Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-06-19

- - kAAtA hhAS DAJ
They waited some time in silence, re-
lieved only by the breathing Of the men.
Presently they heard q light tread on
the outside of the door; then q scratch
ing sound.
'Is it you, Shadow asked Tom.
"Yes."
"All right. Conceal yourself and don't
let the man see you when he comes"
"Tll make sure Of that"
Then there was a longer wait and a
longer silence.
This was broken by the quick patter
of bare feet on the roof, and a voice:
"He's a-comin' up de street now. Give
1t to i'm good"
1t was the imp, who had constituted
himself a xkirmisher on the outside, at
the skylight.
Tom could not restrain q laugh. All
public service Is performed through self
ish consideration, he thought.
In q moment more a scratching was
heard on the door.
"Some ones coming" whispered Tom.
Watch both doors"
Then they heard a hasty stumbling on
the stairs, a heavy step in the hall; the
door opening into the rear room wa
tried; and then further steps and the
front room door vas tried.
81 must have left that stair door open
myself" was heard in a rough voice,
with an oath.
A key was inserted, the bolts drawn
and the door opened.
The owner of the voice advanced into
the room, closing the door behind him,
and shutting a bolt from the inside.
$50, my ladybird, yer didn't light the
lamp / pervided yer with, hey?"
A light flashed In his face from the
chiefs bulls eye, and the barrel of q re-
volver was presented full In his face.
Down on your knees!" cried the chief.
Death and d." cried the man,
starting back.
He turned with the evident purpose Of
seizing something, for his arm was out
stretched in a wild reaching out.
Another bulls eye was flashed In his
face, and another revolver presented at
his head.
That's what it Ii If you don't drop"
said the man who presented the second
bulls eye.
He swept the revolver of this man
away with a quick motion Of his arm,
and made a wild rush at the chief.
Tom, who had entered from the ad-
joining room, felled him to the floor by
a quick blow on the head with the butt
end of his revolver.
Before the man, who was stunned by
the blow, could o himself, one Of
the assistants, at q word from the chief,
clapped a pair of handouts upon him.
"Search him." said the chief.
clothes. Nothing of consequence was
taken from him except q slip of paper,
ON which was written in a plainly dis
guised hand the words:
"At half past 10. Be ready. Give the
drug at 10. If not taken quietly. make
sure. Want no chance for screaming.
Be sure the right amount; not too much.
Must be no injury done. Want no acct
dents"
Tom puzzled over 1t. The man sitting
on the floor looked at him %sullenly, but
did not speak.
The meaning Of the words flashed upon
Tom. Some one was coming at half
past ten, and she was to be drugged SO
that she could not make a disturbance.
He looked at his watch. 1t was nearly
ten.
"Where Is the drug?' he asked.
The man was taken of his guard, and
his eyes turned to q shelf in the corner
Of the room.
Tom crossed to the place thus indi-
Gated. Behind a pile Of papers he found
a bottle. 1t was filed with q colorless
liquid.
"Ah, hat he cried. "Well, my fine
fellow, you won't make sure tonight,
will you? She's not here. She has left.
Nevertheless, well be ready"
The man turned upon him q look Of
bitter malignity, and opened his mouth
as if to speak, when he was prevented
by a cry of surprise from the chief,
Hanford.
"Helloi Hello! Why, boys, this is q
! capture indeed! And who do you think
this Isl" bending down and peering into
the handcuffed mans face.
"Who" asked Tom.
oscar Top Johnny, of all men In the
world. This is a good nights haul.
twenty-five hundred dollars reward for
this bird. He's been wanted these eight
cen months for the stealing Of the child
| Of that rich man near Hartford"
With this he took the mans head In
| his hands and parting the hair showed q
| deep scar on it.
can old acquaintance, Tom. I gave
him this scar myself six years ago, when
he and a gang were robbing express cars
In the west"
The man had evidently determined
that. whatever else might occur. speech
from him would not, and he contented
himself with bending . look Of deep
hatred on the jubilant chief.
Tom, who had been looking 90 thi.
scene with great interest, said to the
man:
"You didn't abduct this girl on you,
own accord. You were hired to do it2'
An expression on the scoundrel's face
showed him that he had hit the truth
closely. This time he spoke.
81 didn't abduct her"
"Oh, you didn't. You simply tool
care of her after abduction"
This time Tom had hit the truth
s~quarely, and the mans face showed 1t.
"Who was the man who hired your
Scar Top Johnny regarded Tom with
a contemptuous sneer.
"Well," said Tom, 'you can answer o,
not as you please. We can wait for the
half-past ten man. He'll tell"
The face of Scar Top Johnny lit w
with a passing thought, and an expires
sion of resolve passed over It.
Tom interpreted 1t accurately, but be
fore he could act upon it, the Shadow
gave warning Of another conner, and Z
foot was heard stumbling in the dark
| ness.
The chief, however, had also penetrat
ed the purpose OF his prisoner, and press
ing the muzzle Of his revolver agains
Scar Top Johnny's head, he said:
of you utter a cry, or makean alarm
I'll blow your brains out. The reward 4
dead or alive"
The next moment there was q knocl
at the door.
Tom, who was closely watching tn,
face Of the villain on the floor, raw Al
expression Of surprise fit over It, and
saw him turn his head toward the doc
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