Year: 1870

" "h0lSHool Ill SUCH trouble, said the lady
graciously, with the prompt acquiescence
which people in the country give to such
calls. "And now think of it, Mr.. Bxby,
have another call to make on your street.
think will walk up with you, and so
get around to Fletcher's at nine o'clock.
My husband has several letters to write, so
he will not miss me.''


Foster Houghton sat in sort of maze,
while fate thus arranged affairs for him,
though they tended to consummation
which was far from welcome to his mind.
His wife went out for her smelling salts. her
spectacles, and her heavy shawl; and Bixby
snatched the brief opportunity:


81 have told you everything, Squire, that
you need to know. Keep your mind easy,
and your head cool, and the whole thing
may be done as easy as turning your hand
over. Remember, it is the only way to
save the bank, and catch the men that may
have robbed dozen banks DO not stir
out of the house again this evening, or you
will excite suspicion, and ruin the game
N>NN'NNh o"S'NO anu JWO you UldN expect
your company; and rely upon me in hiding
close to the bank. Mum is the word. -
For Mrs. Houghton was descending the
stairs.


"Come in again when you come back.
Bixby, can't you?" said the cashier. still
10th to close SO singular and hasty a bar
gain.


" Not for the world" replied the consta-
bic. cit would expose our hand at once.
and spoil the trick, Now, Mrs Houghton
Pm proud to be the beau to such pretty
young belle"


And so, with word of farewell they were
of, and Foster Houghton sat alone in the
house with his secret.


lie was not coward but man of peace
by temperament and training, and the ell
terprise in which he had been enlisted was
both foreign and dstastefu to him. How
many incidents might occur, not set down
in Bixbys programme, to make the nights
work both dangerous and disagreeablc ! His
very loneliness made the prospect seem
doubly unpleasant A dozen times as he
sat musing over it, he put forth his hand
for his boots with intent to go out and
frustrate the robbery in his own way, re-
gardless of BiXby's schemes of capture and
glory. AS many times he sat back in his
easy chair, thinking now that he was bound
in honor by his tacit agreement with the
constable and again that the whole story
was nothing but the fruit of the officers fer
tile imagination, and that only the inventor
should make himself ridiculous by his ere
dulity. Now he wished his wife were at
home to make the waiting moments pass
more quickly, then that Harry were there
to give the aid of his daring and the stimu-
lus of his boyish enthusiasm and courage.
And sometimes the old mans thoughts
wandered in spite of the excitement If the
hour to his boy, dancing away the night at
Tinborough. He recalled his anxiety over
his sons designations, his associates, his
extravagant tastes, the look of hard defiance
i'll his face, but an hour or two before His
heart yearned over the lad in spite of his
wild ways, like David over Absalom, and he
resolved to try the mothers method. and
imagine excuses, and replace harshness with
indulgence, hereafter The village bell
changed out from the steeple close by, and
Foster Houghton dropped the thread of his
revery with start, and went back to the
reality again. Clearly he was getting too
nervous. lie must do something to shake
it off.


"pll get Hany's revolver" he thought,
with little purpose what he should do with
it; and he took the lamp and went up t.
the boys empty room. The drawers wer
thrown open in confusion which offended
the cashiers neat prejudices acquired in the
profession. He knew where the pistol wa
kept, but its box was empty.


CONCLUDED NEXT WEER I