San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-07-07

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knowledge of Mana Sahib's ruby, but
had put the suspected ones ON guard,
and therefore increased the difficulty
that confronted me from the first.
Probably up to this night Darius
Howard was confident that no one had
followed him TO this pleasant little
town, and that he was still safe with
his secret in the house where he had
made his home fer al indefinite time.
But the occurrences Of the night must
undeceive him. A desperate attempt
had been made TO break in upon him.
His secret was no longer secure. DE
would take instant measures TO avert the
threatened danger.
The most effective step would be a
change of quarters. He was not likely
to spend another night in the old stone
house. What was done, therefore, TO
checkmate him must De done quickly.
1t is we'll known tlat the safest hid.
ing place for criminal whom the off,
GERS of the law want is in the heart of
the great city of New York 1t was
hard to understand why this strange
couple had left so secure conoealment
and taken up their residence where
their chances of detection were increas-
ed tenfold.
But, for that matter, everything thus
far was hard to understand. The con-
ceded fact, as saw it, which confront
ed me was what next would be done by
them. They were under my eye now,
and if let them slip would not be
likely to get on their track again.
was glad to find on reaching my
home that all the folks had retired. !
let myself in with the night key with
which l had been furnished and went
to my room without being seen by any
one. This was fortunate, for my cloth
ing had lost much of the neatness which
y arked it at first and was in need Of at
tention.
The farmers breakfast early, and
finding that Mr.. Bridges intended to
drive into town rode with him, reach
ing the station in time to catch the early
trains had wished, but my purpose
was not to leave unless the Towards did
So waited most of the forenoon, but
saw nothing of them.
Guarded inquiries gave me no infor-
nation of the two men of the night be-
fore. Had chosen might have killed
that one at the window, but was reliev-
ed to know that such was not the case.
He must have been hit pretty hard, but
not sufficiently so to endanger his life.
If there had been any feeling of con-
ceit in my mind-and l protest there
was little, if any-it was pretty well
removed by what followed by my loiter-
ing about the railway station. My in
tention was. if either Howard or his
wife boarded any train, to do the
same and shadow them wherever they
went, but made an inexcusably stupid
failure to carry out my purpose,
scanned every train that went to-
ward New York and of course kept an
eye ON those going in the opposite direc-
tion. This was somewhat perfunctory,
for did not suspect that either of the
couple would proceed southwark.
A Philadelphia train drew up at the
station, and from my coign of advan-
tage watched the passengers as they
disembarked and others got on. The
stop was brief, and just as 1t began
moving again Darius Howard made
rush from somewhere and swung upon
one of the platforms, being helped by
the waiting brakeman.
made a dash to do the same thing,
but had farther to go, and the brakeman
blocked my way.
"Too late" he called. "There'll be
another along in half an hour.
There was no help for it, If Howard
saw me, and i'll all probability he did,
he must have read my purpose, and
therefore would be on his guard against
me unless effected complete change
in my appearance.
Mr. Bridges has returned home alone,
and for the time was perplexed as to
what to do 1t was useless to try to fol-
low the man who had gone southwark,
for there was no saying what his desti-
nation was. He might have started on a
journey of 30 or 1000 miles
| have referred to a game of bluff
which | had in mind. Hitherto had
been working at long range, as may be
said. Now l decided upon bold step,
which insured success or failure.
From the railway station walked to
my dwelling place, reaching there just
in time for dinner. spent a couple of
hours in my room, and then, telling my
friends that r might not return until
late, once more set out for the old stone
building where lived Isaiah Bridges the
brother of my host. OF necessity was
attired as on the night before, but my
ornamental cane was left behind, and
every chamber in my revolver had its
charge
1t was a cool, brisk autumn afternoon,
and the sun was shining. Any effort at
secrecy would have been idle, and /
walked with a confident step up the
long lane, which had been the scene If
more than one stirring occurrence with