Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-11
CONTINUED.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE GENERAL Is AGAIN. WARNED.

the nlSnU OF the Gunner. lie laQ fingered long
er than the other guests, and it seemed as ii
he could scarcely tear himself away from the
society of the lovely being who was so soon
to be his wife.
Tomorrow, Maud he said, as he kissed
her alabaster forehead. Tomorrow, my
beloved, we shall be we'd There!I be no
more parting no more doubts-nothing,
henceforward, but happiness aud love."
If the dark veil of the future could have
been lifted as the General uttered these en-
thusiaStic words surely the noble heart of
CRANKY Dumont would have been crushed
by the iron hand of despair.
The clock struck one as the General de-
scended the steps of the Ovington mansion.
His carriage was waiting for him, but he
dismissed the coachman and walked slowly
homeward The streets were deserted, and
the lamps glimmered family through a fast
rising .og.
IS General Dumont turned out of Madi-
SON Avenue he was startled by q hand being
laidsuddenly upon his shoulder. He turned
round and found himself face to face with a
man who wore SLOUGH hat and thick,
wooden muller, which entirely concealed
the lower portion of his face
''What do you want with me-" asked the
General haughtily.
You are General CRANKY Dumont?"
Yes"
And you are to be married tomorrow"
Il am" answered the General, with in
creased hauteur. May ask by what right
you allude to my private affairs?"
I merely asked question" replied the
man. 81 have letter for YOU"
From whom?'
Il cannot tell YOU"
''Stayw exclaimed the General, laying his
hand suddenly upon the shoulder Of the
stranger. you arrest me at this hour OF
the night, and You speak to me Of my in
tended marriage, which is known only to
myself and the cir lie Of my intimate friends.
An idea strikes me that you are one of those
who have plotted IA conspiracy against the
most innocent of women. Your accomplices
escaped by their clever juggling but you
shall not escape me 50 easily. Iou shall
come with me to the nearest poice-ststion,
and I will discover there who and what you
are.
The man gave a shrill whistle, which was
evidently signal, and, wrenching himself,
by violent jerk, from the powerful grasp of
the General, he ran down the street
CRANKY Dumont pursued him, but, two
blocks distant from the spot where the pur-
suit began, the man was met by coach,
which had been, no doubt, lurking close ct
hand, and which approached in answer 10
his signal.
The stranger sPrang into the coach. For
one moment he paused before seating him.
self in the vehicle, and flung a letter on the
pavement al the feet Of the General.
''You would do well not to attack those
who are your truest friendsl' he exclaimed
rs he did so.
The driver cracked the whip, and the
horses tore off at gallop.
The General picked up the letter, and
looked about him for a moment, heSitating
what to do. He was not far from home but
his feverish impotence would not allow him
to wait until lie reached there before ascer-
tanning the contents of the letter which he
had received in such an extraordinary man.
her. He could not see to read it by the
light of street lamp on account of the
fog. He walked for block or so and turned
into one of the small side streets. A little
way on he saw the slanting rays of a light,
which emanated from n chink in q doorway.
On approaching more closely, he perceived
that it was the doorway of q small liquor
saloon. The General knocked on the wood
en- shutters placed over the glass, as the
place was supposed to be closed in conform
ity TO the excise law. The knock was re-
peated before the door was cautiously
opened and rather hard specimen of hu-
mainly peered forth.
II am sorry to disturb you at so late an
hour" said the General, entering through
the half-opened door; "but, seeing the light
under your door, imagined that you had
not yet gone to bed. Will you oblige me
with bottle of soda-water, and allow me to
read a letter by the gaslight on your bar?"
Certainly, ST., replied the man, politely.
While he unfastened the wire about the
neck of the sod water bottle, the General
tore open the ,terious letter with hand
which trembled in spite Of himself.
The letter was worded thus;
General CRANKY Dumont has been
warned once, but has refused to listen.
Will he hear second warming, Sr will he
rush headlong to the abyss of ruin that lies
before him? Tomorrow will be too late.
If he would listen, he must listen tonight.
One whom he has met before will be in
- Church two hours after midnight"
This was all. There was neither sigma
ture nor date. The hand was cramped and
formal, and was evidently disguised.
1.-TWO hours after midnight repeated the
General.
Almost involuntarily his eyes glanced at
the clock against the opposite wall.
"a quarter to two!" he said, aloud.
Eyes, sir" answered the bartender, land
we're pretty near right A minute or two
slow, if anything, but pretty near right"
He was pouring out the soda-water as he
said this.
''Never mind that, my good friend" said
the General, hastily; Il can't stop to drink
it"
He flung a silver quarter-dollar upon the
nd Of l,a MI,
waiting for the change.
1T would be wiser, perhaps, to treat this
vile scrawl with contempt" he thought, as
he hurried along; ''but 1 must and will
fathom the mystery, and, in order to do so,
must see this person who claims acquaint-
anceship."
He could not repress shudder as he re-
membered he spirit-like form which he had
beheld in the obscurity of the garnet in that
empty house. Powerful as his intellect was,
that shadowy figure had made lasting i'm
preston upon his Imagination.
The clock struck two as he approached
the church. All was dark at the front en-
trance. There was no living creature upon
the broad stone steps or within the shadow
of the porch.
"Bah!' he exclaimed, scornfully; 'the
conspirators could not go so far as to make
this holy editice the scene of their abomina-
BILE folly have been fo6l to come upon
so mad an errandp'
IJa x,,oS 1aSoeDdiDc tba ctaDc ord ob0,,f 10