White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-10-05
INsTALLMENT 81

with searching and doubtful look.
''Mr. Hardyman's valet?" he re-
peated. Il wasn't prepared to hear
Mr.. Hardyman's name"
Old Sharon looked at Moody, in
his turn, with flash of sardonic
triumph.
"Oho!" he said; has my good boy
learned his lesson? Do you see the
thief through my spectacles al
ready?"
II began to see him." Moody an
swered, when you gave us the
guinea opinion at your lodgings"
"Will you whisper his name?" asked
Old Sharon.
mot yet. distrust my own
Judgment. I'll wait till time proves
that you're right"
Old Sharon knitted his shaggy
brows and shook his head. "If you
only had little more dash and go
in you," he said, you would be
clever fellow. As it is" He fin
ished the sentence by swapping his
fingers with grin of contempt
| Let's get to business. Are you CO.
ing back by the next train along
with me, or are you going to stop
with the young lady?"
II will follow you by a later
train" Moody answered.
"Then must give you your In
structions at once," Sharon contin-
ued. "You get better acquainted with
Hardyman's valet. Lend him money
if he wants it; stick at moth
ing to make a bosom-friend Of him. l
can't do that part OF it: my appear
ance would be against me. You are
the man: you are respectable from
the top Of your hat to the tips OF
your boots: nobody would suspect
you. Don't make objections! Can
lyou fix the valet? Or can't you?"
II can try" said Moody. "And
what then?"
Old Sharon put his gross lips disa-
greeably close to Moody's ear.
Your friend the valet can tell you
who his masters bankers are" he
said: land he can supply you with
a specimen of his masters hand
writing"
Moody drew back as suddenly as
II his vagabond companion had put
a knife at his throat. 'You old vii
lain!" he said: ARE you tempting
me to forgery"
"You Internal fooI!" retorted Old
Sharon. will you hold that long
tongue Of yours, and hear what l
have to say? You go to Hardyman's
bankers, with note in Hardyman's
handwriting (exactly initiated by mel
to this effect: Mr.. H. presents his
compliments to Messrs. So-and-So
and is not quite. certain whether a
payment Of five hundred pounds has
been made within the last week to
his account. He will be much
obliged IL Messrs. So-and-So will in.
form him by line in reply whether
there Is such an entry to his credit
In their books. and by whom the
: payment has been made You wait
: for the bankers answer, and bring
1t to me. It's just possible that the
name you're afraid to whisper may
appear in the letter. If 1t does we've
caught otr man. Is that forgery, MT
Muddlehead Moody? I'll tell you
what-ff had lived to be your age
and knew NO more Of the world than
you do, I'd go and hang myself
STEADY! here's our charming friend
with the milk. Remember your in.
structions. and don't lose heart ii
my notion Of the payment to the
bankers comes to nothing. I know
what to do next, in that case-and,
what's more, I'll take all the risk and
trouble on my own shoulders. O
Lord! I'm afraid I shall be Obliged
to drink the milk, now It's come. -
With this apprehension in his
mind, he advanced to relieve Isabel
Of the jug she carried.
Here's a treat!" he burst out,
with an affectation of joy which
was completely belied by the expires.
sion Of his dirty face. That's some.
thing Ake!" he said, smacking his
lips with an air OF infinite relief
I'm homesick already for the SCOT
OF my happy childhood and my own
dear native mud. The air here is
too thin for me, and the sky's too
clean; and-O Lord!-when you're
used to the roar OF the traffic-the
buses and the cabs and what not
the silence In these parts is down
right awful. I'll wish you godo
evening. miss, and get back to Lon.
dom"
Isabel turned to Moody with dis.
appointment plainly expressed in
her face and manner.
us that all he has to say?" she
asked. "You told me he could help
US. You led me to suppose he could
find the guilty person"
Sharon heard her. II could name
the guilty person." he answered. "as
easily, miss, as could name you"
why don't you do it, then?" 1sa-
bel inquired, not very patiently.
She turned away with frown on
her pretty face. Old Sharon followed
here. Even his coarse sensibilities
appeared to feel the irresistible as
cende0cy OF beauty and youth.
II sayl" he began. I'VE must part
friends, you know, or shall break
my heart over 1t. They have got
milk at the farmhouse. Do you
think they have got pen, ink, and