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1A [ Of 11 (11&1N WAR 1 !
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Copyright , 1597 , hy F. Tennyson Nccly I
CHAPTER I.
Perhaps a Fool's Errand.
"Stop-we drop off here , " sings out
Jack 'fravers , us ho thrusts his head
tram a carriage that has just passed
the magnificent Scott monument
facing Princes street In the beautiful
city or dlnburgh.
, 'I'he Caledonian Jehu draWs up to
the curb , and his two passengers
alight. Jack seems to bo a young
man ; there Is nothing at all extraordinary .
dlnary about his appearance as seen
on this moonlit night , only that his
Quick actions would marl him ns a
fellow of considerable energy.
Ills companion , on the 'contrary ,
promises to attract an abundance of
attention In the streets of Edinburgh ,
being a Chinaman , who Htlll wears his
queue , and insists on dressing , to
some extent , at least , In his national
garb.
'Vell , " says Jacle , when the vehicle
t rolls away from the sllot. "hero wo
i are , Ah Sin , safely landed In Princes
street. . You see , we have loads of
' time ; twelve wall the hour appointed
- ' that witching hour when church
yards yawn and graves give UJI their
+ dcad. ' Lot us then saunter along
Princes street In the direction of Cal-
ton Hill ; and when wo come to the
north bridge over the railroad , we
cross to High street , from which wo
can easily reach our destination , the
I historic Canollgate. "
If Ah Sin hears he malees no reply.
being accustomed to such soliloquies
on the part of the remarkable ! gentleman .
' man with whose strange fortunes he
has for several years been united.
T In adversity as well as prosperity !
this simple follower of Confucius had
proven as faithful as the needle to the '
Pole. Ho knows more of Jaclfs life
than any other person on earth , but
secrets remain inviolate In his heathen .
en breast.
He walks beside Jack , a trifle to the
rear , as though he would not prCmme. !
Ah Sin knows his place , and In his
eyes this tall young man Is (1 god
whom ho worships In secret.
Sauntering slowly on , Jack casts nn
occasional glance aloft , and presently
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The face Is that of a young girl.
Ands that they are exactly under the
treat clock suspended In air far up the
face of the Old Tolbooth.
"We go no further , Ah Sin. This
Is the camping ground , where we are
to cool our heels waiting on the pleas-
tire of-wel1 , someone. It we fall tonight .
night , then to.morrow at the same
hour-any night this week will do.
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Copyright , 1899 , by Street and Smith.
I've passed through something of wild
life as a cowboy and ranch owner , and
finally a miner ; but the last state
that has fallen to my share Is perhaps
the most singular of all. Don't fancy
It-cnn't believe I have any right to
accept : that's why I am here searching .
Ing for her. Find her yet , If I have
to turn old Edinburgh upside down ,
or follow that rascal over the sea to
Havana , whence he came. Will I
find what I seek ? That's an open
question ; but since this photograph
fell Into my hands I must confess to
a1 Interest In the hunt second to none
In my whole lIfo. Jove ! I haven't
looked at the divine creature for over
an } tour. "
From a pocket he takes out a notebook .
book , and unfastening the rubber band
o : this , gently draws out a card pho-
tograph.
The face Is that of a young glrl-
a charming face , that could hardly be
found outside Scottish borders : for
the claims of Scotch lassies as I
queens of beauty have long been recognized . :
ognlzed us well founded , and hardly
need the inspired pen of a Burns to
court the favor of the world's Judges.
"YeR , " says Jack almost savagely ,
"I believe It with all my heart. This
Is my fnte-sweet Jessie Cameron :
and could I win her heart , gladly
would I forego all those wonderful
blessings Fortune has of late seen fit
to shower on me. And It Is to find
her I have come to this northern cap-
Ital. visiting the Canongato like n
thief In the night , and courting not
. nly arrest as a prowler , but what Is
worse , a cold In the head. Well , hero's
wishing luck to the most respectable
enterprise I ever had anything to do
with In the course of my natural life !
