Show 1 Jl = m THE FATAL REQUEST = OR FOUND OUT Bv A L Harris AuthorotM Mlno Own Familiar Friend ete I Copyright 1891 bV UOSasit t7o pyri ght 1101 b y t Company 8m CHAPTER IIIContinued t Mr Htirrltt was puzzled and ox pressed as much by his looks Why on earth did the man como stealing into his room In that strange uncom fortable manner and at that hour and for no apparent purpose His friend seemed to read what was passing In his mind I am sorry If I have disturbed you he said slowly but I could not bear my own thoughts any longer and so 10 He turned to leave the room Mr Btu ritl followed him with his eyes He still seemed to him to bo part of his dream his strange horrible hor-rible dream Then as tlje other man reached the door and passing through It closed It behind him he gave a gasp of relief The next moment he had crossed the floor and turned the key In the lock I could have sworn I had locked It before he said to himself At any rate there shall bo no mistake this time as ho shot the bolt to make matters doubly sure CHAPTER IV The Secret Lies Between Us Two Next morning Mr Silas Burritt and his friend whoso Incognito Is still preserved pre-served were seated at breakfast together to-gether In the clear light of day In the presence of the most appetizing viands the former gentleman found his mind completely divested of all those gloomy and distrustful thoughts and suspicions which had caused him so much disquietude previously to say nothing of having ruined his nights rest It was astonishing what a widely wide-ly different view he took of the matter mat-ter as he discussed this early meal His heart warmed anew toward his old friend who sat fact ig him and who also appeared to more advantage under these more cheerful circumstances circum-stances V4 TTfIL r 1 I 41rk i iqj MLA I f t r I h 1I IP l t f t k t IIi I if p p Good Heavens What are you doing ItIs quite understood that you return re-turn with me and stop at least one night he remarked genially In fact there Is no escape for you us I have already dispatched a telegram to let them know at home that I am bringing a friend back with me You are very good Silas was the reply and for one night at least I will accent your hospitality And you must come and stay with us while you are looking about for a housemake us your headquarters you know Ive no doubt that the two girls yours and mine will be bosom friends in less than no time and astor as-tor my boy Ted hell be head over heels in love your daughter If shes anything like your before be-fore wo know where we are Ha hal I shouldnt be a bit surprised tho young dog and his father laughed aloud delighted at his own perspicacity perspi-cacity By tho way Jim relapsing into a more serious vein that would not be a halt bad Idea your girl and my boyeh The other looked at him Intently You mean It he asked Mean It Of course I do Why not In splto off everything that has gono before Good heavens man what has tho past got to do with your Innocent daughter That would ho visiting the sins of tho fathers upon the children with a vengeance Tho other man looked at his friend and his habitually stern taco softened You are very generous ho said more generous tlfvn I have a right to expect Come come answered Mr Bur mitt dont talk like that for heavens sake dont let us begin it all over again Your secretsuch as It is and this Is the last allusion I Intend to make or allow you to make to It lies between us two Which is the same thing as saying tlfat It Is perfectly perfect-ly safe Then more for the sake of giving the conversation a more cheerful turn than for any other reason ho said I think you made some remark last night to the effect that you had made a large fortune It so I arajiln coroly glad to hear it Yes was the Indifferent reply I am comparatively I speaking what you would call a wealthy man and my daughter will be an heiress In her way t am very glad to hear It said Mr Uurrltt heartily and ai tho same timenot thnt I wish to hoastI may also say that I have not done badly myself I have made my pile too not such a large one as yours probably prob-ably hut at any rate I have the satisfaction sat-isfaction of knowing that If anything should happen to mothls with an accession of seriousness should leave my family well provided for I have had my ups and downs as well as others but I have no fear of the future lie spoke these last words quite confidently unconscious of tho Ignorance Ignor-ance and rashness of the assertion fly the way he continued after awhile a-while are you a bad sleeper as a rule or was last night an exception as In my own case it was no exception unfortunately for me was tho answer I nm a wretched sleeper and last night was worse than usual At tho same time with nn air of restraint or awkwardness awkward-ness I had no business to disturb you in the way 1 did Dont mention it said Mr Burrltt caielessly forgetting the very differ out light in which tho affair had appeared ap-peared to him at the time of Us occurrence I oc-currence Though you gave mo I rather a start at the moment on I waking up suddenly as I did and from I a very bad dream I thought you seemed rather restless rest-less and uneasy In your sleep was the reply Insomnia is one of the greatest curses I know though as n rule VI do not suffer much from It myself But If like Macbeth you have murdered sleep you are much to be pitied The other man started at the ill sounding word Murdered ho exclaimed thenI bog your pardon ho muttered somewhat some-what confusedly I did not take your meaning at first In fact I have almost al-most forgotten my Shakespeare I beg yours said Mr Burrltt tho quotation was most inapt 1 had also forgotten for the moment that it was to the murder of Duncan that Mac beth