The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-12-19

tIlat all might not De well, so 10 udAC
sure | presented it at the bankers. There
was, as | told you, q consultation belor,
they cashed it, and while the consultation
was going forward | noticed a stranger
looking at me intently. | knew the man
in my younger and wilder days. l had
met him often at the race-c0urse, in bill
lard rooms, and in other places more ol
less respectable. Now he was chaHgin 9
a check for some petty amount, ana was
evidently astonished by the immenslty OF
the order | had presented. | left the
bank with my pocket full of notes, and
found that had lost the train. The next
would be the night express; so | strolled
into billiard room. 4 man is Just as
safe with fortune in his pocket as if he
was penniless, so that he is wise enough
to hold his tongue. There was some
clever playing going on, and l stood
watching the players till some one chal-
lenged me to have game. If | have one
special vanity, it is my science in hand
ling the cue. l accepted, and as l did 50
a strange feeling, which had been grow
ing upon me, took a sudden turn which
startled me.
"The challenger was the man whom I
had noticed at the bankers. There was
nothing very strange in the fact of his
fayorlte resorts, but l was possessed by
the vague shadow of a single idea. l had
read somewhere of a man being followed
and piundered in tram, and somehow
associated the story with the man before
me. 1t was the first time had ever paid
him any particular attention, but gave
him full observation now. The more l
looked at him the less l liked him. He
was handsome, gentlemanly, with an ee-
CANT figure, full of suppleness and
strength. His manner was singularly un-
assuming but by looking closely at him,
you could see something sinister-Iooking
in the depth and softness of his eyes.
II never liked stranger to be atfable
and prepossessing, and my friend was the
very pink of atfability and grace.
I'VE played for an hour with alternat-
ing success. He was an amusing COM
panion, well-informed, and had travelled,
but l was shy of conversation. l left
him, and still having some time to spare,
went to the Temple.
When, at the expiration of some thirty
or forty minutes, | emerged into Fleet
street, almost the first person upon whom
my gaze fell was my antagonist at bill
lizards.
Il thought there was something more
than mere coincidence in this second
meeting since we stood together at the
bankers. He was in cigar store oppo-
site, but with a companion.
Not hundred yards from the Temple
gate stood man whom recognized with
a very welcome feeling. 1t was George
Vixen, the detective.
"Hewas fashionably dressed, al d looked
an aristocrat of the first water. | went
up, and, greeting him as | should an Old
familiar friend, held out my hand and
said:
g Come and drink a glass of wine yf1iI
me; have something to say
"He shook hands in the most natural
way possible. ! took his arm, and We
entered the public bar of an adjacent no,
tel. l told him of my suspicious, told
him of the sum in my possession, and of
the Journey I had to perform by rail. |
saw that, watching through the glass Of
the door, he was taking mental photo
graph of the two men.
"'They mean business" said Vixen,
quietly; but | shall be with you. We
must part at the door, or they will see
that we have scented the game"
"'And you,' said, how will you actp
81 will travel to Liverpool by the night
express
'He left me. I had no fear now, know
ing him to be a clever and determined
fellow.
Taking q casual glance across the road,
I saw my man with his companion. 1t
was quite evident that they were tracking
me, though l lost sight Of them before
reaching St. Paul's.
Il strolled along the churchyard, wan
dering nearly to 1slington; then went
through the city again before made for
the station. My acquaintance of the bill
lard room did not come in sight, though
! kept we'll on the alert
Il took my ticket lingering almost TO
the moment of starting before | entered
the carriage, but my men did not appear.
Two men were in the compartment with
me. could not see the face of one, ana
the other was stranger.
The bell rang. The guard had inst
time TO put bewiIdered old gentleman
in 10y my side, and we were off.
"The man whose face l had not seen
turned toward me. l could hardly re-
press an exclamation. There was no mis-
taking that frank, genial cGuntenance,
nor the lurking devil in those eyes, whose
softness was SO sinister. He had me then
at last. Vixen had broken his promise,
and l was left to travel that periIous jour
ney alone, with the man who had follow
ed me so skillfully, another who might he
his confederate, and an old gentleman,
who, after grumbling out his indignation
against ali railway servants and locomn-
tive travelling in general, was soon fast
asleep in the corner.
"That the intentions of my billiard
player were bad were manifested by the
fact of his having assumed a false NOUS
tache and beard. They added to the
beauty of his face, but left to his eyes that
sleepy, cruel glitter that is characteristic
of the Asiatic.
''lIe spoke to me, remarked the oddity
of our being travelling companions, and
grew unpleasantly familiar. l answered
hIli. NV WISHING ~ oPIN"i SAANiA'N' Va
afraid. knowing that could trust some
thing to my own strength, should the
worst come.
1--WE had made the last stoppaee, and
were rolling through the gloom, when,
among other topics, our conversation
touched on jewelry. lie drew a snowy
ring from his finger, telling lie it was
curious piece of workmanship, having a
secret spring, which he said could not
discover.
Il took it, searched it in vain for
spring, and then returned it to him. 1t
dropped and rolled under my feet.
stopped to pick it up, and so did he; but
at that moment, while my head was down,
he had me tightly nv the throat, and
threw me to the carriage floor.
His confederate wa upon me in az in
stant could scarcely breathe, and could
not struggle, for heavy knee was upon
my chest, aud two strong, brutal hands
were crushing the life from my throat