Who knows but what , If Fortune fit-
vors me , It may be the little angel
herself I set eyes on next ? "
lie actually sighs as he carefully
replaces the picture In Its receptacle ,
and then casts a quick glance around
to discover If anyone has been a witness . I
ness to his action.
Not a soul appears to bo In sight
save Ah Sin , and that acute Celestial
has his back turned toward his young
master , ns though he would avoid gtv-
Ing him nn awkward feeling-wise old
Ah Sin , reader of human nature and
pupil of the greatest of diplomats , LI
Hung Chang.
Jade has just started to return to
his former stamping ground , where he
can rest his broad shoulders against
the stone stairs leading above , when
a strange thing happens-the most remarkable -
markable event In his experience so
far as the vagaries of chance are con-
cerned.
He hears a sound of wheels , and
realizes that a vehicle of some sort Is
advancing from the direction of High
street-a vehicle that Is being carried
at a raplll pace by the animal In the
shafts.
'fhey come spinning on at a joyous
pace , and naturally Jack bas his eye
on the vehicle as It approaches , little
dreaming how much of his tate Is
bound up In that cab.
Alf though the inmate has become
somewhat anxious over his whereabouts .
abouts , a face appears just as they
are passing the lamppost , a face that
Is 80 familiar to Jack that Its pres-
once here In old Edinburgh almost
takes his breath way.
He opens his mouth as It to call out
a name : but before It can leave his
lips the strangest part of the whole
affair comes to pass.
Why It should happen just there In
the presence of Jack Travers must be
left to those more skilful In solving
the problems or Fate. The three sisters .
ters spin their threads , and weave
them Into ache warp and woof that
go to make up the fabric of human
lives with marvelous skill : and , Jook-
! ing back , we sometimes shudder to
contemplate what a change must have
come over our fortunes If certain
events , upon which our plans have
been based , had not occurrell.
At aU events , one of the wheels ot
the cab takes a singular notion to proceed .
ceed on Its own account , having secured -
cured a divorce from the axle and Its
running mate.
The result naturally Is a sudden
wreck of the vehicle ; the horse takes
It upon himself to fling up his heels
and might have beaten the cab Into
kindling wood , as the driver sprawled
upon the stones , only that Jack !
springs out and grasps his bit In a
firm hand , effectually quelling the
devil that had cropped up In the usually .
ly sedate animal.
CHAPTER II.
The House With the Seven Gables.
The driver has been momentarily
overwhelmed by the disaster that has
come upon him without a second's
warning : but he quickly recovers his
head , and picking himself up from the
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Effectually quelling the devil.
street , runs to the assistance of the
young man.
"I have the beast all right ; look
yon to the passenger-I'm afraid he's
been hurt , " sings out Jack. Obediently .
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ly I the Jehu turns toward his dilapidated . .
dated vehicle , and the Inmate of the
forlorn hansom Is assisted out .
Fortune has Indeed played him a
scurvy trick , for he Is badly haltered ,
and doubtless believed the case far
worse than It will turn out In the end.
Jack remembers the glimpse he
had of the gentleman's face and Is
more than curious fa ascertain whether .
er It can be possible ho knows this
unfortunate traveler.
So he bends over him , and discovers I .
ers he has made no mlstalce. "How-
ard Spencer ! "he exclaims.
The man , who has been groaning
with pain and Is evidently consider-
ablY bewildered by the blows he reo
celved , looks at him vacantly as he
mutters :
"That was my name once-heard It
somewhere or other. Badly hurt , ain't
I ? Too plagued mean It comes just
when I was about to tale a leap Into
the lap of Fortune. Say , who are you ,
anyhow-to Jack , who bends over.
"Why , Howard , old boy , don't you
remember mc-Jack Travers ? " says
the other , cheerful1y.
The man on the pavement breaks
out Into a laugh , that grates on the
nerves.
"Tel1 that to the marines. Jack
Travers ! Why , he's dead , and I'm his
ghost-take my oath on It. Haunted
by the name What's all this ? Blood ?
Then I'm badly hurt , ain't I ? Must
go on-promised to be there by
twelve. A fortune at stake , you know.
