Page 156 (1/2)

During this exordium I had noticed a venerable man in a fine blue

surtout and a wide-brimmed hat, who sat upon the shaft of a cart

and puffed slowly at a great pipe And as he puffed, he listened

intently to the quack-salver's address, and from time to time his

eyes would twinkle and his lips curve in an ironic smile The

cart, upon the shaft of which he sat, stood close to a very

s tent, towards which the

old gentleman's back was turned Now, as I watched, I saw the

point of a knife gleaave place to a hand protruded through the slit thus

ers,

upon one of which was a battered ring For an instant the hand

hovered undecidedly, then darted forward--the long skirts of the

old gentleman's coat hardly stirred, yet, even as I watched, I

saw the hand vanish with a fat purse in its clutches

Skirting the tent, I ca,

peered cautiously inside There, sure enough, wasintently into the open purse, and chuckling as he gazed

Then he slipped it into his pocket, and out he came--where I

immediately pinned hi he could not again break , and, as he lay, his one eye

glared ishly than