The Red Cloud chief., 1894-02-16

ner, as though the vents which he
narrated were commonplace enough.
/ can vouch for the accuracy Of the
subjoined account, for I have had ac-
cess to Lestrade's notebook, in which
the prisoners words were taken down
exactly as they were uttered.
at don't much matter TO you why I
hated these men," he said; ''it's enough
that they were guilty of the death of
two human beings-a father and a
daughter-and that they had, there
fore, forfeited their own lives. After
the lapse Of time that has passed since
their crime, IL was impossible for me
TO secure a conviction against them in
any court. ! knew of their guilt.
though, and I determined that I should
be judge, jury and e%xecutioner all
rolled into one. You'd have done the
same, IL you have any manhood in you,
IL you had been in my place.
THAT girl that I spoke of was to
have married me twenty years ago.
She was forced into marrying that
same Drebbcr. and broke her heart
over it. ! took the marriage ring from
her dead finger and I vowed that his
dying eyes should rest upon hat very
ring and that his last thoughts should
be of the crime for which he was pun
ished. | have carried 1t about with me
and have followed him and his ac-
complete over two continents until I
caught them. They thought to tire
Inc out, but they could not do it. II l
die tomorrow, as Is likely enough. I
die knowing that my work in this
world is done, and well done. They
have persisted, and by my hand. There
is nothing left for me to hope for or to
desire.
They were rich and I was poor, SO
that IL was no easy matter for me to
follow them. When ] got to London
my pocket was about empty and ]
found that l must urn my hand to
something for my living. Driving and
riding are as natural to me as walk
ing, so l applied at a cab owner's Office
and soon got employment. l was to
bring a certain sum a week to the
owner, and whatever was over that |
might keep for myself. There was sell
dom much over. but I managed tn
scrapc along somehow. The hardest
job was to learn my way about, for !
reckon that of all the mazes that ever
were contrivcd this city is the most
confusing ] had a map beside me,
though, and when once | had spotted
| the principal hotels and stations l got
on pretty we'll.
1T was some time before l found out
where my two gentlemen were living,
but l inquired and inquired. until ut
last I dropped across them. They were
at a clearinghouse ut Camberwell,
over on the other side Of the river.
When oncc I found them out ] knew
that I had them at my mercy. / had
grown my beard and there was no
chance Of their recognizing me. I
would dog them and follow them until
saw my opportunity. I was deter
mined that they should not escape me
again.
''They were very near doing it, for
all that. Go where they would about
London l was always at their heels.
Sometimes l followed them on my cab
and sometimes on foot, but the former
was the best, for then they could not
| SSS away W NV ~ "oS III VohlN
in the morning or late at night that I
could learn anything, SO hat l began
to get bchindhand with my employer.
I did not mind that, however, as long
Us l could lay my hand upon the men
l wanted.
They were very cunning, though.
They must have thought that there was
some chance Of their being followed,
for they would never go out alone,
and never after nightfall. During two
weeks l drove behind them every day
and never once saw them separate,
Drcbber himself was drunk half the
time, but Stangerson was not to be
caught mapping. watched them late
and early, but never saw the ghost of
chance: but l was not discouraged, fo,
something told me hat the hour had
almost come. My only fear was that
this thing in my chest might burst q
little too soon and leave my work un'
done.
at last, one evening I was driving
up and down Torquay terrace, as The
street was called in which they board
ed, when I saw a cab drive up TO theil
Nco'' iSoShSy ohhC "d'
brought out, and after a time Drebbel
and Stapgerson followed it and drov,
off. whipped up my horse and KEEP
within sight of them, feeling i'll a
ease, for ! feared that they were goinl
to shift their quarters. At Eustor
station they got ont. and I left 1
boy to hold my horse and followed
, them on to the platform. l heard then
ask for the Liverpool train, and tn,
guard answer that one had just gon,
and that there would not be anothe'
for some hours. Stangerson seemed Il
!, be put out ut that, but Drebber wa
r rather pleased than otherwise. go
SO close to them in the hustle that
|, could hear every word that passed be
tween them. Drebber said that he ha,
a little business of his W to do, an,
that IL the other would wait for him h
would o rejoin him. His companion
: demonstrated with him, and reinindc,
him that they had resolved to stick To
$ gether. Drebber answered that tn
: matter was a delicate one, and that h