American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-30
VOL. XXIV.

HaIl, Sllul, uaSnlly uTcSSeU young lie
low, who kept his hat slouched over hi
face and his body at remarkable di
lance, for conversational purposes, fror
Mr.. Dela1re.
Yes" said the latter.
And the reward is"
"One thousand dollars"
The man came little nearer, but still
kept out of reach. Make it s., 900 ant
your son shall be here to night"
Unwisely, as il proved, the old gentle
man did not exercise his powers OF diplo
macy, but in the excitement of the an
nOuncement thus strangely expressed Ii,
made a dash at his visitor, who, however
ran swiftly down the steps and into the
street and was out of sight in less thar
half minute, leaving Mr.. Delarre tremb
ling and speechless with excitement.
Miss Shannon had seen the actions OF
each without comprehending their pur
port or hearing the words, and when Mr.
Delarre told the story of the interview
she upbraided him for his haste.
But never mind" she said, consoling.
ly; :" we shall hear more if Harry is alive
Let us be patient-that is, as patient as
we CAMP
| The next morning there was found un-
der the door a note promising the deliv-
cry of Mr.. Henry Delarre, alive, for the
\ sum of So, 900, answer to be given in a
personal" in daily newspaper. That
note was handed to the police, and an an
swer by them placed in the paper named,
without result. On Thursday morning
another note was as mysteriously deliv-
cred. in which the sum was placed at
$4,000, and the same request as before
was appended. 1t was committed as be-
fore to the police, with the same results.
By this time the father despaired. Every
one seemed powerless to entrap the SEEM
ing kidnapers. Miss Shannon's scheme
was proven failure; for the man she had
suspected was in New Orleans, and had
been there for a month. AS for the cor
lieved them to be nothing more nor less
than blackmailers. Two days passed
away without letter and without news.
Sunday morning came. With it a note
1t demanded $4,000, or, if that sum was
not forthcoming, the father could have
the dead body of his son. The old gen.
tleman was distracted He raved about
the horror of such a happening in Chicago;
about the inefficiency of the police;
about his son, whom he pictured as dying
or dead about his own pOwerlessness,
and, as conclusion TO his madness, he
prepared an advertisement accepting the
terms.
Miss Shannon, In company with George
Delarre, lad of fifteen. herself carried
this acceptance to the Office of the paper
1t was already dark, and the street-lamps
were lighted. The streets were compare
lively deserted. The restaurants and
lunch-rooms we're thronged, however. AS
she passed one of them man came slow
ly forth bearing in his hands a basket
covered with a white cloth. AS he
passed beneath the overhanging lamp she
recognized the face. 1t was that of the
person who had attempted to bargain
with Mr.. Delarre, ON his own threshold,
for the return of her lover. With calm
ness that made every muscle thread of
steel she allowed him to increase the dis
lance between them, while, with a word
of caution to her companion, she followed.
triplet, one ahead and two in pursuit
The man seemed absorbed in his own
meditatiOns, for he never noticed their
presence, but hummed and whistled to
himself as he went along. He reached
Fifth avenue, turned to the north and
crossed the street. Miss Shannon fol
lowed in the distance, on the other side
of the street, nearly a block behind. She
hoped, but vainly, for the presence OF a
crossed Lake street. She saw him as he
crossed, saw him as plainly as she noted
the boy at her side; yet, in the twinkling
of an eye, the man disappeared. She
stopped, COMPOUNDED by the suddenness
of his exit Had the earth opened and
swallowed him? Had he been caught
from heaven by an unseen hand? For
the first time the woman was afraid. Not
a soul was that moment in sight. Yet the
man was gone-gOne while she was
hoping and planning for his arrest. She
went a little distance down Lake street,
then turned and Travelled up the avenue.
The jagged ruins at the corner cast gil
gantic dancing shadows on the Pickering
gaslights; but no man with basket
stole forth out of the gloom.
Heaven help mer' moaHed the poor
girl. ~ have lost him when l would
rather have lost my life.''
At the alley she stood for a minute If
resolute and despairing. Then, thinking
went east in the alley for perhaps 200 feet,
all the while in the dark and trembling
with fear. Suddenly the boy at her side
clutched her arm.
LOOK there, Bessp' he whispered,
pointing to the pile of masonry which
held three or four old vaults, unleveled
relics of the great fire. "Look there,
quick!" he repeated. In the direction
indicated hung what seemed thread of
fire against the ruins. 1t was gone almost
as soon as seen. At the same instant
the sound of muffied voices came
out of the gloom of the ruins. In
stinctively she read the secrets of those
vaults. STOPPING, she whispered to the
boy to run for the police
Get as many as you cant" she said.
Be quickr' AS the boy sped away at a
break neck speed she crouched in the
shad W of door way. She watched and
listened. No hunted hare was more eager
or more vigilant. Once she heard, or fan
cied she heard, a groan, and wild cry for
help came to her lips. But she bit Them
savagely and held it back. She would
have died before she would have made a
noise to alarm whoever haunted that neg
lected ruin. Suddenly four dark figures
stood beside her-three men and boy
and they were George Delarre and the
police.
whats the matter ?" said one of the
men, gruffiy. She put her hand over his
mouth and her lips to his ear.
Have you heard of Henry Delarree"
she demanded. She felt his head nod an
assent. "Then get two more men. you'll
find him in the vault. Don't make noise.
Let your comrades stay here and watch
Now go! Hurry,' and she gave him a
vigorous push. He was back in q minute
with two men.
They're off duty" he said, "but this
is paying business"
four policemen crept down among the
ruins and passed into the darkness. Some
minutes of terrible suspense and waiting,
and then sharp cutlery, punctuated by
pistol shots. CraZed by the reports and
by the suspense she dashed down among
the debris, stumbling, falling, cutting and
bruisinp herself More cries more shots