The Northern Guardian. — 1897-08-02 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

CHAPIER XXI. " THAT OTILIM MAN."  Next rnoraiog • party of three were sassiabled at kookiest.  " You don't seem to have nineh of an appetite this morning," remarked Dr. Cartwright, addressing his host, who appeared rather distraught, with a tendency to start when epokett to. " How's that ? "  The young man replied, art he fidgeted with kis knife and fork, "That he didn't seem to ears to at anything, somehow." " Ab," replied the doctor,briskly." that's a pity." There's nothing like laying • good foundation for the day's work. I like to see • man make his Curet meal a good one—shows he'. got a good conscience. Not that I wish to insinuate anything against a member of the present company; but I don't like to gee you sitting there and only pretending to eat. Take an example from your lister," casting an appreciative gismos at the young lady from behind hie spectacles. " She doesn't turn up her nose at her breakfast—a sure proof that the purity of her conscience le beyond all suspicion." The young lady alluded to smiled at the last speaker and said she would trouble him for another shoe of ham.  "And yet 1 remember to bare heard," remarked her brother, rousing himself from hie abstraatica with a perceptible effort, "that criminal, about Im be banged frequently made a very good breakfast, and take a particular interest in ordering whatever most takes their fancy. How do you account for that?"  "I don't aeociunt for it at all," was the answer, given with a shade of irritation. "1 nooept it as I do tits Thirty-nine Articles, because it's the sash* way out of the difficulty. ity- the-bye "—with the evident intention of turning the eonversation, " did you sit up very late last night I thought I heard someone come upstairs and piss my door long after I had been in bed myself. Why, how nervous yea PIYMI this morning ! Whatever made vou start like that end upset your coffee as such a eimple question as I have just asked you l" You see." he , continued, while the other tried to repair the damage , Le Led done to the tablecloth and his own nether garments, " if I hadn't taken it for granted that it wee you, I should have oonsi&red it my duty to have got up and challenged the individual, whoever be ',night be. There ! never mind trying to mend matters; you wtil only make them worse—but I don't like to see you so nervous and slinky in the morning. If I didn't know you better, I should he inclined to may— But never mind. You don't look an though you had had a very good night's rest (wittier. No Why, how was that Got reading, or doing eomething that excited your keit), I suppose Ted Bnrritt admitted that Dr. Cartright wee-well, not altogether wrong in his surmise. " Wrong ! of course not. Funny thing if I couldn't understand ouch a simple matter as that. But you ehonldn't have done it, you know—s great mietako. By-the•bye, it meat have boon very exciting reeding to have such RII effect upon you is that. Something rely sensational. I suppose ? A toorder or a sheet stcry All the usual horrors ch " .  Tod, with a peculiar look upon his face, answered that the doctor was right again. it had been something very sensationai—eomething that he found it impossible to tear himself away from. "Oh, I know the style of thing," was the complacent reply ; " but, just for the sake of curiosity, what was it %—a ghost or a murder wan strange, the doctor thought), how ho hesitated over the answer to this plain question.) "It was both ! " "Audio you sat up until the small hours to finish it—woke me up out of • sound sleep—laid awake the greater part of the night yourself, and now wet eat any breakfast! What a pieoe of folly! I tell yen what it is, young man, you'll have to give that sort of thina nr—it won't do." rTO 51