Detective Bob Bridger — page 56: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

os DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 49 ‘“*T have seen the young lady on the train several times,’ I ventured to remark. ‘She seems to be perpetually under vail, and very shy of strangers, is she not?’ “*Yes, poor thing,’ said the widow. ‘She is very shy of strangers for some reason. In fact, at her own request, I have appointed the time for her instruction, so that she may meet no one here but pb es Some folks are that way, you know.’ **So she calls for her lesson on one particular day each week?’ I asked. “Mrs. Bibby colored just a trifle, and looked as if she did not wholly approve the interest I took in her fair pupil. “I was also impressed by her manner that she was about to tell me a huge fib. “*It is really impossible to say, Mr. Josalyn’ (that was my name in Corydon), ‘when Miss Annette may call, or, in- deed, if she will call any more at all. Her quarter was up yesterday. She plays quite well, and she said that her father might possibly permit her to take no more lessons.’ “I felt assured that this was untrue, and, fearing that the evidently jealous lady might inform Annette at her next coming that she could give her no further instruction, I changed the subject of conversation, and endeavored, by every gallantry possible, to impress upon the lively widow that she alone of all her sex possessed my thoughts. ‘‘Mrs. Bibby now became very communicative. She in- timated that she considered me a very successful agent and. piano-tuner to keep up my stvle and dwell at the best hotel —perhaps I had some other business as well. “T assured her to the contrary, and remarked that her finely furnished and cozy home spoke well of her success in the line of teaching. “*And I own the furniture, and house, and everything, too,’ she said. ‘Nor is that all.’ ‘‘ And she took a bank-note from a writing-desk in the corner of the parlor, and showed me that several thousand dollars were accredited to her in the bank. “When I expressed delight that her abilities as a musi- cal instructor had been so well appreciated by the good people of Corydon, she glanced at me with a roguish twin~ kle in her bright eyes, and said : g “*Fudge! do you think I drummed all that out of piano- Cys?’ “Il suggested that the late Mr. B. had been a most ex- cellent and prudent husband if, on EePREBEE from this -- EOmIlicboo cS (Ee)