The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-04
CHAPTER XVI.
UNMASkED.

CHAPTER XVI.
~UNMAsKED.
Mr.. Arnold Dacre lett the cabin OF the
charcoal burner with a decided flea In his
ear. 1t took very little reflection n In
curry of his informant, to decide that
the man he had seen lurking near Whar-
toms room the night previous, was the
same man who had been a passenger on
the stage coach, and that individual had
certainly m~aterialized still later at the
lonely cottage.
What was his motive?-there could
be but one, and that was plainly
manifested bv his actions and in
quirles. In some mysterious way,
aware of the existence of The miss
ing package, he was fast upon its trail.
He must have been spying at Wharton's
room the evening previous, he must have
overheard the revelation of the paralytic.
Either by following Dacre, or from his
own deductions. he had stumbled upon
the Self-same plan Of procedure. He
was certainly aware OF the secret the
charcoal burner could reveal. He had
anticipated Oacre. He knew as much
DIS ue ulu. IL was IL q HuSoeioH ho"t
of who reached Binder first
Who was he? Vainly Dacre asked
himself this question, concernedly, TOO.
He had never seen him before the pre-
vious evening, he was a stranger to
Ridgeield. Could he be a detective, or
was he some friend, crony Of Wharton or
Cupples, who, securing an inkling of
the precious prey at stake. was en-
deavoring to obtain a portion OF the
splendid booty 80 safely hidden away?
Dacre cudgeled his brain with these
and q score Of other kindred queries.
lie reached the vicinity Of the tavern
just after dark, weary, anxious, irritated.
He glanced eagerly all about the loung-
ing room, but the specialized stranger
was not in sight. He did not even ap-
pear at the supper table. Dacre. VEN
tured o casual inquiry of the landlord
concerning him. The latter asserted
that be was in his room upstairs.
Eight o'clock nine - ten - between
watching the clock, smoking cigars fu-
riously and pacing up and down the
road, Arnold Dacre kept his spirits in q
pretty lively and restless condition.
Would Binder never come! He watched
the moonlit road with devouring eyes,.
About an hour before midnight his
anxious vigil vas rewarded. A joyial
pedestrian came swinging along the road.
He was singing cheerlly. Arnold Dacre
halted him with a sharp challenge as he
approached.
'Your name Binder?"
Right you aret' spoke the bluff must
clan. Don't know you, though"
mo, but I am a friend of a man you
befriended day before ye%sterday-a par
alytic. Do you remember him?"
"Eh9 Oh! that poor fellow" exclaimed
the charcoal burner sympatheticaliv.
''Should say I did. He was in bad shape
I worried half to death after he'd left
for letting him go on alone, sick as he
was"
well, as ! said, he was my friend
reiterated Dacre gllbly. Here, that's
for you!"
He had thrust a little package into the
charcoal burners hand.
''Eh! what's this?". demanded the lat
ter in surprise.
"a few bank-notes to settle for your
trouble and kindness, and, oh! by the
way, he got you 70 write something out
for him."
Yes, q sort OF direction to some old
digging or mica cav he'd discovered, /
think"
HE lost the paper, he's very sick, and
wants you to make another copy OF it..
Sam Binder started and scratched his
head obviously.
"Well. stranger, now you've got me-"
Re pronounced blankly.
What! you can't remember it?" cried
Dacre with apprehension.
my mind with it. Hold on. I'll try.
Let me think"
He sat down by the roadside and bent
his head upon his great brawny hands.
His business was charcoal burning.
Brain labor was a new and difficult ex.
p%erience for him.
live got it," be cried at last
"Yes! yesn!' urged the eager Dacre.
TRY and remember correctly, my man
It's a matter of the greatest impor.
lance"
Mimic Creek"-"Rodgers Swamp
by plecemeal sections that destroyed
scrawl came forth. Then the great
bungling fellow went over them again,
jumbied them up, picked them out
pieced them together, and finally de-
veloped a sort of patchwork direction,
out Of which Dacre could make some
system and coherency.
Its a lonely place, that cave" Vouch'
safed Binder. Better 60 in the day.
time. Eth? will l have q drink? Well,
elders the strongest take, and it will be
welcome. Come ahead. Hello! we've
had company, it seems"
"Eh?" calculated Deere, starting.
The charcoal burner pointed to q
figure scurrying from a neal thicket
A muttered cry of alarm escaped the
schemer's lips. There had been a
listener. As the lurker lodged across
the road towards the tavern, he made
him out plainlY-it was the blue-spec'
taclcd man!
The discovery aroused every latent in.
stinct Of dread in the plotter's suspicious
nature. This man possessed, shared the
secret that Binder had just unfolded.
Dacre got rid of his guest ut the tav-
ern.' He strolled outside, determined to
keep a watch on the spy, who, for the
fourth time had crossed his path. II he
. did not appear about the place soon, he
would decide hat he had started in
quest of the hidden package. and he
would not delay IN prosecuting the search
| himself, otherwise, he would wait foi