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Show An Amateur Detective No one. who had happened to ob-aerve ob-aerve tho ntture of Mr. rromloy Urown wandering About hla garden on a certain mild April morning would have Imagined him to be suffering suf-fering from an acnto acnao of regret for hla waited opportunities. A girls figure leaned out and a young voice called to hlra: "Why do you look so aolemn, papa, dear? What a perfect day It lat Warm and sunny enough fur Juno!" "I waa thinking," ho said. Imprca-alvoly, Imprca-alvoly, "of how very Utile material comfort aiguille, and how few of ua are antlafled! I know I may not look it, but alnce my earlloat daya I have often told you, I have had a rurloua, wild craving for adventure, for line ' excitement outaldo the deadly routine of a buslucaa life. It la hard that of a bualneai lite." Valentine laughed and leaned atlll further out of the window. She, for her part, waa absolutely aatlaflcd with the fair fine worn by the world round her. Her father took off hla gold-rlmmed glaaaca and laid down hla newspaper. "Hn! thla la moat rurloua!" aald lie. "What a aplendld chance If one could only light upon him the plaus-llile plaus-llile acoundrol! The ahrewd young Villain!" Valentino turned her gray eyea on bla alilnlng crimson faco. "I.laten to mo Val," ho cried: "you remember tho general told ua laat week that Uie Muinby and the Jelllcoca had huUi had their pantry windows forct J open?" "Did he? 1 don't think I waa He- . tanlna.4 - , . , Mr. Hromley llrown hero proceeded to read aloud an extract from the newspaper. Tho 'architect-burglar.' for by thla soubriquet thta accomplla.ied criminal crimi-nal la now known, haa been seen. It la bnlleved, not long ago In this neighborhood, neigh-borhood, although prohnhly he la now many mllea away from the aceno of hla late exploit. He la described aa a young man of gcuilcmnullka and military appearance. Willi fair hair and mustache, noil wearing cloihei of faahlonable pinke." Mr. Ill onili-y Brown was aonn ah-(orbed ah-(orbed in meditation. Ho (ilclured lilinscif, resolute, terrible, cunning, hounding down thla dlstlugulshod rrlmlnal, bringing hi in to Juki Ice. lie fell aiileep to the uccutnpanl-ment uccutnpanl-ment of the link's song and dreumi'ri that ho wna tho chief of police In Kussla. Waking up with a atari ho beard the clock atrlko III. A few yarda away in Ihe road he pnw tho figure of a young mini, mil, 'fair, yea, und of uiiuilatul.ahly soldier- ly nppoaiaiU'o! And he whh sketch- Ing. A thrill run down Mr. llrow n a I spine. Ho might not l.c Hie chief of the HiiBHl in police, but was he nol on tho cvo of a discovery, utl adventure, tho posslhlo player In a M'i'iu and drauiHtlc cum'? In one inoiitent hla mind bed been made up. He would invite thla young man, obviously no other Hum tho architect hurghir. with friendly greet. Ing, Into hia houae. A hurried word to the coachman would send Mm, on iff .. ; f r VI ! A model of middle clan prosperity, awift feot, for two or three of tho local police. Another mjjjcngor would huhii.n to Hen. C'oniplon, tho etornest of the county magistrates, and he would arrive In time to be a wllneaa of tho discomfiture of a no-torloua no-torloua criminal and of the ingenuity and promptitude of hla old friend llrown. Meanwhile the young man bad looked up amlllngly. In anawer to the romarka of tho old gentleman by the hedge, ho aald that he had come a considerable distance that and IhlB with a vary pleasant laugh-well, laugh-well, yea he waa thlraty anil that thore would be plenty of time to fin-lah fin-lah hla aketch arter luncheon, and that he thought It a moat kind eug-goatlon eug-goatlon of hia questioner to Invito him to have acme. Kor one Inatant Mr. llrown glanced norvoualy at a allver Ikk and candle-atlcka candle-atlcka on Valentine' writing table. Inen, murmuring an rxruap, he ran panting to the atnlilee: In a rhoklixi voice