A CLEVER CONSPIRACY.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 40, 25 May 1917, Page 7

A CLEVER CONSPIRACY.

COMPLETE SHORT STORY

Mr. Glister stood at his own shopdoor and looked-out upon the almost empty Cathedral Close of Ravensthorpe. He was one of the fine old race of country goldsmiths and jewellers now fast becoming extinct, proud of his business and of the long and untarnished history of the firm.

Mr. Glister was a warm man. He looked it, with his clear, rich, rosy complexion, heightened by his crisp, iron-grey hair and stripes of silvery whisker, his portly waistcoat crossed by the modestly solid watch-chain, and the handsome diamond ring which was his solitary vanity in the article of dress.

“Here he is again,” said Mr. Glis-

A portly, elderly gentleman in the dress of a rural dean turned the corner of the Close and came briskly along the pavement. From his countenance beamed forth benevolence and goodwill to all men, and from his gleaming shoes and his neatly stockinged calves to his jolly port-wine face and clerical hat, his whole person seemed one solid smile. As he passed Mr. Glister he gave him a casual glance of such cordiality that the jeweller felt emboldened to salute him with a bow, a courtesy returned by the reverend gentleman with a brisk “Good morning,” and a yet broader smile as he went by,

Next morning saw Mr. Glister at his post of observation, and at his accustomed hour the elderly cleric was again descried upon the pavement. The jeweller had already begun to feel a friendly, almost an affectionate interest in the old gentleman, whose appearance was so inviting, whose voice so jovial, whose charity so ready and unassuming. His attention was so completely absorbed by the approach of his new acquaintance that he had no ears for the quickly approaching step of a young man advancing in the contrary direction. The rural dean was just opening his lips to reply.to Mr. Glister's morning salute, when the young man paused precisely opposite the jeweller, and, extending his hand hailed the old dignitary as "Uncle.” The reverend gentleman turned with a start and a stumble, which, but for tlie young man’s restraining hand, would have brought him to the ground. "You young villain !” panted the old man. "You will never be satisfied until you have been the death of me.” The young fellow expressed affectionate contrition for his abruptness, but his venerable relative was evidently more shaken by his sudden appearance than it seemed likely so 'robust an old gentleman would have been by so slight an occurrence. He trembled and leaned upon his nephew’s arm for support, and was so evidently affected that Mr. Glister begged him to enter and seat himself in the shop until his composure should return. The offer was accepted and the rural dean was bestowed in a chair. The jeweller made hospitable offers of wine and a glass of water, which were refused, the old man tapping himself upon, the region of the heart and shaking his head to Indicate to him that his malady lay there and was beyond the power of such medicaments as he proposed. Mr. Glister and the nephew stood beside him with respectful concern.

"And what brought you here ?” demanded the old gentleman of his nephew, "to frighten your old uncle, who thought you were a hundred miles off, or more ?” "Can’t you guess ?” asked the young man, with an embarrassed laugh.

"Ha ! ” said the old gentleman, beamingly. He was quite recovered now, and had got back all his accustomed geniality. "Love’s young dream, eh ? That’s it, eh ?" The good old man so enjoyed his little joke, and so. shook and beamed over it, that Mr. Glister could not himself refrain from a sympathetic smile.

"You have not seen Maud yet, I suppose ?" said the rural dean. "No ; I was coming straight from the station to call when I met you." "And nearly frightened the life out of me," said the old man, rising,. "I was just on my way to see her, and, since we have met, we will thank Mr. Glister for his very kind attentions and go together."

Accordingly, after reiterated thanks of the warmest nature, they left the shop, and went down the street arm-in-arm very lovingly together, leaving Mr. Glister bowing his adieus upon the step.

Any strange face appearing in Ravensthorpe during the dead season is pretty certain of remark, and that same afternoon Mr. Glister, from his usual coign of vantage, noticed a broad-built man in very tight trousers and tall white hat, which gave him, to the jeweller’s eye, something of a sporting appearance, lounging in an unoccupied fashion on the other side of the narrow street which opened into the shop, so completely unlike was he to the natives about him. He rolled a little in his gait, and yawned frequently, and he had a trick of stroking with the tip of his fingers a ragged mark or scar, as of an old wound imperfectly cicatrised, upon his smoothly-shaven cheek. Presently he strolled away out of sight on the other side of the cathedral, and Mr. Glister forgot him. He remembered after that the stranger’s disappearance was alinost exactly coincident, in time with the entrance into the shop of the young fellow who owned the rural dean for undo, and had so startled the reverend gentleman that morning.

