The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-11-22

calling welcome TO summer. j had
Just turned from long shrub-walled
walk into an open space when / came
upon the amazing spectacle OF Ad-
dington Peace flirting with very
pretty nursemaid.
Whatever the little inspector had
been, whatever he was, there was
nothing OF the Don Juan In his COM
position. had already noticed that
he took pains to avoid the opposite
sex, with that uneasy consciousness
of their presence which marks the
bachelor with principles. Yet there
he sat, sharing the same bench and
talking earnestly into her ear, while
before them a little boy pedalled in
dustriously up and down upon tri-
cycle-horse, a long-maned, long-tailed
toy set on three wheels and propelled
by Indifferent pedals. It was idyllic,
domestic, but distinctly surprising.
AS passed the bench, Peace stared
at me without glimmer OF recogni-
ton In his keen gray eyes.
l had just finished my breakfast
next morning when in walked the in
spector. laughed; indeed / could not
help It: and he answered me with a
quick glance, half annoyance. half re-
proach.
Something is going to happen to-
day In the matter OF the diamond" he
said. "But l warn you, Mr.. Phillips,
that II you intend to make fun Of me
you shan't know a word about It,"
you entirely misjudge mel said.
sticking my nose into my coffee cup
to hide a grin.
"Very well. There is sale of fur
niture today at the house OF Mr.. Ju-
Illus Taubery. No. 204 Portland place,
the property of a gentleman going
abroad for the benefit of his health
as the catalogue has It. should ad-
wise you to be there little before four
o'clock this afternoon"
Il am very much obliged to you,
Peace" I said, making note OF the
number on my shirt cuff.
He nodded, with faint shadow OF a
smile at the corners of his mouth,
shook a finger of warning, and trotted
out of the room.
I was punctual at my appointment
and shouldered my way through the
crowd of chattering dealers into the
big dining room of No. 204. A private
auction to me always seems a melan-
choly business. True, I knew that in
this case the owner was q rich man,
that his furniture and carpets and fit
tings had been bought only year or
two before, and were not the loved col
lection Of years. But the tumbled dis
order, the mud of many feet upon the
floor, the noise OF the bidders answer
ing the raucous voice of the auction
eer, were all an insult to the peace,
the privacy and the hospitable men,
cries of stately home. 1t was with
relief that I saw Colonel Gunton's
eyeglass shining near the window. and
elbowed my way towards him. He had
a little boy with him, whom he car
ried perched on his shoulder, well out
Of the way of the crowd.
Hello, Phillips" he shouted, In
tone that successfully competed with
the auctioneer's. Come to see the
last of old Taubery's household gods,
Ell? Confound those dealers, what
noise they make bidding for that ia
BILE. Pom my soul, when think how
many good dinners I've had with my
toes underneath 1t, feel quite senti-
mental, do, Phillips, strike me-"
To emphasize his sensations he
glared ferociously at weak individ-
ual who was pressed against him by
swirl in the crowd. and asked him
what in thunder he thought he was
doing.
The great table was bought, the last
of the heavy furniture; and there
only remained few details that were
auctioned, some separately, some in
oddly assorted lots. It was during
their sale that my talk with the col
opel was interrupted by the little boy
upon his shoulder.
"Oh. father" he cried, there's
Georges bicycle horse! Won't you buy
me Georges bicycle horse?"
A long-tailed, long-maned toy was
raised by one of the auctioneer's men,
who grinned under a running fire OF
chaff. l had an idea that l had seen
that gallant charger before, though
where l could not remember.
"Who is George2" I asked the col
onel.
IT'S Taubery's grandson. His
daughters q widow, you know; she
and the boy live with the old people.
Hi, there! ten shillings."
A gray-haired man in an overcoat
who stood near by nodded his head at
the auctioneer.
Eleven shillings-going at eleven
shillings."
Fifteen" bawled the colonel.
zone pound" said the gray-haired
man.
had no idea what the cost OF such
toys might be; but the price. second
hand, seemed high. Several OF the
dealers gathered about the chair on
which the auctioneer was standing
looked back at US over their shout
ders.
"Confound those dealers!" cried
the colonel. IF an outside buyer
wants, anything they try to squeeze
him out. They're all in league. 1t
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