The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-12-03

Picking it up, Phineas glanced at it
turned deadly pale, then hurried into
the garden. Scrubbed in lead pencil
on dirty paper was the following:
"Peel has discovered everything. We
have not a moment to lose, and must
clear out tonight The front door is
unsafe. Will meet you at the back
1870 sharp"
"There was no signature.
"Good graciousw calculated Phineas
after reading the note for the third
time. I'd no idea matters had gone
SO far. "Oh, yes, Mr.. Schmidt" he add
ed grimly, 'I'll meet you at 1890
sharp"
It was about 1O:45 and raining heav-
ily. Phineas Peel, seated on a wall
overlooking the back of Rhyd cottage,
with his duck gun laid across his knees,
was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"The note said 1O:3O," he muttered.
at must be after that time now. What's
that?"
Phineas had caught the sound of
heavy feet moving cautiously over the
gravel. He grasped his gun and peered
into the gloom, but could distinguish
nothing.
Suddenly he heard voices, evidently
at the front of the house. He was about
to quit his place under the impression
that Herr Schmidt was leaving by the
front door after all, when one of the
back windows was cautiously raised
aF fr1r li-t
dropped lightly to the ground.
Creeping along the side of the wall
on which Phineas lay he presented an
excellent mark. Mr.. Peel, however,
could not bring himself to shoot man
down in cold blood. He would give him
a chance.
"Stop, you scoundrel!' he shouted.
The effect of the challenge was
scarcely what Phineas had anticipated.
Herr Schmidt darted forward and
seized the barrel of the gun.
He was much the stronger of the two
and Phineas was pulled from the wall
in twinkling. Lying on the broad of
his back on the gravel in a half dazed
condition he saw the tall form of
Schmidt standing over him with the
gun raised.
Keep your tongue still, you fool,'
he Missed, cor I'll brain you. Now
quick-help me over the wall"
Phineas hesitated, but the threaten
ing attitude of the other induced him
to rise. However, he had mo intention
of giving in.
Obeying his Instructions he caught
hold of Schmidt's foot to give him "a
leg up" Before the naturalist could
grip the top of the wall, however, Phin-
cas- saw his opportunity.
Bracing himself for the effort, he ex-
erted all his strength and pulled
Schmidt bodily from the wall. He fell
fat on his face, and before he could re-
cover himself Phineas jumped on his
back and seized him round the throat
emitting a yell that would have done
Infinite credit to Sioux Indian.
Z The next moment Phineas was drag
ged off from behind and found himself
in the clutches of burly member of
the local police force.
Four or five others seized Schmidt,
who struggled in vain to free himself
L
;Phineas. There's your man.
Phineas would no doubt have been
led off with the other prisoner, but for
the timely arrival on the scene of the
last person in the world he had expect
ed to see-his brother John!
Here! What on earth Is the meaning
OF all this?' he demanded when, as the
result of John Peel's interference, he
found himself free.
John stayed behind a minute or two
to explain that Herr Schmidt, the mat
uralist." and Edward Harper, the no.
torious forger who had defied New
Scotland Yard for the past six weeks.
were one and the same.
'tIt was a sharp dodge of Harper's," !"
said John Peel, "and he might have
got clear away but for that clever wife
of yours, Phineas. Mary suspected the
man from the first and supplied me
from time to time with valuable infor-
nation. 1t is to her entirely that the
credit of the capture is due. Tell her
I'll call round and thank her myself to-
morrow. By the by, the gang of which
he was the head got wind of our inten-
tions, and a man was dispatched with
a warning. Harper doesn't appear to
have received it."
Then Phineas began to understand
things little more clearly.
81 suppose this will be It," he re-
marked, producing the note and hand
ing it to his brother. "You see, the
messenger left it at the wrong door,
and I-er-I thought 1 might as well
see the fun"
For some little time after Phineas
was of the opinion that he had made a
fool of himself. Lately, however, he
has taken different view of the mat
ter and Is never tired of relating how
he literally dropped on Harper, the
forger, alias Schmidt, the naturalist,
next door-Cassell's Saturday Journal