The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-09-07
CHAPTER TX.

Eight months elapse. There is an
office in Memphis whose sign reads:
'Charles Fenning, Real Estate. Office
of the Laran Sanatarium."
1t has long been remarked that Mr..
Jennings mails are enormous. He
gets sometimes as many five hundred
letters in a day. 1t is not known that
most if not all of these go to Laran.
But it is known to a few persons in
Memphis that he has private wire to
one branch of the Laran establishment
and that he ships great quantities of
goods in boxes and carts and barrels.
The fact is, Mr.. Charles fleming is
Hendricks most confidential ieuten-
ant. and under the simple guise of real
estate operations and an agency for
the furnishing of information about
the Laran sanatarium, stands as a
close connecting link between his hid
zen principal and the world with which
that principal is carrying on active
operations.
His business is so pressing that he
works late at night in his Office. He
has two assistants; one is messenger
and office runner; the other is con-
fidential secretary, assistant and tel
-egraph operator. She is a very pretty
young lady and her name is Cornelia
Laport.
Fenning has three rooms on the
ground floor; one is public Office; an
other is a smaller and private Office; the
third room connecting with a side
street is a shipping room and is well
filled at this time with goods waiting
to be sent to the depot on the Wash
bayou.
One night in April, the door to Mr..
Jennings public Office was opened-a
woman stepped in quickly and, shutting
it after her, glided across the room in
the direction of the private office,
merely saying in low tone: ''Mr. Fen
ming"
Mr.. Fenning was sitting at his desk
and Miss Laport, not ten feet away,
was seated at another sorting a bundle
of letters.
Without a moments hesitation Mr..
Fenning followed the woman into the
private Office and closed the door.
They stood face to face and the wom-
AN said Immediately, with every indi-
cation that she had been walking rap
idly:
Il have been followed from New
York. l must get to the bayou to-
night"
fleming showed no signs of alarm.
He offered her chair. DO you think
anyone saw you come in here?" he
asked.
Il think not. but cannot be GER
tain"
pray be seated" said Fenning.
''You surprise me. Why should anyone
suspect you?"
lone or more of my letters have been
intercepted
Fenning looked grave. "Ahr' he
said. as they sat down, ''Do you re-
member the contents?"
"Cleariy"
ITO whom were they Addressed"
ITO Hendricks. in Washington. Can
You get me to the bayou to-night?'
fleming shook his head. Il can
get you on the way" he said. ut is
thirty miles to Upton county. l must
say that am surprised at your coming
here There is nothing at all can
be proved against you and you run the
risk of connecting this Office in the
chain of suspicious, whatever they are. -
s'But," said the woman, lit is imper-
=atively necessary to all interests that
i get to Laran."
what have you got about your per-
SOM"
Papers and money" she replied,
immediately taking packet from her
bosom and handing it to Fenning and
pulling roll of bills from her satcheL
He placed both in lcrge envelope
-and put it in an inner breast pocket
''1s that Miss Lsport?" she asked, re-
ferring to the young woman in the
-puter Office.
"Yes," replied Fenning.
s'Can you trust her?"
Certainly. She is very grateful on
her fathers account, but she is queer"
''Can you get her to change dresses
with me?"
"What do you want to do?"
''The quickest and safest thing.
Some one followed me to st. Louis.
When took the boat thought l had
lodged him. Just as was about to
land l saw him through the cabin
-window. / had telegraphed to the
hotel here for a room. / came to the
hotel in hack AS passed the main