Year: 1878




" ere afraid that it would make her sick
julius alone seemed Indifferent on tho
subject, yet Jim noticed that he seemed
very attentive to what they were saying;
particularly. when Tracy's name was
mentioned, there was restlessness about
him that did not exactly please Jim
THIS. together with the interest he un-
willingly betrayed in behalf Of Mr.
Myrtle, set Jim to thinking. yes thinking
he cared to reveal. but he would watch
them. and if they did not have an eye
open he would beat them at their own
game. But for week or more every
thing went on so nicely at the cottage
that there was not room for even shadow
Of suspicion. for after the evening meal
the iodger would sit with the happy lit
tie family and amuse himself by playing
different games with the children until
bedtime; then he would bid them good
night in his pleasant way and 60 up to
his room. Therefore, it is not surpris-
ing that they were beginning to feel at
tached to him Stokes also paid his
board promptly, and besides. paid Mol
lie well for keeping his clothes in order.
aud consequently everything went on
very well for y time but when he had
been At Jim's about two weeks, the
family noticed that he was not punctual
about coming in. Several nights he
staid out very late. Mollie spoke OF
this to her husband, who bade her to be
quiet and not let on that she noticed It !;
that be had his eyes open on that chap.
Oi course his wife wondered what he
could mean. but remained silent. One
morning Jim saw Stokes give boy q
note and instruct him to take it to Mrs.
Dupont's, he knew, from the direction
IN which he went, and Jim felt that this
note was sent u Tracv, and he also be-
lieved. that that night these two men
would meet by appointment, to make
arrangements Tor carrying ou, some ras-
cally deed which they had in contempla-
ton, and if they did he knew that there
was but one place in which they would
meet. this, their first night, and he de-
termined that he would be on hand and
in the right place also. 1t was not erely
to satisfy his own curiosity that Jim
would take this trouble on himself. but
for mure important reason-one that
l will! not give at present.


jim never liked the appearance OF
Mr. Myrle. He was not what he termed
a gentleman. for the simple reason,
since he came to Georgetown. this old
fisherman had seen him do several
things which were unbecoming and
highly improper tor man of his stand,
ing and position in society to stoop to
but only one or two knew of these
mean little things, and it was only
10y chance that Jim found it out
and SO he wisely held his peace. TO,
then what he did was nothing tc
him; but now it was different. What
he believed these two men we're going tC
do concerned him sufficiently Tor him tc
watch them. and learn it his conjectures
relative to them were correct. So, a,
noon that day, he told his wife that he
would not be home until late that night
and she must not keep supper waiting
for him Mollie thought nothing OF this,
as Jim worked at one of the livery sta.
bles. and frequently did not get home
unit. very late. Alter giving orders tc
his son, Dan, to 90 down and attend to
his net. and bring up the fish, Jim left
Now Dan was good hand. and loved
to take the fish around for his father
and he did 1t like man. too. when jim
was so pressed with business that he
could not do it himself


About dusk Jim found his way. by 9
narrow footpath, to the lower edge o
Mrs. Dupont's private garden. He con.
cealei himself in some shrubbery. nea,
the walk, in good hearing distance from
the place where he was sure the con
spirators would meet. He looked up al
Lina's room. There WAS q bright lighl
burning within. and he heard child vol
ces. gay with pleasure and mirth. and he
knew that they were gathered abou,
Lima, while she told them beautiful sto.
ries, or amused them in some delightful
way and then he thought how the chill.
dren would miss her when she went
away. 1t would be like robbing them ol
the sweetest ray of sunshine that bright.
ened the morn OF their tender lives. By
this time it was dark, and the stars were
smiling lustrously from their opalescen'
and pearl-embedded zone. Hark! There
are sounds of approaching footsteps
then comes low whistle. so near jim
that he thinks he can almost touch the
mouth from which the sound proceeded
80 near that he feared that his breathing
and the beating of his heart were audi
BILE sounds yet he endeavored to com.
pose himself. tor he knew that this whis.
| tie was a signal. and even while he was
thinking. there came an answer. shrill
and forcing. upon the still, night air. In
another moment some one was coming,
with rapid strides. down the garden.
walk On and on came the restless meas
ured tread; then some one spoke, and
Jim knew that Stokes and Tracy Myrle
were face to face. and ready, heart to
heart. to engage in crime. Stokes was
the first to speak, and said, half angrily


"This is a nice way that you have OF
doing a body. have been trying, for
two mortal weeks, to get glimpse OF
you. and this is the first time that have
laid eyes on you. If you had not come
out tonight l was going back to New
York in the morning, sure as my name
is not Stokes. Here have been all this
time, waiting on you; have spent all my
money, and l will be in a deuce of fix.
in few days. won't I?''


"Pshaw Stokes; don't be fool Don't
you see that am limplng? got my
ankle sprained, some eight or ten days
aoo o1d ,hia 10 tho fret timo have prt