The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-08-14

q very welcome fee,tng., Nv was OoVtso
Vincent, the detective. ,
"a ma was faehionably dressed, ana look-
4. iika 4 Al aristocrst Of the first water.
y snt no, and greeting him as l would an
Sld familiar friend, held out my hand
and said:
Come and drink glass Of wine with
me. / have something to say. an. ..,
4 He shook my hand in the most natu-
rai way possible. ] took his arm, and
We entered the public bar Of an adlacent.
hotel. l told him my suspicion, and Oh
the journey had to take by rail,
| saw that, watching through the door,
he was taking mental photograph 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
we have scented the game
And how will you act2 asked;
4 shall travel to Liverpool by the
night express
He left me. l had no fear now, know,
ing him to be clever and determined
man. Taking a hasty glance across the
road, saw my man with his companion.
Il was quite evident they were tracking
me, | stroled along the chuTchyaro'
nearly to Islington, then went through
the CITY again before going to the station
NY billiard friend did not appear, but l
kept watch. l took my ticket, waiting
almost till starting time before entering
the carriage, but my man did not come
Two men we're in the compartment with
me, ! could see the face of one, the
other was a stranger. The bell rang, me
guard had just time to put bewildere9
old man in by my side, and we were on
The man whose face had not seen
turned toward me. l could hardly re.
press on exclamation, There was no
mistaking that genial, frank countenance
nor the lurking devil in those eyes. he
had me then at last. Vixen had broken
his promise, and | was left to travel that
Journey alone, with the man who had
so skillfully followed me-another, who
might have been his confederate, and an
old man who, after grumbling out his
indignation against all railway travelling
and servants in general was fast asleep
in the corner.
That the intention of my billiard play
or was bad was manifest by the fact that
he had assumed false moustache and
beard. They added to the beauty Of his
face, but left to his eyes that sleepy,
cruel glitter that is notable with the
AsiatiC.
He spoke to me, remarked the oddity
of our being travelling companions, and
grew pleasantly familiar. l answered
him, not wishing to appear churlish or
afraid, knowing that could trust some
thing to my own strength should the
worst come,
We had made our last stop, and we're
rolling swiftly through the gloom, when,
among other topics, our conversation
touched on jewelry; he drew a snowy
ring from his finger, telling me it was a
curious piece Of workmanship, having q
secret spring, which he said 7 could not
discover. | took it, searching in vain
for q spring, then returning it to him. It
dropped and rolled under my feet. |
stopped to pick it up, and SO did he, but
in that moment, while my head was
down, he had me tightly by the throat,
and threw meto the carriage floor. His
confederate was upon me in an instant
l could scarcely breathe, and could not
struggle, for a heavy knee was upon
my chest, and two strong brutal hands
were crushing the life from my throat.
Though the horror of the situation
did not last moment, it seemed an eter,
nifty to me: l felt the rufians' hands
searching for the pocket book, and |
strained desperately for life.
Their work was nearly done. Cramp-
ed in that small space / was poweTless,
and the veins in my throat and head
were swelling like sinuous bars, when
the old gentleman in the corner awoke
and came to my assistance l heard a
low whirr of some weapon in its descent,
and my first assailant reeled from me
stunned. Then the old gentleman, with
strength and rapidity of action won
derful in person of his age, seized the
scoundrel, lifted him away, and dashed
him down on a seat. There was short
struggle, and then ! heard sharp click,
scoundrel the second had pair of hand
cuffs on his wrists.
They we're more prompt than had
64p6Ct6ui htlu tuo Olu BouGlOnaht IOnO
wing his w6olen comforter, with which
he fastened my first assailant''s hands
behind him, and railway carriage does
not afford much room for struggle
The pocket.book was safe. The ruff.
ans were securely bound, and the gen.
tleman who, without his speCtacles and
muffling, stood out in bold and pleasant
relief as the detective, kept guard over
them. at the station they were handed
over to the police. / was all right by
that time. Vixen rode with me as far
as the hotel nearest here, and tomorrow
he will call to see if | am any the worse
for my ride by express,
The contents of the poeket-book were
Mary's bridal dowry.
The detective speaks of the senior
partner in the firm of Brand & Lake as
the most hospitable and generous maD(
he ever met in the course of his profes'
sional career.
Lake was quite cured of his love for
billiard playing. He had too narrow an
escape, and he did not forget the lesson.
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