The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-03-03
you afterwards were eager to entirely


 you afterwards were eager to entirely forget
 MT. Trevor stood slowly up, fixed his large blue eyes upon me with a strange wild stare and then pitched forward, with his face among the nutshells which strewed the cloth, in a dead faint You can imagine, Watson, how shocked both his son and were. His attack did not last long, however, for when we undid his collar, and sprin- kled the water from one of the finger glasses over his face, he gave a gasp or two and sat up. smile. T hope I Haven't frightened you. Strong as I look, there is a weak place in my heart, and it does not take much to knock me over. I MT. Holmes, but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and of fancy l would be children in your hands. That's your line of life, sir, and you | make take the word of a man who has seen something of the world | And that recommendation with | the exaggerated estimate of my abil- | ity with which he prefaced 1t, was, if you will believe me, Watson, the very | first thing which ever made me feel that a profession might be made out the merest hobby. At the moment, however, was too much concerned at | the sudden illness of my host to think of anything else.
 hope that I have said nothing to pain you?' said I.
 :" Well you certainly touched upon rather a tender point. Might ask how you know, and how much you know?" He spoke now in a half 1 testing fashion, but a look of terror still 1urked at the back of his, eyes
 Tt is simplicity itself,' said l. When you barred your arm to draw that fish into the boat I saw that. J. A. had been tattoed in the bend of the elbow. The letters were still legi- ble, but it was perfectly clear from their blurred appearance and from the staining of the skin around them, that efforts had been made to oblit- crate them. It was obvious, then, that those initials had once been very familiar to you, and that you had af- terwards wished to forget them
 What an eye you have" he cried, with a sigh of relief. Tt is it. Of all ghosts the ghosts of our old loves are the worst. Come into the billiard room and have a quiet cigar >
 'tFrom that day. amid all his cord iality, there was always a touch of suspicion in MT. Trevor's manner to- ward me Even his son remarked it. You've given the governor such a turn,' said he, that he'll never be sure again of what you know and what you don't know He did not mean to show it, I am sure, but it was so strongly in his mind that it peeped out at every action. At last became so convinced that was caus- 1 ing him uneasiness that I drew my 1 visit to close. On the very day, | however, before I left, an incident l occurred which proved in the sequel to be of importance.
 'fWe were sitting out upon the lawn on garden chairs, the three of us, | basking in the sun and admiring the view across the Broads, when a maid came out to say that there was a | man at the door who wanted to see MT. Trevor.
 What is his name?' asked my host
 ' He would not give any
 "'What does he want, then?'
 He says that you know him, and that he only wants a moments con- versation-
 "'Show him round here. An in little wizened fellow with a cringing manner and a shambling style of walking. He wore an open jacket, with splotch of tar on the sleeve, O red-and-black check shirt, dungaree trousers, and heavy boots badly worn. His face was thin and brown and crafty, with a perpetual smile upon it, which showed an irregular line of yellow teeth, and his crink1ed hands were half closed in a way that is distinctive of sailors. As he came slouching across the lawn I heard Mr. Trevor make a sort of hiccough- ing noise in his throat, and jumping out of his chair, he ran into the house. He was back in a moment and I smelt a strong reek of brandy as he passed me.
 Well, my man. said he. What can do for you?'
 '-The sailor stood looking at him with puckered eyes and with the same loose-hpped smile upon his face.
 You don't know me?' he asked.
 Why, dear me, it is surely Hud- son. said MT. Trevor in a tone of sur
 ' Hudson it is. sir said the sea man. Why, it's thirty years and more since I saw you last. Here you are in your house, and me still picking my salt meat out of the harness cask'
 Tut, you will find that I have not forgotten old times cried MT. Trevor, and walking toward the sailor, he said something in a low voice. Go into the kitchen,' he con- tinued out loud, and you will get food and drink. I have no doubt that shall find you a situation
 Thank you, sir,' said the seaman, touching his forelock. Pm just off a two-yearer in an eight-knot tramp, short-handed at that and I wants rest I thought I'd get it either with MT. Beddoes or with you
 "tAh!' cried MT: Trevor. You know where MT. Beddoes is?'
 my old | friends | Sr are IT eaid the '15 fellow w with a sinister smile, and he slouched off after the maid to the kitchen. MT. Trevor mumbied something to us about having been shipmate with the man when he was going. back to the diggings, and then, leaving us on the lawn, he went indoors. An hour latter, when we entered the house, we found him stretched dead drunk upon the dining-room sofa The whole in- cident left a most ugly impression upon my mind, and I was not sorry next day to leave Donnithorpe behind me, for I felt that my presence must be a source of embarrassment to my friend.
 sAII tbis occ1rred during tho first