Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-28


where Martin carried on his experiments
alone.
81 only wish that Hullol what
are you men doing here?'' he said
sharply, but in low voice, as he sud-
denly came abreast of the watchers.
Nothing, SIT, said one of the gang.
''Just finished our SHIFT and lighting our
pipes fore going home.
Gray looked at them IN a peculiar way :;
his conscience SmOte him and seemed to
say, "They re after no good. See into
it. They We no business there. - But
Gray sah nothing; he only gave them q
quick, uneasy look and walked sharply
away, with strange thoughts buzzing
through his brain, while the men looked
at each other and laughed.
"Not the chap to spoil sport, the
gaffer aint. Come on, lads; we've no
call to be scared about him. -
They sat down behind one of the large
piles and lit their pipes, keeping out of
sight now, but taking care to command
the door of exit at the other end of the
building.
The evening came on dark, and with q
thick mist which kept the smoke down 3,
and soon broke into drizZling rain. But
the hours went by and Martin Dene did
not stir. There was faint light from
one of the windows, and to this man
crept cautiously to peer in, and saw the
student deep in thought over his papers,
which were covered with figures and
signs.
At last though he rose, put out the tiny
gas Jet which had looked like a faint
star in the great black building. Then
feeling his way cautiously to the door, he
removed the key from the inside, placed
it in the outer part of the key-hole, step
ped forth, carefully locked the door
behind him, and placing the key in his
pocket, walked away.
His course lay along one of the narrow
lanes between two great enclosing walls,
and he was halfway down this on his
way to his lodgings when he came oppo-
site to a gateway IN which lay q man
moaning softly.
1t was very dark here, too dark for
any faces to be distinguished, and in
doubt whether the was i'll or had been
drinking. Martin stopped and spoke.
''Doctor, 81 doctor!" groaned the
man.
what's the matter? Here, let me
help you home. Where do you live?''
Martin stopped to help the man to rise,
which he did very slowly and moaning
terribly the while, till nearly erect, when
he uttered a sharp cry and flung his arms
about his helper as if to save himself
from falling.
1t was too clumsily done, aud Martin IS
suspicious were aroused. For at that
moment the door in the large gate
creaked and two men dashed rapidly out,
and made a mistake.
Their cue was to rush out when they
- IL.
sham injured man had his arms tightly
round Dene, pinnIng him so that he
would be an easy victim; but as hls sus-
PIGEONS were aroused, quick as thought
he threw the man off, sending him stag
gering against the wall, and stood on his
defence; he had no time to escape.
Then a desperate attack commenced of
three to one-three men armed with
heavy sticks against one who had to trust
to his fists, and who had still but little
faith in the stability of one of his arms.
Martin Dene, though, had one strong
ally, and that was the darkness of the
narrow passage between the walls. This
ally fought so well for him that after a
desperate encounter, during which his
assailants had vainly striven to use their
sticks with effect, he had received q
couple of heavy blows on the shoulders.
heard another fall on one of has enemies
heads, and then by clever feint left the
other two wrestling together and breath
ing hard, each under the impression that
he had got hold of the man he had come
out to beat within an inch of his life.
To go forward was impossible, so that
he beat retreat in the same way he
came, and before the two rpfians had
found out their mistake their intended
victim was at the bottom of the lane, out
of which he turned to run against boy,
who caught him by the arm. *
"'Mr. Dene, sir!'' he painted, '@don t l
go that way, sir. Clubs, sir, waiting. for
you"
"Too late, Dan. met them, - whis-
pered Martin, breathlessly.
~ know "a I should be, know'd 1
should be, 'TIcr+Sd the boy excltedly."
g Here, sir, this way, sir; they're a
coming after you. +"
Steps could be plainly heard in, rapid
pursuit, which was kept up for d few
minutes by the Infatuated men; but in-i
the end Dan IS knowledge of the locality
and the best hiding places had proved too
much for them, and the boy had guided
him into the safety of one of the
well lighted streets.
fThat II do now sir, - whispered Dan
eagerly Don t say as it was me as came
to warn you. -
'.Why not, boy? You are not ashamed |
of doing a good action are your All, you
know who the men we're
''Good night, sir, ''gsaid Dan, and he9f
dashed off and was gomez.
CHAPTER TX.
GABRIEL GRAY DECLARES, AND THE PLOT |
THICKENS.
81 tell you what L told you before,
Gray, when you spoke 70 me. Ny girl is !
Did enough to think and judge for herself, |
and IN not going to put any pressure on
her - - -
"But few words would Influence her |
future life and mine, sir. -
S'Then | am not going to speak them -
Gray frowned and bit his lip as he |
walked up and down his principal s pri- |
rate office. and his temper nearly broke |
loose.
But he restrained himself, and stopped
oy the table at which Gunnel and Swift |
vas writing
''Look here, sir-I.,m afraid you think
am influenced by mereenary actions )" +
'-Quite right: l do. ''-,-
'Then 1 assure you, SIR, you are
wrong -