The Van Buren press., 1898-10-15

buggy. Instantly a great crowd surged
around them, yelling like demons and
poking cards in the face of the fright
ened German.
Hurry up, Jim. Here, quick, let's
land him." And before Jake could col
lect his scattered senses he was
grasped on either side by his arms
and legs and lifted bodily into the
buggy. The tall man jumped in and
iashed the horse. and they went tear
ing up the street like mad.
Jake thought of his money. of his
wife. and little Gretchen, and be-
moaned the day he ever left them. He
could not doubt that he had fallen
among robbers. and, as they emerged
from the city. Re was sure he was be-
ing taken TO their den in the noun
tains that lowered menacingly near.
His heart stood still at the thought.
What would they do with him?
Meanwhile the real estate man talked
necessarily, pointed out the advan-
tages of Pasadena as a place of resi-
denee, occasionally stopping TO go into
raptures over a certain lot which he
advised the German TO purchase at
once. as il would double in value in
"a hours. But his eloquence fell un-
needed upon a mind oblivious of all
hut its own heart-sick misery. Every
time the real estate man knitted his
shaggy eyebrows and turned on him
those piercing gray eyes, Jake shud-
dered.
At last, weary of his Improbable
task, the tall man cast an angry glance
at the trembling German and in silence
drove him to a hotel. Throwing his
luggage after him, the real estate man
drove away disheartened, after in
forming Jake that another member Of
his firm would call at four o'clock, hop
ing, no doubt, that some one else would
have better luck in inducing the Ger
man to purchase a town lot.
Now, Jake had no desire or inten-
tion of meeting another member of
that firm, either at four o'clock or
any other time, and finding that the
train left in Is minutes for Los Angeles,
he made his way to the depot in all
possible haste.
If the scene at the depot at Pasa-
dena was bewildering, exciting, alarm
ing, it was ten times more so at Los
Angeles. Schmidt sat as if riyeted to
his seat, and dared not venture forth
until the porter notified him with great
dignity that the train had reached its
destination, intimating quite pointed
ly that his absence was infinitely more
desirable than his company. As Jake
alighted from the car he perceived the
door of a carriage standing invitingly
open on the other side of the court and
made for it on the run, the rabble after
him. He bolted head foremost into the
vehicle, and the hacEman, being suf-
ficiently up to the situation, sent his
horses off at a gallop, and landed him
safely at the hotel. Jacob Schmidt
congratulated himself upon his mar
row escape. Nevertheless, when he de-
scended TO dinner that evening, he
glanced furtiyely in all directions, but
as the way appeared TO be clear he
walked confidently along the corridor.
just as he was entering the dining
room. he was suddenly confronted by
two men who politely bowed and at
tempted to hand him some cards.
"Haf no time TO talk said Jake,
hastily, looking for an avenue of es-
cape.
How very fortunate" said the
spokesman. 1--WE are also very short
of time. But there is no place more
conducive TO a good business under
standing than the dining-room." And
| the three walked into the dining room,
arm in arm. One of the men spread a
map out on the table, and they took
turns in explaining the advantages OF
certain properties in Los Angeles that
were advancing in value at an eXtraor-
dinary pace. Jake felt helpless, while
the waiter tried frantically to get their
order.
"Oh. bring us anything, and be as
long about ii as you like" said one OF
/ the real estate men, throwing the
waiter a dollar.
After dinner the German was in
I formed that one of the men would cal
for him at nine o'clock in the morn
! ing and take him out to see the prop
4 erty. In consequence of which threat
it seemed to Jake a threat-he passed
a very bad night. But he was up bright
and early in the morning, and having
] -, 60 "a
estate men in San Diego, he took the
early train for that point.
That there were fewer real estate
men in San Diego was true, but i
seemed to Jake that they were of ;
more virulent type. The terrible ex
periences of the past few days, whicl
had already played sad havoc with hi
nerves and upset the equilibrium o
his simple Teutonic mind, had, never
theless, developed in him a remarka
BILE degree of cunning. Getting off OF
the opposite side of the train from
where the crowd had gathered, h
skulked around behind boX-cars unit
he reached the street above the depot
and there taking a carriage, he wa
driven to an uptown hotel. He wa
chuckling over the success of his de
vice as he paid the driver; and, wallis
and umbrella in hand, he turned 4
enter the hotel, when he came face 4
face with n man. bowing and scraping
who said. politely:
Jacob Schmidt, l believe"
The valise and the umbrella dropped
from the nerveless hands of Jacol
Schmidt, and he trembled like a Leaf
Rather nervous, ! see. Sorry. Gu
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