The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-05

crossed his evil face, he bowed obse-
quiously. and holding up an unlighted.
cigar in his fingers he said:
II vas about to ask the gentleman
for a light"
"You can't have i'll" I savagely
answered.
"Ah-well-pardon my boldness."
he said as he turned away to enter
the passing throng.
"That's a bad man." said the French
man as we looked after him. "He
kept edging up to catch our converse
ton, and I think he has been set to
watch you"
I began to think 50, too, and I was
boiling with anger. 1 wanted to be
sure of it,, however, before letting my
self loose and I determined to keep an
eye open.
After standing on the corner a few
moments I hailed a cab and was driv-
en- to Central Park. AS 1 alighted at
Fifty-ninth street 1 took a careful look
about me, but there was no signs of a
following carriage. Then, on foot, l
proceeded to the Geological Gardens
and entertained myself there for an
hour or more, Just as 1 was about
ready to go down town I felt that
presence again. 1 had learned caution
Without making any abrupt move
ment I began a careful survey Of the
people around me. and by and by 1 To-
Gated my man. He was ten feet away,
placidly putting at cigar. He had
pulled a red wig over his closely-crop-
ped black hair and had changed hats,
but l spotted him in An instant. 1
wanted to walk right up and take him
by the throat, but prudence warned
me that such action would lead to my
arrest and perhaps cause me a great
deal of trouble.
AS I started down town I made up
my mind to do that fellow an evil turn
if he persisted in trailing me. 1 spec
ulated for an hour on his motives in
shadowing me, but could arrive at no
satisfactory conclusion. l thought of
going to the police about it. but was
restrained by a natural feeling of OBJ
stinancy. decided to give the fellow
rope and see how the affair would end.
That evening, in the Office Of the
Astor House again, I spotted him.
He had removed his wig and now wore
green goggles and walked with u limp.
He took my trail again in the morn
ing and Swallowed me all day, chang
ing his disguise three times. At night
I determined to shake him. I quietly
settled my bill and gave orders about
my baggage, and about 10 o'clock at
night the 'spotter" having temporari-
ly disappeared, I slipped out of the no
tel, and hurried to the ferry and
crossed to Jersey City and took rooms
at a hotel there.
/ came down to breakfast next
morning feeling highly pleased over
my little stratagem, but the first man
l saw as I entered the Office was my
shadow. He had on a white hat, a
loud suit. and was passing off as a
sport, but I was ION to him. in a min
ute. During the day I crossed to New
York, went over to Brooklyn, and
tramped around for miles. but he kept
my trad and was in the hotel office
when / went to bed.
That night I was aroused from sleep
to receive a telegram. It was from a
relative in Chicago, requesting me to
come on at ones. I did not start next
morning, but waited for the evening
train. l. took the hotel clerk into my
COZ idence. and arranged to have my
trunks sent to the depot and checked,
and to secure a sleeping car to Buffalo.
1 again started out on a tramp, and
again the snake followed me. I
lodged here and there in crowds
changed from n street car line to
another. crossed the ferries-doubled
ON my trail. but he chung to me like a
veritable shadow.
AS train time approached I lounged
into the depot, as if to see who was
going out. I bought and read a paper,
and tried to appear cool and careless,
and three minutes before the train left
I mads a break for it and entered a
SleeOer. IA the train pullad o,t ~