Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-12-20

e l ms wonder if w,
SWsz-M-IXE have struck the
II right track. Al
beginning and something definite tC
work upon. How grateful Annie Tenn
pleton would be If we were to be success
full What pretty sight her face would
present-aD incentive for any man It
work"
Thus musing he strobe along at rapid
gait, feeling positive pleasure in the ex
ercise. By and by he became consciou.
that some one was following him. He
crossed the street to determine this; the
person he suspected crossed also. He
slackened his pace; TALL slim figure
passed him, and he thought he was
mistaken as he saw it disappear in the
darkness.
So he forged ahead. Shortly he found
the person was behind him again.
He was now approaching fashionable
drinking saloon, and he determined to
stop there and see what his follower
would do.
He did SO, and met an acquaintance
Immediately the door opened and a
tall, slim man entered. 1t was the per-
son who had followed him.
Holbrook observed him closely through
the glass behind the bar, while chatting
with his acquaintance.
The tall, slim man was by no means
young-evidently 80 or 65 years of age;
his hair was white, his face we'll scanned
with wrinkles. He was clad in respect
able black, and was upright in carriage
Holbrook thought he might have been
the man Fountain disguised to follow
him, and then dismissed the idea as an
absurdity and attributed it to his heated
imagination.
a glance at the hand the person laid
on the bar, which Holbrook could regard
at short range without turning, such was
his position, confirmed his idea of its alb
surdity. 1t was Enthusiastically the hand
of an aged person; there could be no
"make up" in that.
Presently the old man dropped piece
of money on the floor. AS he stopped to
pick it up he struck Holbrook in the
back.
Convinced as he was that he had been
touched purposely, from an impulse he
could not restrain he turned.
The old man apologized in most cour-
teous terms. His voice was pleasant. but
Holbrook felt that the dark eyes of the
old man most keenly and rapidly scru-
tinted his features.
However, he courteously responded to
40 oil
into the street.
That was done on purpose" said the
acquaintance
81 thought so too" replied Holbrook.
Tne barkeeper, who had overheard this
exchange, said;
''Iie asked me who you were, sir"
"What did you tell him?''
That l didn't know, which was the
truth"
Holbrook went out. The old man
stood in the shadow of an adioining door
Holbrook leaped into a cab and told
the man to drive to the Hoffman house
and then watched from the window to
BEE if he was followed.
The old man remained where Holbrooz
had last seen him.
Tive spent a dollar and a half for
nothing" he said The probability is
that he mistCok me for some one else.
and discovered his error in the drinking
place" so he went on to his own hotel.
When he arrived there he went to the
desk for letters and cards that might
have been left him; he was told by the
clerk that a gentleman had called upon
him during the evening, but had refused
to tell either his name or leave a card.
saying that he was unknown to Mr.. Hol-
brook, and would visit him at his Office
some time during the following dav.
lnquiring what the man looked like,
he was given description which tailed
with that Of the old man whom he had
encountered on Broadway but an hour
previously.
To say he was alarmed would be to
BAY what was not true, but there is no
question but that it made him uneasy
He began to doubt the advisability of
the campaign upon which he had enter
ed, and into which he had been irresist-
IDLY drawn.
Now that he had taken a decisive step
in the direction of endeavoring to fasten !
the responsibility of the murder upon
one SO near to Flora Ashgrove as the man |
Fountain evidently was, he began to
wish he hadn't gone SO far as to excite
Toms suspicious in that direction. 1t !
seemed a horrible thing to do.
And so, Disguised with himself and
more disturbed than he was willing to
admit, he sought his chamber.