A Singular Guest

Mr. Hunry Apps of Hoxton cornpleted the fixing of the wires on the lawn of Hasleigh court. He looked up at the dim ' light iu the dressing room and chuckled softly as lie beut the last yard of wire. "A trip iu tiine, " said Mr. Apps, "sives nine. " He threw the rope ladder gently in the air, and at the first effort it oanght the projecting nail. " 'Ouce on board the lugger, ' quoted Mr. Apps facetiously as he mounted the rope ladder, 'and the gurl is mine.' " He openod the wiudow very gently and soon stood inside the dressing room. Near the table in the corner of the room was an i ron safe. "Well, I'm jiggered!" exclairued Mr. Apps. He loosened the flaps of his fnr cap and mopped his brow with the back of his hand. "Well, I'm jiggered i f they 'aven 't been and left the key in for me. I might have sived myself a lot of trouble if I'd knowed. " Mr. Apps swung open the heavy door of the safe and listened to the music down stairs. Young Lady Staplehurst was giving, as Mr. Apps very well knew, a dance - a faucy dress dance - ou her return f rom the continent af ter her term of widowhood. "I'll jest see, first of all," he said, "that the coast is absolutely clear, and then - then lor a bagful. " Mr. Henry Apps stepped out into the broad passage. He slouched, with his jiminy sticking out of his capaciousside pocket, a few steps toward the stairs. tíuddenly a girlish figure turned the corner. "Bless my 'art!" cried Mr. Apps. "Why, how do you dof" said the young lady, stepping forward. Shegave a soft laugh that was very pleasant. "This is really delightful. Do you know I recognized you at once iu spite of the costume?" She held the hand of Mr. Apps for a moment, causing that gentleman to gasp for breath, and called one of the maids. "Just bring me a pencil and a card," she said. "I must arrange for a carriage to take Captain Norman back to his hotel iu the morning. I wasn't sure that he vvould come." "I can walk,." remarked Mr. Apps with restored self possession. "Iwoa:t hear of it. When shall we say, now?" "Say in an hour's time," said Mr. Apps-, "I can go up stairs again aloue, change my togs and do all I want to. " "And can't you stay longer?" She gave the card to the inaid and ordered it to be dispatched at once. 'Tve got a busy night bef ore me," urged Mr. Apps excusingly. He thought of his dog waiting on the lawn and feared it might give au inopportune bark. Besides, the safe was etill open, and the diamonds were waiting for hini. Ho had noticed with satisfaction Lady Staplehurst was wearing none. "You were always au active man, captaiu. " "Always doing something, " agreed Mr. Apps. "If it isn't one thing, it's another. " He shook his head refbetively. "I often wonder I don't writea book about it all. " "I don't believe you will know anybody here, Captain Norman," sbe said as they walked down stairs, "but I couldn't help sending you a card, seeing how friendly we were on the Peshawur. Do you remera ber those evenings on deck in the Red sea?" She was really a very fine young woman, and in her costume she looked extrernely well. "Do I uoc?" said Mr. Apps with much fervor. "Shall I ever forget 'em?" "And then the journey f rom Brindisi, you know, and that funuy iittle Germán - you remember him?" "He was a knockout, that Germau was. " "And the girl -who played the banjo, and the" - "It was great," agreed Mr. Apps - "great. " The large ballroom was very f uil. A small covey of brightly dressed young people flew toward the young hostess to complaiuof her temporary absence from the room, and a broad shouldered gondolier shook hands witb her and took up her card with something of an air of proprietorship.' "I thought I had left the key in the - excuse me." The young hostess took back her card from the gondolier. "I arn engaged to Captaiu Norman. You don't know him? Allow me." "Pleased to meet you," said Mr. Heury Apps. " 'Ow's the world using you?" "That's an original costume of yours, Captain Norman," remarked the gondolier. "I dou't know that I've ever seen anything so dariugly real before. " "Well, wot of it?" demanded Mr. Apps with sudden aggressiveness. "Wot 's the odds to you wot I like to wear? You needn't think you're" - "Captain Norman," interposed the young hostess laughingly, "you niustn't overdo the part. Look here, I've put your name down for tb is waltz, but if you like wo'll sit it out - that is, if you promise to keep up that divertiug vut end talk. I like it. Do you think you eau manage to do so?" "Ra-fiber," said Mr. Apps. "And it isa capital make up, Captain Norman," she went ou. "Do you know tha', it first, just for one moment, I thonghl rou were a real burglar. " "Fancy ihat now," said Mr. Apps. He was relieved at seeing an obvious way ont of h ? difficulty. "There's nothing like doiug the thing in a proper, striteforward