The young man's business wan soon explained. He wished to see soma articles of jewellery suitable for presentation to a young lady. Nothing too extravagant, the simpler the better, but good, Mr. Glister understood {perfectly, and produced from Ms window a case of ornaments, which the young gentleman examined, selecting therefrom a necklace and pendant, a bracelet, and some rings. He seemed to have admirable taste, and his ideas of simplicity in matters ol jewellery seemed to Mr. Glister to be of a most aristocratic elasticity. He was hesitating between the different attractions of a diamond and sapphire ring to complete his purchase,when the door opened and his uncle entered.

“Ah !” he said, cheerily, “you here, eh ? And on the same errand as myself, I see. Very pretty, ve-ry pretty I” he remarked, examining his nephew’s purchases. “Plavc you all you want? Then, if Mr. Glister will be so good, I should like to see what he can do for me.”

“Now, my dear uncle,” said t&e young map imploringly, “be moderate. Really, Maud will be .quite content with these.” “Tut,,tut ! ” said the old man. "Am you the only person in the world who can make a present to a young lady ?”

Mr, Glister produced a second case, and the old gentleman, genially potjhpoohing his nephew’s affectionate r* 1 monstrances, -chose various articles of a rich and expensive description , then inquiring of Mr. Glister the sum for which he stood indebted to him, he produced a pfethoric pocket-book and banded over the amount in notes, an example which his nephew followed.

They were just in the act of bestowing their purchases in their poc. kets. when the door opened for the second time, and there stood the broad-built man whom Mr. Glis<*« had noticed that afternoon with the tall white hat, the tight trousers, and the scar upon his cheek,

To Mr. Glister’s utter amazement, the benevolent ecclesiastic dropp d limp and gasping into a chair, The young man made a rush ff the door, but the new-comer was to> quick for him. There was a struggt a stumble, a sharp metallc click, an behold the prospective bridegroom and nephew of the rural dean tearing and cursing on the floor with a pair of handcuffs on his wrists ! "Take it easy, sir," said the tallhatted one ; "it’s all right.” Mr. Glister was all abroad, and amazed and wonder-stricken. "Get up,” he said, to-his young captive. „

The latter obeyed, and sitting in i chair at the counter, glared at hi

captor. "I’m Inspector Eoberts, Scotland Yard,” he continued to Mr. Glistei. The rural dean gro med.

"You know me, don’t you ?” said Mr. Roberts, smiling on him in recognition of his identity. ‘I came down here for' a breath of country air. Walking about I saw these fellows, first one, then the other, then both together. Saw ’em come in here. Had dealings before with ’em, and know their playful little ways, and so I thought I’d watch. Hand ’em out, your reverence." The rural dean groaned anew, and deposited his little parcel on the counter.

"Now. you ” to the younger man. "Oh, I forgot, you can’t. Got ’em on, eh ? Begging your pardon." He inserted his hands into the bridegroom’s pockets and withdrew the packet of jewellery. "Notes or gold, sir ?" he demanded of Mr. Glister. "Notes," said the excellent gentleman—his surprise had lasted only a minute or two, and he had been hurriedly examining them during the inspector's little proceedings—"and all sham.”

"Quite so,” Mr. Roberts said, languidly, but with a shade of amusement in his voice. "I’ll trouble you for ’em, sir ; they'll be wanted at the trial. So will they,” he added, pointing 'to the little parcels. l lf you’ll make a note of all there is there, I’ll take ’em and give you a receipt."

Mr. Glister, much shaken by the events of the last few minutes, set himself to the task. Inspector Roberts produced a toothpick, arid continued his conversation with his captives with the calm playfulness which distinguished him.

"Didn’t expect to see me, Jimmy, eh ?”■' he demanded of Ihe stricken cleric. "Bit of a shock, ain’t it ? Never mind, old man; you'll get over it in the quiet retreat which awaits your declining days. That the memorandum, sir ? Sure you ve got everything down ? There you are. He signed, and handing back tho paper, methodically stowed away i’*e little packets into an inner po:U< l. "All ready ?” he demanded of his prisoners. '‘Off we go, then. You 11 hear from the authorities in a day or two, sir, when you’U be wanted," he said to Mr. Glister. ‘‘We'll spa-e you all the trouble we can. Now march I”

Mr. Glister waited a day—two days _ am j B o summons to appear against the criminals reached him from ’ any quarter. Kyi her mystified by this, he went to the local superintendent and asked for a>3»kc The superintendent looked grave, but simply promised to make inquiries and communicate the result. The next day a man walked into the shop and asked for Mr. Glider. The stranger gave his name as Gra-m. of Scotland Yard. To him MV. Glister recounted the nefarious deeds of the rural dean and his nephew, aud tint acts of Inspector Roberts. "There is no #»cit nan»e »t Scotland Yard. sir. it i« p-eUy p»ain. He was the ■wraui -*■*■ confedttral®."—•' Tit-ltita.”