San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-19


pattering feet took no heed of his call,
and, perceiving the uselessness of at
tempting to follow him, he desisted and
returned to Holbrook's Office.
As he passed the door of the elevator
shaft. ID opened to discharge carload of
passengers, and among them Tom recog-
nized the man who had watched them in
Lexington avenue.
He made no sign of his discovery.
In the same carload was the Shadow
and to him Tom gave sign to follow.
AS he entered the Office again he met
Holbrook going out. ..-
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Going? To help Annie. To rescue
her, of course. Where else would | be
going?"
This reply was made in tone of the
contempt.
"Wait moment. want to have a
moments conversation with you"
"Don't stop me, Tom. You've been
particularly irritating today, and l am
hardly in a condition to be responsible
for my acts"
"That's the TRUTH" replied Tom, calm
ly, "or else you have a desire to make
the rescue of that girl impossible"
"What do you mean?"' cried Holbrook
beside himself. Have care am in
no mood to be trifled with"
Perhaps" said Tom, looking him
steadily in the eyes. But you are in
mood to make an eternal ass of yourself,
BY heaven, Holbrook, if you leave that
door in the frame of mind you are in
this minute, predict you will regret it
to the very last hour of your life"
Holbrook looked at him angrily, but,
nevertheless, he was somewhat stag
gered by Toms sudden exhibition of
energy
Seeing that he had made an impress
sion, Tom continued:
"You want to rescue the girl, but
you are going about it in way to make
it an impossibility-you have taken leave
of your usual good common sense. Now
give me five minutes and I'll convince
you"
He laid his hand upon Holhrook's arm.
The lawyer sullenly submitted to being
led into his private Office. Tom closed
the door after them.
II do not know but the damage is
done already. The man suspected of
watching us in Lexington avenue is in
the hall now. If he was within earshot
he has heard your injudicious talk"
la t,,t
springing to the door, land he'll never
watch any one again"
Tom placed himself between Holbrook
and the door, crying:
''In the name of heaven how can you
be such lunatic?"
Holbrook glared at him. Tom turned
the key in the door, took it out and put
it in his pocket, saying:
II am positively ashamed of you, Hol-
brook: you act and have acted in this
matter like mailman. tell you, man,
this is a case where the lion skin will not
do; the fox's skin is the one we want
Let me see that note"
Holbrook handed it to him with bad
grace.
"Of course! Where were you going?
To Mott street, three doors from Bay
ard"
San idiot would know that" replied
Holbrook.
But which house? There are four of
them in Mott street, three doors from
Bayard!'
Holbrook WINGED under this, but he
replied doggedly:
sid go to each one of them"
THAT answer proves how absurd you
are. Do you realize that as she is con-
fined in one only, there are threein which
she is not? That the chance of your
striking the right one first is as three
against one? Do you imagine the people
who abducted her, and who have carried
out their plans so skillfully so far, are
born idiots, and that you would not be
recognized the moment you set your foot
in Mott street? That the girl would not
be spirited away before you could say
Jack Robinson? l know something of
that part of town. Why, man alive,
from the moment you left this spot you
would be followed, and when you turned
your steps in the direction of Mott street
the alarm would be given. Your own
common sense, if you will only give it a
chance, must tell you this"
Holbrook was forced to acknowledge
the justice of Toms remarks.
"Well, then, what would you do?"
"Act immediately" replied Tom, "but
not rush up there like mad bull Lis
ten to me. The course to pursue seems
to me plain enough. The Shadow is here