Show mo the house with seven gables
at the corner. I tell you I must get
there , or aU Is lost. "
The man has an amazing amount of
pertinacity about him ; at any rate , he
reels forward , takes three steps , and
falls headlong , so that It Is .only a
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quick movement on the part of Ah '
Sin that saves him from crashing to
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the pavement. '
"Badly hurt. I will send for help .I'
and have the gentleman taken to a
hospital , " says a police officer who has .
arrived.
"u would be a wise plan , " remarks
Jack , for he may have received Inter-
nal injuries. You see he talks as If
he's off his head. "
At the same time the words that . .
fell in such broken sentences from the . i
lips of the wounded and dazed trav-
eler seem to have been written on his 1
brain Indelibly , as If seared by letters
or fire.
By this time numerous heads havs J
appeared at windows along the Canon.
gate , and a small crowd has collected
around the broken hansom , which the j
driver Is endeavoring to patch temporarily .
rarlly together , so that he may drag
It away to the mews where his quarters -
tel's are located.
Jack attempts to question the man ,
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whom he has apparently known at' , _ ' I
some former period of his adventurous ' . 1 ,
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past , hoping to tliscr'r where he puts ' '
up ; but the other . .I1YS no attention ,
muttering to himself about his appointment - r"
polntment , and swearing horribly
every time he moves his wrenched or
broken arm.
Turning to the hansom driver , Tray-
ers learns that he picked up his fare .
at the station , the gentleman having
come by a delayed train.
Qulc1cly , In response to the police-
man's call , an ambulance arrives ,
showing how systematically every-
, thing Is done In this beautiful city on
the Forth. The unfortunate gentleman .
man Is lifted Into it . and almost before
Jack realizes the fact , the vehicle van- '
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Ishes down the street.
He turns round : the Jehu Is also I' ,
leaving the spot , with his horse tow- '
Ing the wrecked hansom : the little
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crowd disperses , heads are drawn In
from windows and almost like magic
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the Canon gate resumes Its normal
state of midnight silence.
Jack rubs his eyes In bewilderment.
"Come , was all this a dream , or did tt' : I
It really happen ? That poor devil had . .r s
an awful shalce . up. . Once we were ;
chums , and many times have we slept , I
under the same blanket , until that lit- "
tlo affair down at Santa Fe separated ,
11S. I never could forgive Howard his .
treatment of that blncl.eyed beauty. ,
What brings him across my path . " ' I
I again , and , of all times , now ? Helgho ! ' 5 ; ;
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, what o'clock Is It up thcl'C'-clo\'en fif- q1
'ty ' ? How the minutes drag ! Have I , . r' . ?
really been asleep and dreaming ! Ah
Sin , did a vehicle smash to pieces {
here ? " he demands , turning on his
faithful follower. . . . " ,
( To be continued. )
POINTER FOR THE IMPECUNIOUS.
Scheme That Enabled Young Man to '
Keep Up Appearance. T ,
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The cashIer In the candy store who . '
had married the telegraph operator '
had just returned from her hone ) ' , 1
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moon , and was receiving her friends . tin
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In a new lIat.
"Did he get on to the way you '
crimped your hair , Mamie ? " asked the I
mischievous manicure girl.
"I don't know whether he did or ,
not , " replied Mamie , "but I twigged "
the way he pressed his trousers. 1
When he used to call on me I noticed
ticed that they were freshly creased
every evening , and I knew he couldn't
afford that pace at a tailor's. I noticed . J
tlcell that before going to bed he
straightened his trousers carefully and , I
put the front edge at them Into the
jam at the bedroom door. Of course 3'
he hall to gd up some time In the , ' ] ,1 ;
night and change sides. But he told
me he had been doing It so many
years he was accustomed to It. ,
"He had to be very careful putting
them In , or the door wouldn't shut. ,
But I'll tell you , girls , In the ' morn- 1
Ing he had a crease that had e tail- 1,1 ,
or's job whipped to a suspender but- .
ton. Men saving up to get married r
have their little tricks ot making a il t
good appearance on little money , just .
as girls have In making themselves so ,
pretty that men want to marry them. "
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