Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-06-19
room, where Die gag was applied.

.Aiay I ask the meaning Of thisstrange
scene, Mr.. Bryant"
"May ! ask the meaning Of this strange
disguise, Mr.. Fountain" retorted Tom,
pointing to his clothes.
Fountain blushed, but did not reply.
81 will relieve your establishment"
continued Tom sternly, after q moments
silence. ''This Is q rescuing party.
These men are detectives. A girl was
abducted in broad daylight this morning
| and confined here. She has Just been
taken away, having been rescued by my
self and friends. Her name, Mr.. Foun-
tain, Is Annie Templeton-a sister OF the
murdered Templeton."
Fountains face expressed neither
alarm nor fright, nor anything else but
| Intense surprise and interest.
1--WE are now waiting for the abduc-
tor" added Tom.
"If that's the case, MI. Bryan, it were
better that I retire."
He turned to go to the door.
Tom made q sign to the two detectives.
They stepped forward.
pardon me, Mr.. Fountain, you can
| not do that. All who enter here are I'M
der arrest"
Light broke In on Fountain, and with
1t intense anger. He turned on Tom, his
eyes blazing.
I'll under arrest? You'll find that ]
am not to be trifled with
Tom interrupted him in q hard, cold,
| metallic voice, low in tone:
"No heroics, Mr.. Fountain. You are
my prisoner until you can explain your
| presence here in this den. on this partic-
! ular night. You can brighten no n
here; we're used to just such naughty
| scoundrels as you are, just as we are to
vicious rascals like the one lying in
there. He's twice as dangerous as you
can ever be-"
The cold self possession and master
| fitness of Tom was irritating in the
| highest degree to Fountain. and II ever
| his boasted self command vas needed
| BY him 1t was at that moment. Appear
ances were so strongly against him that,
angered as he was, he could not fail to
realize it.
By a violent effort he put a curb upon
his passion, and in a moment he said:
"You think / am the abductor?'
81 don't think it; I'm certain of it."
"You are mistaken" This vas said in
a tone as cold and as firm as that Tom
had used.
ssIndeed," said Tom. perhaps you
can explain this enigmatical note"
He handed to Fountain the slip Of
paper which had been taken from the
pocket of Scar Top Johnny.
Fountain read 1t and handed 1t back to
Tom.
"I know nothing of It"
Tom was somewhat dumfounded-
Then he recollected the reputation of
the man for GOODNESS and nerve.
Fountain in turn took from his vest
socket a slip Of paper. and handing 1t
to Tom, said:
"Please read that, and compare It
with the scrap you have"
Tom read:
eff Mr.. Fountain desires to see Marian
and talk with her he must come to No.
- Mott street, attic floor, at II sharp to
night"
Tom took the other slip from his pock-
ct and compared the two; the writing
was In the same disguised hand; he COM
pared the two scraps-eyidently they
we're torn from the same piece Of paper.
Tom was puzzled.
"You are an hour before your time"
he said.
IT read it ten," said Fountain. "Let
me look at it. Oh, I see how I made my
1 roeutn1rn - Than ha 10r<sp,,al. GtTvhS e
very mysterious. You and I should
have an understanding, Nh. Bryan. VII
you step aside with met"
They went to the dormer window.
81 am here" said Fountain, Gin ODE.
dience to that writing. Where you OBJ.
tanned the other paper I don't know"
prom the pockets Of that scoundrel
lying on the floor in the other ROOM" re.
piled Tom.
IF you viii permit me, Twin explain.
I am here In this dress because Of the
place I was to visit and the part Of the
town I was to pass through. For some
time ! maintained q relation with a
young woman whose name was Marian
Summers. This relation was continued
until ! became the afianced Of q young
lady, whom you doubtless know by
name, but who should not be mentioned
In this place and in this connection.
When that took place, the relation with
Marian became an impossibility. The
girl was loath-it Is q mild word fol
her feeling to break up the rela'
ton, and we parted in high passion,
but she had secured certain papers
Of mine, Of exceeding great value and oil
great damage to me In any other per.
sons hands. Ihave tried again and again
to obtain them. She has sent me several
messages Of this kind, and 1t was to &C
into the strange places she led me TO-
that I bought this suit. I have neve,
met her. though ! have responded ir
each instance. I had little hope of see
ing her tonight, but these document.
were Of such value to me that ] did no,
dare to miss the chance. You have TIN
whole story without reservation, excepa
a. to the character of the papers. As x
those, I can only say they were letter.
to my mother and a written statemen,
of hers, which can o only concern
me-"
Tom thought hessaw 1t all.
"Mr. Fountain" he said, with THU
statement of yours now, / think I know
more about the matter than you do.
think I see through it all. l think
could even tell you the nature of YOU
mothers statement. You are the victim
Of the same plot which has the murdered
Templeton and the abducted girl for vic
Tins. It touches the effort to secure ole