referred tho assassination of tho poor old man In his sleep Later on In the day Just before starting to tho station Mr Burrltt on looking at his watch noticed that It had slopped Then he remembered that ho had forgotten to bring his watch key I and had consequently been obliged to omit the ceremony of winding It up the night before It occurred to him that his friend who was packing his portmanteau In tho next room might be able to supply the deficiency He left his own room and knocked at tho door of the one adjoining But tho occupant of the apartment whom he heard moving about within apparently appar-ently did not hear the knock so after waiting a few seconds ho turned the handle and entered The other was standing In front of tho dressing table and with his back to tho door so that his actions were reflected in tho mirror He was dressed dress-ed nil but his coat and was carefully examining some article which caught tho light as ho turned It over In his hand He wheeled round suddenly I with a quick frown on hearing the sound of the opening of the door and Mr Burrltts Involuntary exclamation of alarm when ho saw how his friend was employed Good heavens ho exclaimed what are you doing with that thing My dear fellow said tho other regaining big composure instantaneously instantane-ously what on earth are you making such a fuss about Did you never see a revolver before Of course I have answered Mr Burrltt somewhat Indignantly But there for goodness sake put the thing down I hate to see you trifling with It In that way It gives mo tho cold shivers You alarm yourself unnecessarily I assure you I havo not the slightest intention In-tention of blowing my brains out Why on earth should It I was merely mere-ly examining the thing to see that it was all right Bntbut stammered Mr BurrltL far from reassured you dont mean to say that you aro In tho fmblt of carrying firearms about with you My dear fellow mimicked the other I dont merely say It I do It But why was tho question Why ho replied In case of emergencies You never know when you may need It and I should nover think of traveling without something of the sort You mean to say persisted Mr eo Burrltt that you carry It about your person 1 I Tho other nodded Look hero I ho said Ive lived a rough sort of life In a wild part of the world for tho last twenty years 1vo scoii men shot down by my side In a refreshment saloon more than once and mbro than onco had a narrow escape from a similar fate myself In fact sinking sink-ing his olccI dont mind owning to you that on one occasion I have killed my I11nnln selfdefense mind ho added hastily seeing the look ol horror which for n moment overspread over-spread his friends face In self defense ho repeated with emphaids and with the odds three to otto Where should I have been then but for my revolver As It was I cleared the world of at least one ruffian And no c1110I mean No one thought nay the worse of mo I assure you Inllecdwltl1 n faint smile tho first Mr Burrltt had seen upon his face lurking for a moment mo-ment round tho corners of his mouth I oven had a testimonial presented to me by some of the leading citizens of the place thanking mo for ridding them of such a pestilent character as Black Jake which was the name tho villain went by Mr Burritt heard him throughout with astonishment mingled with n faint sensation of horror It seemed hard to credit that the calm middle aged well dressed man before him his own contemporary had passed through such an experience as this and that tho hand which ho had shaken shak-en with so much cordiality had blood upon ltr Thank God I ho cried that wo have nothing of this sort In England There Is no shooting people dqwn in refreshment saloons In this country Perhaps not was the caustic reply re-ply but for all that It struck moon mo-on looking at tho paper this morning that you had got your own share of most of tho crimes goingand plenty of Black Jakes or their equivalents too Very likely said Mr Burrltt with eyes still fixed on tho revolver Bytheway would you mind telling meIs that tho same weapon that you used on that occasion you were speakIng speak-Ing orI mean when you shot the other or individual Meaning Black Jake Yes Im happy to say it is the very same Mr Burritt felt that he somehow regarded re-garded the article In question with less favor than over I suppose there Isnt tho least likelihood like-lihood of Its going off unexpectedly ho inquired diffidently Not unless I pull the trigger was tho careless response and Im riot likely to do that unless you attack mo first Tho joltcIf Joke it were struck Mr Burritt as being In singular bad taste I must say bo repeated with a little perceptible Irritation In his manner man-ner that In this Instance I dont seethe see-the necessity for Very likely you dont Interrupted Interrupt-ed tho other resuming his coat but If you had been In tho habit of carryIng carry-Ing It about your person for as many years as I have and always boon accustomed ac-customed to sleep with It under youi pillow you would think no more ot carrying a revolver than you would an umbrella or a watch This remark served to remind Mr Burrltt of his original errand Ho therefore explained tho reason of his intrusion and having been accommodated accom-modated by the loan of the desired article ar-ticle turned to leave tho room again Ho hesitated for a moment on tho threshold and cast another glance over his shoulder at his friend who was doing something to the cherished weapon with a bit of oily rag The latter looked up nnd met It You dont really mean Silas that you are afraid to trust yourself In my company now that you klmow I carry a revolver he asked with another sudden sud-den frown You dont surely To be continued |