many
newspapers from various parts of the
much to himself. His servants never
talked of him. and nobody knew more
Of him than he wished them to know.
durnF he first Of Mr.
keene's residence in this secluded spot
knew a-good deal about his money mat
ters.
When he came to the town Mr. Keene
opened an account at bank and de-
posted about $4,000 in cash: after he
had settled down good deal of this
was invested in a certain gilt-edged Sc
lcurity, the dividends from which were
in time duly credited to, Mr. Keene.
From time to time Mr.. keene ap-
pcdTru Tic pdnh anu pllu lilto hlS
account sums varying from sSOo to
f1,c0O AS his capital Increased in this
way, 1T was invested in othe" gilt-edged
securities, the divivends from which
The manager of the, bank at the end
of two years could have told YOU that
of his own knowledge Mr.. Keene had
over 920,CO0 invested in f1rst-class rail-
way stock; that he had at that moment
sum Of about $4,000 pounds lying to
the credit of his account at the bank,
and that the cash payments alluded to
above were still coming steadily in.
Every few weeks they can,e-always
in the shape of brand-new Bank Of
ENGLAND notes-always paid in bv Mr..
do man, this Mr.. Keene, and full of
quiet reGpectability; a man of benefac-
tions, too, although not lavish or ex-
travagant in his charity, man of good
ice every Sunday regularly, and there
was some talk of making him church
warden.
Keene had achieved a reputation in the
land Of his adoption. He had plenty of
money; he was well-conducted; If not
4 well educated: a gentle man, If not a
gentleman; he went to church, and new
err refused money to the charities; his
pursuits and occupations were of a
peaceful nature; first and last, he paid
his way, and the people who We're at
all concerned about him knew that he
He had arrived at that topmost pini-
nacle Of, fame. Had he been a genius
two penny about him, having much
money, the butcher and the fishmonger,
to say nothing of the wine merchant
and the tobacconists, raised finger of
respectful alteration to their hats and
caps when they encountered him.
It was about this time that Mr.. Keene
was recognized by an old acquaintance
The old acquaintance could not by any
stretch of imagination be called an old
friend. In sober truth. he was a mem
ber of the police force. who had known
Mr.. Keene in the days when he ran the
oyster saloon in Leeds and was distin-
guished by the name of Joseph or Joe
Kilner.
At that time the old acquaintance was
a detective holding high rank in the
Leeds police; he was now enjoying a
position Of higher rank in Loverpool.
Like Mr.. Keene, he was very fond of
fishing, mad 1t was this fondness that
sent him one fine spring day into. the
Vale of Clwyd, there to spend fort
- nights holiday on the banks of the
And Just to prove that the world is a
small one, and that one never knows
what is going to hapepn next Inspec-
tor Nicholson happened to meet the
man, whom he had known as Joe Kill
sThe, two men met in the High street
az penbigh one afternoon when Mr.:
lAe dignity of black broadcloth. He had
been to make a formal call on the
clergyman in whose parish there was
some talk of making him a church wal
den, and had donned his Sunday gar
pents as being most fitting to the oc-
oasion.
stately, and Inspector Nicholson, who
was taking 10 tradesman In friend
ly fashion at the door of the latter 8
shop. was considerably startled as he
recognized in this apparition the man
who haG often ODenp1 dozen OYSTERS
for him in the little green-painted sa-
loon at Leeds, and whom he knew had
SseP that ptfS ety up But we he had no
doubt of the mans identity than of his
own, so he stopped him boldly;
why Joe" said ta he onsH .whsteyeE a, N,e
Have you turned parson since you left
the oyster trade?'
Mr., l<eene drew himself up in indig-
rant astonishment. His broad face pur-
ped With annoyance; his voice had a
ring of righteous anger.
You are making some mistake, sir,
said he, eyeing the stranger over as II
he did not know him from Adam. "A
strange mistake, indeed, sir"
inspector Nicholson could have bitten
his tongue out, He knew that he had
the mistake the man was accusing him
Of He could have kicked himself for
his hasty impulse.
'I beg your pardon most humbly
SIR he said, stepping back and lifting
1 his hat; II see now that | have made
mistake. Pray. forgive me. | certain
ly took you for an old friend of mine
whom L haven't seen for some years
There Is, I assure you. almost eXtraor-
dinarv likeness between you"
II have heard, sir" remarked Mr.
Eeene, that the King himself has a
double. | wish you a good day, sir,
and he walked on in great state and
with added solemnity,
The tradesman to whom the maeis-
trate had been talking laughed as the
latter rejoined him.
That's Mr.. Keene" said he. Fancy
hailing him as joe
And who is Mr.. Keene?" inquired
the inspector.
The tradesman.- glad of airing his
Knowledge reeled off all he knew re.
specting Mr.. Keene and his connect or
with his neiGhEOrhoCG.
"Dccent old chap" he concluded -
lit pompous and SO on. but yPrv quiet
hammered. and leads Il peaceful life
Ard he's gOt-ohi- piles oC wopev."
! Inspector Nicholson said nothing. bu
he took OCCASION to visit the local polio,
station. and there he saw the chief anC
he had quiet talk about the inCiden
sust related about the pseudo Mr.
keene. And he stuck to his point lik'
leech,
.'There's no doubt about it," he con