dlapntchcd tho aatnnlihed coachman for the ihiIIco. and a helper, with an Impreaalve miange acrlb-hled acrlb-hled on a card, to flen. C'otupton. On hla return he found the architect-burglar laughing over a favorite earn "And thi art lovaly poon,M eb ervtd tht architect burglar, with appalling coolraaa. bunk of Valentino', tli "Diury of a j NolKMly" ami they twi talked, Mr. : llniwn for hln part with a rurttmn nliHoni-nilnilriliioMH of btHika anil d If forfeit fnrnih uf hitiunr. Tho imrlor ma I J lntirruplO(l them to vay that aittm- rold imutt whh ready, and tho two mm adjourned tci tho dlniiiR itKim. The mt m fintil truly Ktuit'Tnl fur a nhUKy and soda. "That's a lirauilhil ht cup," bo remarked, re-marked, ptilntlDK to a pl.ro of rllvor of CJuoon Aniiu da to In lh middle uf tho tahlo. Mr. Hrnnilf-y Ilrown'j oxprrinn of mliiKll triumph and Fan-aHin pasacd unnoticed by tho cheerful youiiK v lull lu-ll nr. Tho clock HtriK k on1 and bo tohw quickly to 1Mb feel. "Thank you a thousand Union for your hospitality." ho Hiild, pteaHaut-ly. pteaHaut-ly. "I am arrnfd I iniiHt he off. You nee, I am nkctrhiiiK r(r duly, not pleasure." There wan a Bound of ntcpa at tho door, and a voire outntdu. which hounded llko a word of commund, auid : "Whoro In the man?" . Tho duor whh Hunt; open, nnd a tall, Roldtorly IlK'iro Hteppetl quickly Into tho dlnliitf room. "Well, llroKu, what all this ahotii ?" (.in. Compton, youiiK and alert for hU yeurH, is tared at his friend wMh a pair of very keen eyen under white uychrous. "You told me It was aomo very urgent hiiKlneKH," i ontlinin) tho p.nernl. Then lila eyea fell on the young man by tho further window. "MleflH my soul, Ktttcourt, 1 didn't see It wuh you In tho cor nor!" "Yes, and bow am you, general?" said the young man, advancing with a rordlul h title, Mr. Hromloy Itrown felt a sudden cold pernplraLlon on hla forehead. Ho ai entirely unahlo to utter a ward. "Mr Mr?" nld the young man, "wan no kind an to ask me to have a whltiky and soda." ''Ah. Iheti you don't know each I other?'" tfutd the general. "Hrown. I thin ts Lord Kat court, huh of my old friend whom 1 have often talked i ahout, you know. He Is working like i a niKKor at tho rollee." and the Mjtcnkor pointed toward a distant view of a larKu v. line hullding miles away le olid tho yrove of plnon. "ICnlcourt. thin Ih Mr. Ilromlcy Diown, one of my best nelKhhors." Mr. Drowu felt uh if Home ono had striK-k him a violent blow ou the heud. "1'apa! pupa!" A froah young voice cuiuo echoing from tho garden, and tu another moment a young girl tan Into tho room. "Papa, there are tiro p'llcemn hore! They nay they have come for Minin Tine-whnt doea U moan?" "Oh! only about tin chickens that were Htuii-n. ir.y d ar," Maid her father mlxoratdy. "Hut tnere ate no chickens' Yon know you wouldu t have any, because, 1 you finid they Hpoll the eardon." 1 ' lhl 1 aay rhlck.-nH?" Mr. Hromley ! Hiowii'n di.ary rpioitiion was (rat nf a victim being led to execution. "Of couiho. I mean Ihe forced atraw-berries. atraw-berries. Valentino, .ny dear " Tho young man waa atlll gazing at tho lovely, puzzled face of his boat's daughter. "Your father has been ao kind to mo. MIns llrown." iald ho. "I am ntrustcliug over military drawing, and In dotty terror of being plowed." "Oh! You are atudvlng ut tho col lege!" "Yes I wonder would you and your father care tn mine over and see it some day?" "Oh, that would be dellgntful, papa, dear, wouldn't It?" "Yes. IndetH-d. Indeed II woutd." Mr. llrown waa still feeling half para lyzed. "tlood by, KMcourl. my boy," aald nen. Compton. "1 havo got to have a word now with Itrown on aomo most Important business alniut which I came down." Lord Katcourt drew a little nearer In Valentino. "You will drlvo over very soon, then. Mlas Hrown?" "Thank youI am aur w ahall enjoy it ever ao much!" "Then wo won't say good bye, I think," said he, aa he took faor hand. Tho Kins. |
