The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-20

|, COulO llOI Il6Ip ln0 1OOl1Sh IOPN hat. now I was free, Olgo would ap- pear to me out of one of the opSp- ings of the lower arcade.
 No such happiness befell me -- nor any adventure. I skirted the House end of the pile of buildings. went down the steps from the terrace. and passed the Peace monument. There I boarded a westbound car. At F Street and Fifteenth I alighted and walked bacak to my hotel.
 The next morning I made all haste to reach home.
 At home I found a complimentary letter from the Household Intellf- gencer, commenting my articles, saying that they had received front their readers many letters in praise of them. and that they would be pleased to examine any manuscripts I might send them on any subject.
 With the letter was a check for two hundred and fifty dollars.
 After they had satisfied themselves that I was real. my excellent aunts felt bound to place me on exhibition to all their friends
 So I had to endur a crowded fparty'' and the wearisome same ness of questions and chatter.
 After it was all over, I fled to the outer air and instinctively found my way to the memorable bench from which my adventures had begun.
 CHAPTER TX
 The Second Stranger.
 I had no sooner seated myself on the bench than man stepped from between the evergreens at the end of it.
 For one instant I thought it was the enigmatical stranger of my birth day-night; the next, l saw it was quite a different sor- Of man. He was smallish and wiry, and wore soft gray hat like an army hat. He seated himself on the bench with a sliding, sidelong motion.
 Pleased to see you. MT. Veigh,'' he said with the merest ghost of brogue.
 You have the advantage of me-" I replied.
 "Bedad, I have that" he chuckled. 'I have a warrant for your arrest in one pocket, a pair of handcuffs in another, and six fat cartridges in a noble revolver in another besides"
 "Pm not afraid of any of the three" I asserted. Nor of you, either'
 An that's right, too," he said. Why should you be afraid of Barney Costello. He'll be your best friend, if you only knew it and'n let him. And a boy that's not afraid of pistols ought to act sensible. anyhow. and make no fuss.''
 "T1 make no fus,'' I asured him, land neither will you, MT. Costello. You'll go off,
 An me pistol won't" he cut in. ''Is that what you're meanin' ?''
 Just about that I said. Your pistol and your handcuffs and your warrant might as we'll be in Austra- lia."
 They're here. though" he chuck led. Don't forget that
 Ut makes no difference to me- said, flor I have done nothing to be arrested for.''
 There might be somethin' ito be said on the other side about that, too," he reioined. But we'll let that pass.''
 What I mean" said I, 'is that you're after the wrong man.
 i've me doubts on that point, too,' he admitted. But what I'm per fect1y clear on is that you're the MT. Beale M. Weigh whose name is in this warrant an the man I thought I wanted when I swore it out"
 You won't use it." I declared.
 An that's where the two of us are agreed" he said cheerfully. I'm thinkin' there's only one of you. never heard of the like before. I'd feel as if I was arrestin' St. Ignatius of Loyola, an St. Aloysius an St An thony of Padua; yes. an St. Patrick, too. an the archangels Michael, Raphael, an Gabriel, all rolled into one.
 By what I'm told. you beat the eleven thousand virgins of Cologne for sanct.ty, an the seventy cardinals for learnin', an George Washington for truth tellin. Pm not goin' to risk havin' a whole county from one state an a whole college from another buzzin' after me to testify to your spotless reputation and blameless life.
 "A thousand acres all round med be buried a hundred feet deep in wit nesses of your good character I'd be the most unpopular wretch in North America. I'm not goin' to im- peril my comfort an livelihood by arrestin' you. my son. Not unless you make me"
 'EWeI1?" I asked.
 Its this way he went on; you make it easy for me an I'll make it easy for you. I hear your word is better than any other mans oath i; that you couldn't tell a die if you tried, and wouldn't quibble or shuffle to save yourself from burnin' alive''
 You f1atter me- I put in.
 'I don't me boy" The declared. You've a reputation any man ud envy you Now the point is, I feel I do with you what I never could do with man or woman, boy or girl, black or white. since I've been at this business. I can take your word as you give it with no misgivin's. ''Now, I've no manner of use for you unless I can use you in court, an if you'll convince me that I can't use you. IIl just return the warrant and make it all right. An if you can't convince me, I'll not use it, either, but try to persuade you to your duty to help me. Will you convince me?' How" I asked.
 By straight-out answers to a few questions,' he said. II might decline to answer your qIestions." warned him. 1T can't tel till I hear them.' ''The point is. you're consid erin answerin'," he rejoined. 'fShall I be- gin?''
 Yes" I said. Begin Well it's this way" he began.