Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1889-08-29
him; for, in spite of appearances, still re-
tanned my faith in Marion Rgby
fCHApTER XII
TRACKED AND LOST.


tertaining to the general reader.
Suffice 1t to say that he eluded us like
phantom, leading us almost as far rs Mon
tauk and back again, through stations.
farmhouses, barns, villages, towns, forests
and swamps, like q veritable will the
wlsp. until finally at the end of that be-
wildering and exasperating fortnight, we
were led to really think that we had run
him to earth in the little town of Babylon.
In vain! According to the best informa-
ton. We had kept on his heels for the en-
tire preceding night and yet we stormed
into the little village soon after daybreak
only to be informed that man of the
sailor tramp's description had taken the
cars for Hunters Point an hour before
our arrival, and that there wouldn't be
another train for the same destination
until shortly before noon.
WAS there ever such exasperating luck?"
Rrowled Doc, when we were discussing
breakfast at the only tavern in the place
Shall we hire buggy or wait for the
train?"
Wait" l replied.
How do you account for our failure in
coming up with this miserable, but swift
footed and apparently tiend-guarded tramp,
Piercer?"
I've hav'nt altogether failed yet
"Pshaw! when once more swallowed up
by New York, will he be any more than a
needle in a stack of hay?"
I've known wilder goose chase than
ours to end luckily. Let us keep stiff
upper lip"
But don't you really think that we
made fools of ourselves by telling that fell
low Jackman of our plansp"
1--WE were not prudent there"
May we not also have given ourselves
away in constantly advising Jocelyn, from
day to day, of our movements"
What return of the old suspicion
against Jocelyn?" cried.
81 don't care, said Doc, discontentedly.
III he were dishonest-mind l say If
how easily he might have forestalled us by
telegraphing our fugitive from time to
time of our .nIea.ions!"
suspicion of this nature had more than
once crossed my mind. l was about to
make some reply, when we were interrupted
by the hasty entrance of our landlord, who
had been advised to expedite the delivery
of any messages that might come for us,
and who now handed my companion q let
ter addressed to him.
Doc had no sooner opened it than he ut
tered an exclamation of surprise and alarm.
put, AdfihS lSdu ITO COutcutS, ue udnu6Q III
to me, without further comment than an
eager, questioning glance. 1t was as fol-
lows:
THE AsPENs, Dec. -, 49,.
MY DEAR FRIEND: Leave everything, and
hasten home at once!
Strange and alarming things have occurred
and are still occurring here.
Lulu has mysteriousiy disappeared, no one
kn0lrs h0'c or phiheT.
Mrs Nicolas hos al ynpa oxyax rollo,r;,o
dreadful quarrel with Mr.. Jocelyn.
remain here only on sufferance, and hardly
that; but so | shall not as long as Lulus alb
sence Is unexplained
This is one of many letters that shall write
and mail to-day, in the blind trust of one of
them reaching you. I am constantly watched,
and almost prisoner
Delay not an instant Come home; come
homel Your anxious friend,
MARION DIGBY.
Mr. Richard Dixon, Babylon, L. L
Having read the foregoing, I at once
arose from the table and began putting on
my overcoat and gloves. Doc did likewise.
Surprised and dismayed as we both were,
q common feeling that comment was use
less, and that the hour for prompt action
of some sort was at hand, possessed us
simultaneously, and, desperately fatigued
and done up as we were, we at once started
for the landlord to demand a conveyance.
He fortunately met us midway, however,
with the intelligence that freight train
was rumbling westward, in which we might
make arrangements for at least facilitating
our journey New Yorkwards.
Arrangements were speedily made, and
in few minutes we were seated in a
baggage car belonging to the train.
Fate really seemed to favor us little at
last, as though weary Of battling and OBJ.
structing our purposes for so long. In
about an hour the miserable, slow-trun-
ding train came to stop at an out of the
way station. The conductor informed us
that telegram had been received there to
halt everything on the road, because of
having been destroyed by fire few hours
before.
We waited only long enough to assure
ourselves that the passenger train preced-
ing us had also been INSTRUCTED by the ac-
cident, and then, having succeededs in
hiring horse and light wagon at an extor-
tionate rate, we were soon once more upon
the road, with thirty miles still between us
and East River, to be sure, but with the
encouraging satisfaction of inferring that
we stood an excellent chance of overtaking
our man, provided he had found himself
compelled to continue his flight on foot,
which was extremely likely.
Its an i'll wind, and all that sort of
thing" exclaimed Doc, as we began to
bowl along, over bad country roads, it is
true, but in vehicle that was proving
serviceable, and behind a mare giving un-
mistakable evidences of both speed and
bottom. "That old prophetic itch of hav-
ing some one by the coat collar is begin
hing to come into my hand again"
My spirits also began to rise with the
occasion, but it was not long before we
began to experience successive hampers to
our ardor.
In the first place violent and binding
snowstorm began to set in, with threats Of
long continuance, and with strong east
wind driving it pitilessly into our faces.
Then we experienced considerable delay in
finding suitable place to ford the creek
where the railroad bridge had been de-
stroyed, while afterward the roads grew
rougher and slipperier at every STEP And
finally, in answer to numerous questions
concerning our fugitive, we were forced 10
believe that he had last been seen obtain
ing lift in charitable farmers wagon
far in advance of us.
We still continued to gain steadily upon
him, however, and at last, after long and |
fast driving, dashed into Hunters Point |
with the certainty that we were again