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V- -'a-."-'-I^IT mi"ITI"'■-[All…

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V- 'a -I IT mi"I T I"' [All rights reserved.] HOKACE FITZHUGII OR THE MYSTERY OF DESERTED HOLLOW, BY ROBERT P. FINDLAY, A uthor of Tlte Relics of the Dead," The Spectre of etc., etc. CHAPTER XXIII. When joys have lost their bloom and breath, And life itself is vapid Why, as we reach the falls of death, 1 Feel we its tide more rapid ? It may be strange yet who would change Time's course to slower speeding ? When one by one our friends are gone, And left our bosoms bleeding "Will this confounded train ever reach its desti- nation ?" I hope so, sir, but its an important line, and we must go slowly, so as to avoid accidents." Something having a finish like nation was the contemptuous rejoinder of the first speaker. we Mr Homer-Jones was the lordly traveller who had put the above interrogation to the Guard, on popping his head out of the carriage-window at Manorbier Station. He had been on the rail since half-past five o'clock in the morning, and was hungry, peevish and miser- able. "Look here, guard," said Mr Homer-Jones signal- ing- to the official, who came up to the window. Can you explain this ? I have come from Pad- dington, nearly three hundred miles distant; and, hang me, if the journey from Whitland to Pembroke, just about thirty miles—does'nt seem twice as long, and ten times as wearisome, as the other part of it The guard, a good-natured man, looked at Mr Homer-Jones with an expression of heart-felt pity, and replied. "Ah. we're used to hearing those remarks, Sir so we get hardened to 'em after a time, As soon as the up train has passed we shall steam off with a spurt,' and may possibly manage five miles an hour yet." Mr Homer-Jones's blunt but inelegant retort must be ignored. Z5 "When do you think the Company will make their third-class carriages fit for a respectable dis- senting minister to sit down in ?" asked Mr Homer- Jones. I expect it will be when the Company can afford to pay-a dividend," answered the guard. "Well, their inability to payrme can't arise from ^ny extravagance in the way of providing proper ac- comodation for passengers," observed Mr Homer- Jones. Hush, here's the 'guv'nor cried the guard at this point of the conversation, and away he went. Mr Homer-Jones reclined back in his compart- ment with a look of calm resignation on his face. Presently,-(on the Pembroke and Tenby Railway "presently is an elastic term to represent any time from five minutes to an hour and a half)—the train moved out of the station and Mr Homer-Jones felt that it would not be many hours now before he arrived at his destination. From the oscillation which took place it might have been imagined by Mr Homer-Jones that the train was going at a perilously swift rate but this gentleman knew there was no occasion for any auxiety on that head. In due course Pembroke was reached, and Mr Homer-Jones alighted from the train with a feeling of thankfulness (to Providence and not the Company) at having got th,re at last. "Bus to the Hotel, Sir ?" cried a man in the Sta- tion-yard, pointing to a shabby turn-out which stood close by. "No, thanks I am afraid it would fall to pieces if I got in," replied Mr Homer-Jones sarcastically as he sallied out of the Station. The view which a visitor to Pembroke has of the ] town from the entrance to the station is not particu- larly cheering. The long, dull street one way, and the dreary fields the other a chance policeman here and a stray dog there a few ragged youngsters playing at chuck' halfpenny or for buttons possibly a few women or a railway-man and the picture of dry monotony and Unrelieved God-forsakeness is complete. So thought Mr Homer'Jones as he wended his way down the main Street towards the Dark Lane. At a 1 house in the last named place he stopped and tapped at the door. Bless my soul, it's Mr Jones exclaimed the ro ust, jolly-faced woman, who camo to the door in answer to the knock. Yes, Mrs Lamphey, you see I am here again, j 1 v: diall ho. dresponded 1\11' Homer-.J ones cor. ( Quite well thank you ;-cime in," said Mrs Lamphey, and m walked her visitor. 1 Mr,Tr">T°neVVas §iven the seat of honor in k Mrs Lamphey s parlour in front of a bright, warm He informed the good lady, who seemed most pleased to see h.m, that he was iown in the nek* toytlw%rb,'0ke °n Md u t W^' re^urned Bnllslade smiling, hP7^)U rne so comfortable the last t:me I 1 "it j1 ages ago since then, remarked Mrs jollier^hn^ 8 a 'on8 while back but you look lantly. n evor y°u did," replied Mr Jones gal- < r;eri^C;Ji,Jcnes, you are just the same as 1 £ 3 Lamnhp,? JT..aKln2 some flattering remark," said ] Having 1>laVful]y. j atflazino-hr hiivT1"6^ genial hostess that he wis Sent to a neio-] f1' thirsty, Mrs Lamphey at once < steak that ° 1 °}*v*n8 butcher's, and obtained a rump J ploughman W<Tul^ ^ave gladdened the heart cf a j soon° a fpm Was cooked with onions, and Homer-Ton .nS plateful was placed before Mr ling ale §e^er with a jug of George's spark- 1 Th l" • the Wn71T1?r^i ^raV £ l'er did thorough justice to both i ino- liia v, ?ak ar|d the local beer and after finish- i Satisfied 6 rtlea-i Mr Homer-Jones felt immensely 1 looki 8 ^"iamP^le.V sat in a cosy chair before the fire, j n°-W> an<^ alfain to see