The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-04-13

step or the mouse In Bedford SO,1oro
with the note in his hand, and a loci,
Of determination upon his face. This
time the door was open, and some mo-,
were carrying out heavy packages -
a wagon that stood before the houso.
the cook was standing by, with arms
akimbo, experimenting the work. She
was a stout person with red. good
humored face, and she looked upon Dicl.
with an eye of kindly commiseration
for she had heard in the servants hail
of his present turn of ill-fortune, and
thought her mistress unaccountabIv
hard upon so handsome and pleasant.
spoken a gentleman.
So she came out to the door, and bade
him good afternoon with an affable
smile.
IF you're looking for madame or the
colonel, sir" she said, I'm afraid
you've come too late
Dicks heart stood still "Too Iate?n
he said, in a faltering voice.
Eyes, sir; I'm afraid so. They've been
gone more than an hour"
Gomez" he echoed. Where have
they gomez"
''Ah, sir, that's more than I know
myself; and Yves all had strict orders
not to say, if we do happen to know"
Dicks face fell so hopelessly at this
that she was moved to pity him afresh.
I'm sure I'm sorry, sir; and I don't
know what some folks mean by the
way they go off of a sudden and never
a word to their best friends. There's
Albert, now But seeing Dick frown
impatiently she left the history of AL
bert's delinquency and returned to the
subject at hand. II may be doing
wrong, SIR" she said, because I've nv
orders the same as the rest, but if 7
was you I'd turn over some O. them
packages in the cart, and see where
they're going to-.
Dick turned quickly round to the
wagon, which was already half loaded
He examined package after package.
but all were unlabeled. The men were
coming out again with a fresh load.
but that, too, had no direction upon it.
In fact, as all the luggage was bound,
no doubt, for one and the same des-
tination, it was unnecessary that it
should be addressed.
Still there was one person-the driver
of the wagon-to whom the secret must
have been confided, and Dick deter
mined to get it from him by bribery
or force.
He resolved to make an attempt at
once risking all on persuasion and the
power of gold. He overlook the wagon
and asked the driver to give him lift
for mile or two.
The man readily assented, and Dick
was no sooner up beside him than the
horses doubled their pace. He was lit
tie surprised at this, but he would have
been much more so if he could have
known that the wagner had been hold
ing in his team all this time with the
express object Of taking him up, and
would in a few minutes more have been
driven to make the offer himself, if Dick
had not come forward.
The colonel had foreseen that this
man, who could alone give any clew to
the direction of the De MontautS'
flight, must sooner or later be run down
and questioned by Dick, and he there
fore used him as the surest agent for
decoying the latter along the way he
wished him to take
The man followed his instructions
we'll, and Dick found it impossible to
get more out of him than an admission
that he was going that day as far as
Guildford. 1t was. at any rate, some
thing to know this, and Dick resolved
to go to GuiIdford too
With this object he patiently endured
some time the joltings of the wagon,
but when the coach passed he was glad
to stop it and secure a more comfort
able seat and a quicker journey for the
remainder of the way. He intended to
lie in wait for the wagner on his ar
1oiy IN, IN
travel with him again on the following
day.
The coach stopped in front of the
White Lion in Guildford High street
Dick dismounted and began to Ques-
ton the hostler to find out if the De
Montauts had passed through or were
staying in the town. He was unsuc-
cessful in his inquiries, and was about
to turn away disappointed, when he
heard some one asking for him by
name
He looked round and saw man on
horseback, with a small valise in front
of him upon the saddle.
did L hear you inquire for me?' he
asked.
Captain Estcourt, sir?" said the
man, touching his cap.
That's right said Dick; what is
it?"
The man dismounted from his horse,
which was covered with foam ana
dust He lifted the valise down, ana
took letter from the saddle bag.
THAT is for you, sir" he said, and
handed it to Dick, who opened it in as
leisurely a fashion as if he knew us
contents already, and betrayed not d
sign of the TEMPEST of wonder and eX-