| Show A TERRIBLE RIDE dees your business ever carry you through the purlieus of st giles or the foul courts and alleys of if I 1 tako it for granted that such is the case you will perhaps remember noticing during your progress a man who apparently did not know want to do with himself a downcast looking fellow banging around the door of a public house or ein palace with his hands deep in the pockets of pair of greasy corduroys and his chin hidden in a gaudy belcher neckerchief while he passed the time by pu fling dense clouds of smoke from a short black pipe he did not trouble you much however you simply said to yourself some poor fellow out of work but you were wrong he was detective trace whether you arc of the town or country you have I 1 presume traveled by railway and have sometimes found your vis d vis an affable loquacious old gentleman with spectacles who rested hia palms on the handle of a stout stick or umbrella while he quietly scrutinized and bandied an inoffensive joke with each passenger who entered or left tho carriage at the different stations and who in spite of a troublesome cough so managed to ingratiate himself him self with his fellow travelers as to almost draw from them alie history of their travels for any past period perhaps it has always been your lot to seo this same agreeable old gentleman condescend to a sudden alt of seriousness as a s he whispered intone ear of one of thi occupants who was going to alight this might have surprised you but what followed this strange movement gave you a clew to the mystery you witnessed an altercation followed by the sharp click of handcuffs and you knew that he was detective trace maybe at throes you have bad a difficulty in killing a weary hour or so and have amused yourself by listening to the cases at the nearest police court if u your eye has wandered to the witness box as a s lc officer in charge of the culprit has entered it whom did you see there man who no longer false colors for there waa no further need of disguise be had thrown it aside and stood revealed in his true character wearing the uniform of a sergeant iu the police force as having kissed the sacred book he proceeded at once to tell the truth the aholo truth and nothing but the truth etc and gave in bis name as sergeant trace but although he has long been superannuated and the winter of time has somewhat thinned and silvered bil vered hie hair his evidence while be reclines in his easy chair shall be as true the fact which he asserts shall be a when years ago he kissed the sacred book in the court over which the blind goddess presides to begin then sergeant trace and I 1 are one and the came pc many years ago I 1 was instructed to discover the apt a young lady who was wanted why it Is unnecessary for me to tell but it was in the execution of my duty that an incident occurred which nearly cost me my life I 1 had tracked the fugitive to brighton where I 1 made the discovery that she was just upon the point of returning to london this edited me admirably ae I 1 could delay the disagreeable business of arrest till we arrived at the end ot the journey but in order to be upon the safe side I 1 of course did nat lose sight of her and finally bated in the bame compartment of the train as she herself occupied it was the morning express and our compartment contained but three passengers a gentleman a lady the object of my pursuit and myself the guard locked the door and then commenced the most terrible journey I 1 ever made in my life I 1 scanned the features atthe gentleman opposite to whom I 1 sat and saw that his eyes were intently fixed upon me the discovery was anything but pleasant for there was a dark malicious look in his face that I 1 did not relish so quietly drawing a paper from my pocket I 1 became apparently absorbed in ltv content while from under my lids I 1 kept a sharp eye upon the stranger I 1 again turned to meet ayo I 1 was more than ever convinced that he was bent upon mischief though ho had not spoken for his hand was clutching nervously at something in the breast pocket of bis coat and his gaze was riveted upon me waa it a pistol ho had in that pocket I 1 wondered such a thing was not at all unlikely and coupled with the fact that the man himself bad every appearance of a maniac my position was anything but agreeable gree able tor wo had a fifty minutes run before ua without a stoppage however to have let him know my suspicions would but have been to place myself at a disadvantage so bottling myself down for a nap I 1 to arranged my hat that I 1 could watch his hand without hia knowing it no sooner had I 1 apparently fallen asleep than lie jumped from his seat with the eat dent intention of t upon me but quick as he was I 1 was quicker and in an instant I 1 had him by the throat and hurit d him on to bis back before I 1 could thoroughly master him he had turned alie tables and itwara down upon the of the carriage with the madman sitting upon my cheat all