how her guest was pro- M TTW1 1 h,'S rePaSt t «, r or[ler_ Jones never talked during his meals; ] Wos a hard-and-fast rule with him. j °?i .c.aTlnot do justice to your stomach if you < P gabbling away over your food. Eat first, drink next and ti, en till.: ai%ii- till yoiir tliro,,tt is dry."f • 1 Lamphey was aware of this rule so she sat TVY-U11til Mr Jones had completely finished. -Nothing ever flurried Mr Homer-Jones while he i as engaged in eating he ate away with the calm, r- jmperturbaMe air of a man who felt it to be a duty s „ owed to his country to line the "inner man" ] effectually. When Mr Homer Jones had eaten the last morsel on his plate he best his head and closed his eyes for a ( second or two. < Mrs Lamphey saw this and wondered what it ) Meant. All at once the thought struck her, he was merely spying grace after meat! I "I have had a long journey," began Mr Jones, taking a seat beside the lady of the house, and I feel rather tired." "It is a tiresome journey," observed Mrs Lam- < phey, who had never b-;en farther than Saundersfoot < in her life. ( Now there was nothing very singular, extraordi- 1 nary or exciting in these remarks yet Mr Homer- ( Jones's action at this moment may be classed as t triangularly so. He rose from his seat, went up to Mrs Lamphey, ( and deliberately kissed her There is no use blinking the truth Mrs Lamphey certainly did not resent the liberty did not even 1 scream, but on the contrary, seemed to like it. I Oh, Mr Jones, you are a bad man cried Mrs Liamphey, with a flush on her face but the cry was a subdued titter, and the flush was that of pleasure. If she had turned pale, screwed up her nose, flashed her 'optics' like coloured lightning—(one penny a box)-and ordered Mr Jones out of the t house, we might have assumed that the rude, bad man had outraged the susceptible feelings of a loving, virtuous woman. But Mrs Lamphey was a widow, and as full of rrood nature and kindness as an egg is full of meafc.^ ° Oh, you had man she repeated, wiping her lip# with the end of her apron. This action might have been rendered necessary by the state of Mr Homer Jones's own lips after his recent hearty repast, "A bad man?" exclaimed Mr Jones in a serio- comic tone and with a characteristic spiint, "Madam, there is no more harm in me than in a mad dog," The widow laughed loudly fit this remark and Mr Homer Jones evinced his by kissing her again It may strike the reader as curious that lr Homer-Jones should have suddenly become so amor- ously inclined considering his professed aversion to the fxir sex in general. Xow the reason was this Mrs Lamphey kept a boarding-house for Commercial gentlemen and in that capacity Mr Jones had first become acquainted with the lady when he was in Pembroke on the ex- pedition to which allusion has already been made, That was some years ago but Mr Jones had ingra- tiated himself into Mrs Lamphey's good favour to such an extent, during his short stay at her house, that she begged him to call again when in that neigh" bourhood; and absolutely refused to accept any Honey from him. I treat yon as a fi'irnd. Mr .Toivs, was ^Fiamphev's remark on that occasion, and cannot think of charging >/oa anything." Mr Honier-Jones was not one of tlwsc men prfss their money upon ail unwilling creditor. He ^ppreciated Mis Lamphey's kir^ s and promised to come again (on the namo Mtad .n?) should he happen to be in her riuighbor.iMjB Time rolled on, and here Mr Homer Jones °vmd himself this evening, enjoying the society of as & landlady as Wale could produce. We are not so ill-natured as to put am* invidious construction upon the extraordinary action of Mr • on.? ;n l<;ssjng his hostess but it is just possible •at the worthy gentleman -thought he must mdea- 111 Rome \vav; to make np.f<>r gratuitous hoard i.}J.¿, .uig, A kiss or two might do it. There K barui iu it. Mi-s Lamphey was fully fifty j"" I fire years of age and (as she said to herself after the liberty had been taken, Mr Jones was a gen- tleman." "I wish to write a few letters," remarked Mr Homer-Jones, after a long conversation on general topics had taken place. You may go into the sitting-room, Mr Jones, and write there," said Mrs Lamphey. "Thank )ou, I will," returned Mr Jones and off he went to the room mentioned. Here lie was supplied with pen, ink, and paper, and left to his own occupation for awhile. The letters which Mr Homer-Jones wrote were those addressed to Mr Hamilton Barre and Mrs Fitzhugh. "Now," said Mr Homer-Jones to himself, when he had finished the letters and posted them, I am prepared for all contingencies. I can await calmly the issue of the fray." After bidding good-night to his kind hostess, Mr Homer-Jones retired to his bedroom. When he had fastened the door and placed his candle on the dressing table, he took from a small bag, which he carried with him into the bedroom, a small square wooden box. Opening the case Mr Jones produced something which shined brightly. It was a small but hand- somely fitted revolver. "Six chambers loaded," muttered Mr Homer- Jones, and he shall have the benefit of the lot (To be continued.)

RETURNING OFFICERS' EXPENSES.

THE INVASION OF IRELAND :

,THE POLITICAL SITUATION I

NARBERTH.

TALES THAT ARE TOLD.

THE FIGHTING IN BURMAH.

AN ELECTRIC SHOCK. I

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