The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-05-17

"No. I made safe there. If you
are going to send there, will go along
and lead the way"
THAT will be better, perhaps, al-
though the location, OF course, is as
we'll known to the police as this cor
ner is"
"Of course. But the houses oil
look alike, and have no numbers. I
will CO."
every we'll. Then, sergeant, you
know what to do. Doctor, you had
better come back here when it il over.
The superintendent will be here and
may want to see you.'
I promised to return, and we went
out. Near the curb stood patrol
wagon, drawn by team of splendid
horses. The driver of my carriage
had, under my orders, waited for me.
Six officers had been chosen to ac-
company the sergeant. These got into
the patrol-wagon. The sergeant and
I seated ourselves in the carriage.
Drive first to the place where you
picked me up" I said to the driver.
'I can direct you better from there"
We were soon Gathering over the
pavements to the rescue.
Reaching Bank street. under my
directions, we turned toward Sand.
We drove more slowly here. We
turned into Sand street and I showed
| the sergeant the landmarks I had
noted.
policeman Sykes must be right
here" I said, gazing along the side
walk. We soon found him.
"Hello, Sykes!" said the sergeant.
Have you seen anything?"
mot thing"
"Is this the house?" said the SER
geant, pointing to the one in front Of
which we stood.
"Yes," said Sykes. 'There's the
tape around that tree"
Ring the bell"
The officers had followed us, and we
went up the stoop in a body. Sykes
gave a tremendous pull at the bell.
There was no reply.
"That fellow that brought me here
didn't ring; he raped. Let me see if
I can initiate it."
I gave three quick raps and two slow
ones. We waited. Not sound
broke the stiffness save the heavy
breaths of the men around me.
"Break down the door," said the
sergeant.
The men united their strength in a
grand assault on the door, and the
hinges gave way before them.
"Whew" calculated the sergeant,
as the hot air came into his face.
What q SMELL" said Sykes.
They're beasts, them fellows"
The same dingy light was in the
hall that had been there before. But
no peering eyes were there to gaze
on US.
"This way" I said, bounding up
the stairs. Here is the room.'
The door was not locked. Wepoured
ip, and I made straight for the bed.
It Was Empty.
"She's gone!' said, with my heart
almost in my mouth. '- >-~-
"Search the house!" commanded
the sergeant. "Break down every
door and look into every corner. II
any one offers resistance, shoot him"
With drawn revolvers the officers
charged through the house. I looked
at my watch. It was four o'clock.
Not more than an hour and half had
elapsed since I had left an unconscious
patient in the room, but she and her
keepers had vanished as completely
as though they never had existed. I
felt sick. I was not accustomed to
this sort of thing. Ny mind began to
fill with vague but horrible visions, in
which the girls probable fate stood
out with awful distinctness. The sly
cunning of the Cinnamon and my own
stupidity helped to dismay me and
added sting to the bitterness of my
thoughts.
"Where has that imp taken her,"
growled the sergeant, as he prowled
through room after room, prying into
corners and closets.
I had never realized before how
many dark corners house really had.
The longer we searched the more eager
we became and the more weird the
situation became. Every creak in the
old floor startled me, and the voices
of the offers as they spoke to each
other in gruff tones made me look
stealthily around. Mystery seemed
to be in every nook and closet.
Officer Sykes was apparently the
most dumbfounded policeman to be
found in California. BE knew that
no one had left the house-for wasn't
he right in front of it! Was he blind,
that a young woman could be carried
past him by several Cinnamon and he
not know it?
"But you don't know what was 60
ing on in the rear" said the sergeant.
"This fellow, no doubt, has made his
way out the back door and is now safe
in some neighbor's house. But we'll
find him yet. Well find him yet, or
else I'm no prophet!'
I had. my suspicious of Officer
Sykes. But it is not always a good
plan to air your opinions of certain
people in certain places, So I held my
peace. But to this day the escape of
that Chinaman is the greatest mystery
of the whole affair. There was no use
looking any further. The house was
empty.
The sergeant gave sundry orders to