this had occurred in a moment and the first sound eliat reached my ear waa a piercing the woman whom I 1 was to arrest but he did not faint or I 1 might not have lived to tell my story with admirable presence of mind she stood watching for an opportunity to render me any aid ehe could brave little bomani 1 wonder it sho had known that I 1 had a pair of in my pocket intended aa temporary ornaments for her wrists ehe would have acted as she did but I 1 nm digressing no sooner had the ou strength of the maniac me upon my back than clutching my 1 I cannot tell the market has sagged a little the reaction will soon come at the end of the week mrs bent i torAn reIla dress tho said can I 1 have alie money today mud land dropped couple of point yesterday the bears acu control you sell now would rather pay maddine promptly this Is her first arc mud land assure torise touch twenty two weeks A month during which mrs curtiss suffered an anxiety ehe had never before experienced point by point mini land tell to five for week it held at that figure then in one day it rose to mceven IB on way to twenty now eald the aurella a bulls are iu it io anything td isnec dividend due what your gas you horcut cashed the check put your bonnet on directly you must buy deoine more share hurry I 1 I 1 dare day it liaa touched eleven by this time never mind bow you ook mud land still at seven they found mrs curtica ordered seven shares at that figure sell it at twenty said aurelia in a loud voice mud land drove now up now down mrs curtly to the verge of hysterics more than once she grew thin and pale she could not sleep she lost all appetite during thia exciting month madame seat hi her bill three times mrs took advice aad said nothing upon the third presentation she went to madame and explained matters was cold iu thirty days she bald 1 I can wait longer then my lawyer will collect mrs hurried to aurella she threatens to she said breathlessly what shall I 1 do nothing Not hinc nothing A mere threat explained aurella she hopes to frighten you 1 I have it come to johns knowledge for the worldly leave it to me mud land will revive in a day or so though mud land showed no sign of reviving mrs curtiss spirits rose at once A month is a long time she said it will rise surely as you say certainly with decision you will double your money mrs curtiss hew to aurelia at the expiration pi ration of the month head she stammered thrusting a letter into her hand aurelia frowned as slie read it monstrous impertinence she exclaimed flinging the lawyers letter upon the floor premeditated insults tl aliat shall I 1 do bobbed mrs curtiss oh what shall I 1 do you must sell your stock I 1 see no other any unless you go to your husband and Nc veri interrupted the unhappy woman cant you cant you lend it to me aurelia it I 1 only sighed aurella but my dear child every penny I 1 possess is in copper I 1 expect to realize a very handsome profet now if madame cau bo induced to wait no said mrs curtiss she must be paid I 1 never had a letter of that nature sent to me and never will she must be paid at once then your stock must be sold it is a pity but you are the one to decide sell repeated mrs curtiss you must rive the order said aurelia 1 I will go with you of course aurelia was enjoying enjoy ins the luxury of a late breakfast the next morning when mrs was announced show her into my den ordered au relli she found her friend pacing the floor her face and manner betokened great agitation what does this mean she exclaimed here ie a check for only it is correct no doubt replied corrects Cor why I 1 paid that broker over mud land bae dropped you must remember you said it would be worth twenty you saidI would double my money sobbed mrs so you would so it will when spiritedly your money Is in copperi you have managed badly said aurelia coldly you should not have ordered that dress you did not need it ill never buy stocks again I 1 exclaimed mrs curtiss mud land may go up or stay down ill never put money into it you did not need the dress repeated aurella serenely mud land will rise to twenty you might have made a good thing of it mr curtiss eat in bis library that evening everything around him gave him sense of satisfaction everything told him of the loving supervision of his wife the burned brightly in the grate the latest magazine ready cut lay upon his reading table the dog slumbered at his feet he was in a mood therefore to listen sympathetically to hia wife when she falteringly began the recital of her humiliating experience so you consulted aurelia he said smiling into the troubled face poor au she must lo more than ehe gains only a very inexperienced person would have advised the purchase of mud land it la practically worthless well with a long drawn sigh mihall Ii hall lose no more money in stocks and possibly it is well that I 1 have had this experience for it I 1 had doubled my money I 1 might have consulted aurella again mary A sawyer in yankee blade |
