The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-03-20
gagged two years.

Where is your friend ?'
II VIII not tell you, sir. IF you vii
go, say as m1ch, CIR he will die with tn.
secret untoiI."
What is his name, then ?''
"Ah. you doubt my sincerity.
will 60
Aud she stepped away.
reflected i moment, and resolved t,
accompany her, let good or evil be tht
result
l sprang forward, and touched her arm
81 will accompany you"
'.Phanks,' .she SAID, turnins.-aAl
low me to bandase your eyes"
And she produced her 'kerchief.
| protested against such proceeding .
but finding her inexorable, [ suffered
myself to be blindfoided aud led away.
On, on We went. tried to enter ip
to conversation with NV mysterious
guide, but was unsuccessful | sainc
no information save that the man to
whom l was being conducted lay in a
basement. After walking some distance
a mile or two, | should judge, we stop
ped My guide Knocked at Il door,
which was opened Down a fight of
steps was LED till another door was
reached, which opened. 1 was pushed
forward, the woman saying:
Gle is here"
[ heard the door shut, tile lock turn.
aud steps ascend the stairs [ tore the
bandase faom my eyes, and looked
around. l was in small room, evil
IDENTIFY ccller, in a poor portion of the
city, for the apartment was very small
A lamp burned upon rude table, up
on which lay writing materials. But
what attracted my attention most was
two masked men, few feet from me, d.
recting two pistols at my breast l had
been deceived, and drawn into the muir
dere:'s net!
Quick as thought my hand went to my
revolver but the ominous click, click,
checked me-
Two can play at that game, Tom
Howard, said one of the masks
''4ou know me, then =
'.Of course We do, and take pleasure
in iaformiug you that your life is in our
hands"
''And you intend to deprive me of it ?'
ventured to remark.
"Well-no-yes. IF you sign GER
tain instrument of writing, you ]ive-if
not, you die"
Il would like to know in whose pres
ence | stand" said 1, stepping forward
"The murderers of John Royston, the
banker" replied the tal!est mask.
| recognized the voice instantly as be-
oDging to a tall dark faced fellow who
or some months. I had followed like
leuth hound
"Ha"' l cried, sit is you, my coyey
Two days more, and your career of crime
would have been ended"
"You must catch man before you
lang him, my dear Howard" was the
rejoin-er.
'We'll see, SIR
GA truce to this badinage, said one of
he men, stepping up to the table, while
us companion kept a pistol at my breast.
You must sign this paper if you value
our life'
| went to the table and read the fol-
owing oath, written in an uneven, but
egible chirography
81, Thomas Howard, detective, do
olemnly swear that I will desist from |
he pursuit of the murderers of John |
soyston, banker, for the period of one
ear, SO help me God p
Signed with my own blood, this the
9th Of July, 1885,"
l turned to the men after reading, and |
sked:
What does signed with my own
lood' mean?"
"Exactly what it says" was the unelu-
idating answer.
ssThcn refuse to sign"
"You are rash, Tom Howard The
ond is good for one year only. Sign it
I'D live"
There was something so significant in
his last sentence, that changed my
solution.
Il will sign," said "but at the end
the year mentioned in my bond, 1 will
mt you down and bring you before
ltraged justice"
mo Boosting, sir; make ready to have
me blood spilled )" and one OF the as
sslns laid aside his pistol and produced
lancet
barcd my arm to the elbow but he
ughed, saying;
mot your arm, Howard the blood
ust come nearest the heart. Bare your
)som.''
rs this another Shylock affair?
mo. SIT; we want no fesh-merely ,
ood.'
l barred my breast he made an iucis- .
n directly over my heart, caught the
ood in a spoon, dipped pen into it,
I'd placed it in my hand. bent for. ]
ard and signed the bond. The band. {
g was then replaced over my eyes, the ,
'man who had brought me there ap-
ared, and conducted me through sew