w'y." "And," said Lady Staplohurst, with her fan on bis taxa as they walked across the room, "yon liave got the east end accent oapitully. " " 'ïaiut so dusty, is it?" She beckoned to the goudolicr. "Captain Norman aud I are great frieuds, " she said in an explanatory way. "He has not been long home froni abroad, and he knows scarcely any one. " "Not a blessed soul," echoed Mr. Apps. "You must let me show you round a bit, Captain Norman," said the gondolier with determinad geniality. "Can you come round to my club oue uight this week?" "Whaffor?" demanded Mr. Apps suspiciously. "Why, to dine. Say Thursday. " " 'Eaven knows where I hall be on Fursday, " said Mr Apps. "I don't. " "You must consider me at your disposal if you require any introductions. I know a good lot of people, and auy friejid of Lady Staplehurst's" - "Oh, come oiï the roof," Eaid Mr. Apps with muoh disconteut. "Wot's the use of torkiug?." "Isn't it capital?" asked Lady Staplchurst of the goudolier delightedly. "How nmeh more interesting it would be if every one would ouly talk to me in their charaoter. " Lady Staplehurst rose with somethiug of hurry in her nianner aud spoke to Hem-y VIII. "What regiment do-you belong to, Captaiu Normau?" asked the gondolier. "Pind out," said Mr. Apps. "Am I too curious? I know vory little of the army, I'm afraid. " The gondolier was resolved to be agreeablo to Lady Staplehurst's friynd. "I always dodge the army nights in the house. I suppose you kuoy several of the service members?" "I know as many as I want to know, " said Mr. Apps evasively. "A man in myposition of life 'as to boa bitcareful who he mixes up with. " The hostess returued from Henry VIII. "I can uiako uothing of this man," whispered the gondolier to her as he rose. "I think he's silly. " "If you knew his qualities, you wcmldn't speak of him like that. " Sho resumed her seat by the sido of Mr. Henry Apps. "Well, blow me," said Lady Staplehurst, screwing her pretty mouth in her effort to imitate the cockney's accent, "blow me if this ain't a fair take - I mean tike dahn, " sbe langhed. "It'sof no use, Captain Normau. I can 't talk as you can. " "It's a gift, " said Mr. Apps, "that's what it is. " "You don't want to be introduced to anybody here, I suppose?" "Not rne. " "You have heard of" - She pointed in the directioa of the gondolier. "All I want to. " "lio's really making a big name in the house, you know. I watch his career with great interest." "Thinks a jolly lot of hisself. " "Oh, I think a lot of him, too, " remarked Lady Staplehurst pleasantly. "And is that a jimmy sticking out of your jacket pocket? This is, indeed, realism. You don't know how it works, I suppose?" " Well, I've got a kiud of a hi.dea, " eaid Mr. Apps. "Look !ere. You put this end in and" - Mr. Apps found himself getting quite excited in the explanations that he gave. It was a uew sensation to meet one who showed an intelligent interest in his profession, and he could not help feeling flattered. Looking up, he saw the gondolier gaziiig at him. "He don't look 'appy, that chap, " said Mr. Apps. "Will you excuse me for one moment?" "Wot are you going up to, miss?" he said apprehensively. "I want to speak to him." "Oh," with relief, "I don't mind that." While Lady Staplehurst was making the gondolier resume his ordinary expression Mr. Apps thoughtand thought. The couples promenading after the waltz looked curiously at him. "It's the rummiest show you was ever in, 'Enery, " said Mr. Apps. "You're a 'avin 'era on toast, you are, but you'll be glad to get upstairs again. You want them diamonds, that's wot you want. Time means money to you, 'Ênery. " Lady átaplehurst hurried toward the doorway. A murmur of amusement went through the room as the guests saw a.new arrival in the costume of a pólice constable accompauied by a man in plain clothes. Mr. Apps, thinking over his exploits, gazing abstractedly at his boots, and regretting their want of polish, did not see them nutil the plain clothes man tapped him on the shoulder. "What! Apps, again?" exclaimed the man. "Yus," said the burglar discontentedly. "Yus, it is Apps agine, Mr. Walker. And vurry glad you aro to see him, I've no daht. " ' 'Always a pleasure to meet a gentleman like you," said Mr. Walke%cheerfully as he conducted him to the doorway. "I've wanted to run up against you bef ore. " Much commotiou ín the ballroom at the divertjng little scène. General agreement that Lady Staplehurst was a perfect genius at entertaining. "But, loveliest girl, "said the gondolier confidentially to Lady Staplehurst, "isn't this carrying a joke rather too far? That's a real detective." "I know," said the loveliest girl, trembling now a little. "That's a real burglar too. " "A real"- "Yes, yes. Don't make a fu.ss. I don't want the dance spoiled. Take me down to snpper, liue a good fellow. "-