Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-06-19
CHAPTER XXI.
MOVING ON THE ENEMY,

10 !: ! ! { !: ! ! ! !. !: !: !
nm N arriving at
Mn Hanford's they
H found the Shad-
lXlHlM& ow awaiting
DMAlM0 them.
MNWA@ He had salts
S"1E@ fed himself as to
A@ the house in
S@~ which Annie was
] ~~ confined by satis-
I~ flying himself
f that in three Of
h them, at least,
there was no possible chance for her con-
fnement. He had succeeded In making
An examination 50 conclusive that there
could be nc possible doubt of it.
i It vas then, for the first time, that the
thought crossed Toms mind that the
note received might possibly be a ruse to
mislead them, and so expressing himself
he asked to see the slip of paper again.
y To Holbrook the thought was torture
itself. He had in his possession q brief
note from Annie concerning the author
| ship Of which there could be no doubt.
He made a comparison, and the penman.
ship was quite evidently dissimilar.
Hanford, the chief, pointed out that
the comparison would be of little value.
/ In the one instance the note was written
| on fine paper, with excellent pen and
/ ink, at leisure and under no excitement,
| while in the other it was written on
! coarse paper. with a common lead PEN
Gil, and evidently under the greatest ag-
i~tation, hurriedly and perhaps covertly.
Holbrook, whose high hopes had fallen
on failing to distinguish any resem-
blance, frightened on hearing the chiefs
| words.
b The chief pointed out further hat all
! the probabilities were in favor Of the
authenticity Of the note; that It was
I.quite unlikely, however able the con-
| spirators were. that they would have
written a hote so brief. SO hurried, and
which bore such evident traces Of agita-
| ton. On the contrary, had it been the
intention to throw any one off the scent,
the latter would have tried to do more
| than this hurried scrawl had done, and,
further. that 1t must not be forgotten
that these hounds would scarcely seek
to inform the friend who could give the
most efficient help Of her abduction be.
fore he was Hkelyto find It out, Is would
be the case If they took that view of it,
since the boy had evidently been waiting
ct the Office from a time very close to
that Of their departure to Mrs. Temple
toms house, where they first learned the
news. On the other side they had only
the expression of Toms shrewd fearz
that it might be SO to lead them to sup.
pose that 1t was q ruse.
: The argument Of the chief could moi
be answered, and 50 they fell to arrang.
ing the details.
The Shadow submitted that the DANCE,
Of an open attack upon the attic In ques
ton was, that the inmates with thefl
prize could take to the roof and make
their escape through adjoining buildings
He had penetrated far enough into thu
fourth house without detection, to find
that the stairs leading to the attic 1ool
were inclosed and the door locked.
He suggested, therefore, that some Of
the party ought to force their way int
the attic OF an adjoining house whether
the inmates liked it or not, snd thus TAKE
possession of the roof, while the RES
should storm the apartment in the othel
house.
The chief strongly favored this plar
as the only one which insured success.
There were eight In the party, and, 81
Is not to attract attention, 1t was deter
mined that they should rendezvous at
neighboring saloon, known to the chief
proceeding thither in couples. All were
to be well armed, for resistance was K
be expected.
On arriving, three, with Tom leading
were to enter the adjoining house near
est the corner and. rushing up, take pos
session of the attic, and after q sigma
had been received from Toms party, tn,
others led by the chief, well supplied
with 'siimmies," were to make an as
sault on the house where Annie was con
fined. Holbrook was to be with the lat
ter party.
Holbrook and Tom went up together
and taking q cab across town were or tn
ground earlier than the rest.
They left the cab, after having givel
instructions to the cabman to station
himself In Bayard street half way dow
the block, and there await orders.
Guarding themselves as much as pos
sible from observation, they strolled intt
the street and located the house In ques
ton. They were slightly disguised, ant
thought they risked nothing.
They had passed the house but q few
PAGES when Holbrook felt q tug on tn
skirts of his coat. He looked down ant
saw q ragged little boy whom he took TO
. beggar, and was about to drive hin
away when the lad said:
"Be you goin' to trash him now? Il
amt up dere."
Holbrook would have spoken harshl.
to him, SO as to rid himself Of the an
noyance, when Tom whispered:
at is the boy who brought the note t,
you"
Then, speaking to the boy, he said:
"Come here with me-" and led tn
way into Q neighboring passage, wher'
they could partially conceal themselve
by the door.
.yvhat do you mean by 'trashins
IhimY' asked Tom, kindly and encouf
,sgingly.
"De woman sed as how wen you com
you'd black his eyes and wagop i'm"
"What woman asked aoibrook.
=, "De wan I brung de paper from t
you. She promised, she did"
"Where h shes"
sIn dc nex' house. She's upstairs o.
de top iure. Deman amt dere. He wen
away Just afore yoa coma Yer a-goiz
10 lick I'm, amt yerT'
"You just bet wear" I'D Tom. "Yo
want Us 70, don't pour
"oh, my eye. don't II"
"Whyf"
aCos he's kicked me often and often.
"What IL he to your
"Nothin,. He cuffs me over de hea
whenever he gits de chance"
"why does he do thatY'
aI dunno. Cos hes ugly. Cos I won
keep outsen his hallway"
"Ah," said Tom. SHOW did you q
L. aa EFsr=EEE