Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-07

ones we sometimes meet. whose first look
puts us on our guard, and whom, II we
hope nothing from him, we instinctively
shun. Third, they did not look like inhab-
itants OF the house and rooms in which he
found them. In the few minutes he had
stood in the doorway he had noted other
things besides those we have named. He
had seen that nothing was to be found
there beyond the usual objects of furniture
to be seen in any decent lodging house
room. Not a trunk, not an article or
clothing, nor any of the little things to be
found where a woman expects to spend :
day or even an hour. They were transients
consequently. and perhaps already in the
act of flight. Then-he was not sure, but
he was almost sure-that he was being fol-
lowed by one or both of them. He had fol-
lowed people himself, and something in his
own sensations assured him that his move,
ments were under surveillance. 1t would,
therefore,, not do to show any consciousness
of this, and he went on directly and as
straight to his goal as his rather limited
knowledge of the streets would allow. He
was determined to earn this money and to
earn it without disadvantage to any one.
And ne thought he saw his way.
At the entrance of the town hall he hest
tated an instant. An officer was standing
in the doorway. 1t would be easy to cali
his attention to the packet he held and ask
him to keep his eye on it. But this might
involve him with the police, and this was
something, as we know, which he was more
than anxious to avoid. He reverted to mis-
first idea.
Mixing with the crowd just now hurTying
to and fro through the long corridors, he
reached the room designated, and found it,
as he had been warned he should, empty.
Approaching the table, he laid down the
packet just as he had been directed, in front
of the big armchair, and then, casting a
hurried look toward the door and failing
to find any one watching him, he took up a
pencil lying nearby and scrawled hastily
across the top of the packet the word "Sus-
picious." This he calculated would act as
a warning to Mr.. Clifford in case there was
anything wrong about the package, and pass
as a joke with him, and even the sender, if
there was not. And satisfied that he had
both earned his money and done justice TO
his own apprehensions, he turned to retrace
his steps. AS before, the corridors were
alive with hurrying men of various ages
and appearance, but only two attracted his
notice. One of these was a large, intel
lectual- looking man, who turned into the
room from which he had just emerged, and
the other a short, fair man, with a counte-
nance he had known from boyhood. Mr..
Stone of Sutherlandtown was within ten
PAGES of him, and he was as well known 10
the good postmaster as the postmaster was
to him. Could any ore have foreseen such
a chance!
Turning his back with a slow SLOUGH, he
made for a rear door he saw swinging in
and out before him. AS he passed through
he cast a quick look behind him. He had not
been recognized. In great relief he rushed
on, knocking against a man standing against
one of the outside pillars.
"Halloo!" shouted this man.
Sweetwater stopped. There was a tone Of
authority in the voice which he could not
resist.
ITO Be Continued)