Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-04-28

/ as he hurried along, it added such
speed to his flying feet that, on his ar
rival at Potter's, in q flushed and
heated condition, Tad stumbled almost
head-frst against the small, silent man
/ who had been Mr.. Atherton's fellow
passenger, as hewas walking the piazza
! with cigar in his mouth. Hastily ex-
/ cusing himself, Tad burst into the Of
fee, whore Mr.. Potter, who weighed
nearly three hundred pounds, was sit
ting in his shirt-sleeves, reading the
NslO England Farmer.
"Say, Mr.. Potter. gasped Tad,
breathlessly, show long has Joe been
gone with that person-passenge germ
the long black cloak"
"EhP" responded Mr.. Potter, look
ing up from his paper and speaking
with aggrayating deliberation, chow
long? Lemme see. Mira raising
his voice for the benefit of his wife, in
the other room, chow longs that young
Whitney BEN away with that air lady
passenger-the one in such tremen-
dous hurry to git TO MiddleborrerP"
! Tad, with feverish impatience,
awaited the answer. The small man
on the piazza, near the open door, must
have been of a rather inquisitive nat
ure; for, holding his cigar between his
fingers, and his head a little to one
side, he, too, seemed to listen for Mrs.
Potter's response.
! pretty nigh half n hour" called
Mrs. Potter, through the half-open
door. 'Why, who wants to knowP"
'Me-Tad Thorne, Mrs. Potter" ex-
claimed Tad, in an agitated voice, and
oh, Mr.. Potter. Uon't you have the sor-
rel mare put right in quick, so I can
drive off after her-I mean him
dressed up in Mrs. Mason's cloak, and
catch 'em before he-she-gets to Mid
dleboror'
"Why, what on earth is the matter
with you?" demanded Mrs. Potter, with
some asperity, as she bounced into the
Office.
"It's that Forrest - his name is
Jones-I mean Edwards" poor Tad
exclaimed, incoherently. "he's stole
MFR. Athorton's handbag, full OF
di'muns and papers, and dressed up in
Mrs. Mason's clothes and cloak"--
"Mr. Potter" interrupted quick
and somewhat imperious voice, pro-
ceeding from the smoker of the piazza,
who. finging hio cigar aside, suddenly
| appeared inside tho door, shave your
fastest horse put into light buggy.
and be quick about it!'' And in the
voice, as well rs its owner, Tad, with a
great thrill Of JOY. recognized City De-
tective Blossom, who, 1t will be re-
menbered, had caused Mr.. Jones to
restore the little alligator-skin sachel
to Tad, in the streets of Boston, long
time before.
"Tcll him the sorrel mare, Mr..
Blossom" cried Tad, vino was wildly
excited; "sho can trot ever SO much
faster than Brown Pete-and oh!
please let me go. toor'
The detcctive glanced sharply at
Tad, and nodded. "You can go, he
said, briefly. "Tho sorrcl mare, Mr..
Po ter, and be quick about it." he
aooed; and, greatly bewildered, Mr..
Potter bawled his directions to his
wife, who repeated them from the back
window to tho hostler, in the stable
yard.
"How was itP" asked Mr.. Blossom,
in his curt way, SIS Tad followed him
out on the piazza. And Tad succeeded
in giving tolerably succinct account
of tho rnhherv and Loading circum-
stances which had made him almost
positive rs to the guilty person.
"Smart boy" the detective TO
marked. approvingly, as the buggy
ratified round to the door; Jump inr'
And. springing after Tad, Mr.. Blossom
snatched the reins from the hostler's
hands, chirruped to tho sorrel mare,
and they were off.
'It's straight road to Middleboro-
only one HILL" gasped Tad. whose
breath was almost taken away by the
rapidity with which the light buggy
was being whirlcd along behind the
nimble heels of the sorrel mare. AS
long as he lives he will never forget
that night drive over the level, dusty
highway, lined on either side by the
dense piny growth peculiar to the New
England States. Tho moon was
nearly full, and as it gradually rose
above the tree-tops great patches
of alternate light and shadows were
thrown across the road. Mr.. Bios
som, whose thin, keen face did not
show the slightest trace of emotion, sat
bolt-upright on the buggy-seat, with
feet firmly b~aced, his short muscular
arms extcnacd straight out before
him, rs rigid as bars of steel from the
tautened reins, which were wound in
one turn about each of his small, ner-
vous hands.
Evidently Mr.. Blossom not only
knew how TO drive but how to get all
possible speed out Of the sorrel mare.
With her small ears laid back and her
nose pointing forward, the intelligent
animal seemed to understand that now,
If ever, her best efforts were required,
and her slim legs went measuring of
the miles with long, steady strides that
seemed to imperceptibly grow longer
and swifter as she warmed up to her
work.
The sorrel mare was going nearly
two miles to Brown Pete's one, at her
present rate Of speed. Trembling with
excitement, Tad held his hat on with
one hand, while with the other he
clung to the rail Of the buggy, as the
pines and hemlocks which bordered the
road seemed flying by like lightning.
"There they are," briefly said Mr.
Blossom, speaking for the first time
since they had started. Far ahead in
the moonlight rose Winslow's hill, be-
yond which lay Middlcboro, about two
miles distant. Outlined against the
pale ribbon-like road was black NOV
Ing object, at the sight of which TAD 8
heart gave great throb of excitement.
Mr.. Blossom took the long, slender
whip from the socket and gently
touched the sorrel mares heaving flank.
Whew! Tad began to wish he was
safely back ON Mr.. Potter's piazza.
Such going! The mare was making
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