The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-10-07

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Il into the woods. One mystery was
how he had escaped the dogs.
That was explained the next day;
they had not been loose the night
before; had not been released from
their kennels. They were found rest.
less from an unexpected night of con-
finement. They had not been out be.
cause the stableman who had charge
of them had spent the afternoon and
night in the village of Hartley, drunk.
1t was an extraordinary and not an
ordinary proceeding for this stable
man, who had been n dependable char.
acter. 1t did not require much sus
picion to conjecture that he had been
tempered with in deliberate purpose to
free the grounds Of the dogs for the
use the Spanish sailor made when
he climbed up to my room.
The stableman, proved delinquent,
was so apparently contrite and inno-
cent that it would have been an injus-
tice to punish or discharge him. He
had gone to the village in the early
afternoon on an assigned mission for
the house. He had used the oppor-
tunity to drink a few glasses of beer,
for which proceeding no one would
blame him in Hartley house. 1t seems
that he drank wv or three glasses
more than he intended to and, even
beer being in a fashion Intoxicating,
got into a condition which made him
amiable to the approach of a stranger
who succeeded in interesting him in
the immediate prospects of life, which
then to him We're chiefly alcoholic.
He and the stranger had much talk
and many drinks. The stableman lost
all sense of responsibility, which was
not strange, and proceeded from beer
to strong liquor, forgetting all his
duties to the house. In consequence
he did not get home that night, and
the dogs We're not loose.
Naturally one drew a direct line
from this performance to the appear
ance Of the Spaniard at my window,
and there vas natural wonder as to
what kind of confederate the Span
lard could have so effectually to pre-
pare the way for him:
The Spaniard had a confederate
who was ingenious and resourceful;
that was evident. He had made a
deliberate play to get the dogs out
of the way the night the sailor made
his attempt to get into Jed's room,
and had succeeded in almost getting
into mine.
Two days after the. strange appear
anceS Of the Spaniard, I was asked for
and was told that a gentleman desired
to see me. I went to the office of the
house and saw a man who instantly
suggested the one who had entertained
the stableman so successfully.
He was so easily described that it
was a crime for even a drunken sta
bleman to have missed his distinguish
ing characteristics, but at that, the
stableman had made Identification pos
sib]e. The moment I saw the fellow
I thought we were nearer the solu-
ton of the mystery of Hartley house.
He was a significantly insignificant
looking man; that was his identifying
mark. He seemed timid and insecure
Of himself, apologize for his intrusion
upon me and withal determined to do
whatever it was that "a in his pro-
gram. I wondered how so shrinking
an individual had played a jovial part
in a village tavern with yokels at
drink. His card indicated him to be
a lawyer and gave his name as Phil
etus NJ. Brown. He came directly to
his subject-for which I thanked him
as soon as he had made a brief pre-
liminary Of commonplaces Of introduce
ton and greeting.
II have asked for you, doctor, be-
cause I know Of no one else here who
will serve Il do not wish to approach
Mr.. Sidney directly and cannot trust
the factotum you know as Jed. I
would not impose upon Mrs. Sidney
or her daughter except in extremity.
You r here, a rational human being
and interested, I am informed, in the
fortunes of this family. Therefore I
have com to you"
For what purpOSe?" l asked.
He smiled as if to apologize for
having any purpose, and pulled at the
cuffs of his coat.
"I'll be frank" he said. II hardly
know the purpose clearly myself. My
client is a sailor. My practice lies
considerably along the water front in
the city. It has not made me rich.
I have lost a good deal Of egotism and
have become pragmatic. l have to
get along and to deal with facts.
There are people dependent upon me,
and I have not been much to depend
upon"
1.-The condition Of your finances or
your morals cannot be of interest to
me-" I said. "What have you that is
of i%nterest?"
He smiled as if he was used fire.
Quently to rebuff.
"What l have. l assure you. humili.
ates me to present. because l realize
that If l succeed for my client. I shall
be in the way of Matchmaking Mr.. Sid