Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-10-24

/ one to each bank, and each bearing the
stamp Of their respective banks.
That he had letters was happy thing,
and no one under 10 days time could
/ say for fact that they were not GEM
/ inc. The dramatic production Of these
I letters lullcd the fast gathering suspi-
/ cions and would have called halt had
/ they purpOsed any serious action, for
/ the reason THAI during the 40 days it
/ would take to communicate with Lon
/ don the credits could not be proved to
/ be forgeries. That such letters existed
| at all was due entirely TO the foresight
which had provided TO meet just such
! contingency.
! We all were for a brief few seconds
utterly dumfounded, but quickly aroused
! ourselves to the necessity of instant ac-
| tion to protect our. comrade. We saw
! that we must at once give over all
| thought of trying TO do any more busi-
ness in Rio, and set all our inventions
and energy at work to save the e10, 600
and to smuggle our companion safely
out of Rio. But how?
The Ebro, going to Europe, was in the
harbor taking in cargo and coal The
| Chimborazo, going south, was not yet
| signaled, and we determined at all haz-
ards to get him off by the Ebro We all
had American passports, and by the use
| of chemicals could alter the names and
descriptions on them at will
| OF course the names in our passports
were the same as we had in our letters.
George went TO police headquarters, and
| giving Il dOuceur to an attendant had
| the wise put on his passport 1T once
Then, going to the passenger agent, he
bought q ticket to Liverpool by the
Ebro, and by paying 10 guineas extra
| had stateroom assigned TO him alone
After this he took boat and went out
to the steamer, carrying with him two
bags of oranges and slowed them away
under the bottom berth.
To make the escape a success it was
decided prudent for George as Wilson
to get the agent we'll acquainted with
his face and appearance, so if the ques-
tion was asked, 'Who is this Wilson,
the police would see by the description
it was not the man they were looking
for. For the next 40 hours George made
the agent very tired. At one time he
would want to know if he could not get
some reduction in the passage rate, or
if the Ebro was seaworthy, or if there
was any danger of her engines breaking
down, etc, until the agent got not only
to know "Mr. Wilson," but wished him
at the bottom of the sea.
When George started for the police
office he left Mac and me alone in the
park.
1t was absolutely essential that Mac
should put in one more appearance at
the bank 1t was an ordeal, but one he
had to undergo He even dreaded to re
turn to his hotel, but go he must; so,
Just before the bank closed, he called in
and casually informed the manager that
he should start the next morning for 5.
Romao, Il town in the interior of Bra
zil, to be absent a week. He was then
to 90 to the Hotel d'Europe, pay his
bill at the same time, stating that he
was to leave Rio By the o'clock train
the next morning. As Mac had two
trunks and other impedimenta betittlng
man of his importance 1t was neces-
sary to take carriage to the station,
which was nearly a mile distant. 1t
would be unsafe to go i'll a carriage be-
longing to the hotel; therefore he was
to say that q friend would call for him.
As it was still two hours to sunset
suggested that after he had arranged
matters he should saunter out, walk
about the streets until dark, then return
to the hotel and be ready when George
should call for him at 3 o'clock the
next morning.
After these arrangements we separat-
ed, George and 1 following to ascertain
if he was being watched or shadowed
by detectives. When he entered the ho-
tel we remained in view of the entrance.
1t was not long before he reappeared
and walked leisurely along the street.
A few seconds after we saw another
man come out, cross the street and go
in the same direction. 1 followed him,
and was soon satisfied that he was keep
ing Mac in view This sort of double
hunt was kept up until dusk, when
Mac returned to his hotel, unconscious
that a moment later his shadow en-
tered the place also. Here was 'stun-
ner, " no mistake, though it was no more
than we had anticipated among the pos
sibiities Still l had indulged in the
hope that the bank would rely entirely
upon tho passport system, and take no
further steps for day or two, which
was all the time required to carry out
our plan. Though Mac had good nerve,
it was already somewhat shaken, and
surely the situation would have un
nerved most men. Therefore, fearing
that the certain knowledge Of imminent
danger might still further confuse him
and cause some false move, we deter
mined to keep our discovery to our
selves
George next proceeded to an obscure
part of the town, and stopping at a
small but respectable looking tavern he
engaged a room for the next day; also
carriage, with an English speaking
driver, to be i'll readiness at 3 O'Clock
the next morning Promptly at the hour
he was at the livery stable, where he
found the carriage ready, and was driv-
en- to the Hotel d d'Europe. Sending the
driver up to the Office on the second
floor, Mac soon appeared and informed
him that he had promised to take to the
station a man who was stopping at the
hotel He is going to S. Romao by the
same train continued Mac, "and
seems a good fellow, for l had long
talk with him last night. y
Upon seeing signs of disapproval in
my face he explained, "Well, you know,
he said he could not get a carriage at so
early an hour in the morning, and L
thought it could do no harm to take
him in, and he is waiting up stairs. "
Here ! joined them, and it would be
difficult for the reader to imagine the
effect of this surprising communication
upon our minds, for it was clear enough
that this was the very person who had
been "shadowing' Mac the day before
and had skillfully ingratiated himself
into his new friends confidence. lcould
but admire his nerve IN asking con-
templated victim for a ride to the sta
tion. / said to Mac: 'What in the world
can you be thinking of? Don't you see
you are blocking our whole plan? Go
up and tell him your carriage Is loaded
down with luggage and express your
regrets that you cannot accommodate
him."
During this time the baggage was
being placed in the carriage, and as
soon as Mac had dismissed his "passen-
ger, " who for some reason did not show
himself, we started rapidly for the sta
+ioo On the wav I re0uested him to