Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-04-06

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strange guest but the nurse and the
doctor. promised to attend to his
warning and showed him out myself,
to find on the doorstep O comfortable,
motherly looking nurse, who produced
DR.. Smiths card, and into whose
capable hands l put the management
of affairs generally with q sigh of re.
lief, which sigh L repeated as the door
of the "spare-room" was shut be-
tween me and the still sleeping
stranger.
Only the long, cofin-ike box was
still in my study.
| Suddenly I caught sight of a piece
of paper which had been pinned to
the lid inside.
On it was roughly sketched ship,
some waves, and q woman apparently
drowning. What this could mean ]
could not guess.
was still puzzling over it when the
door bell rang again.
This time man stood there-he had
evidently just stepped out OF a close
carriage which waited near the curb,
and he wore an ulster with a high col
lar which almost concealed his face.
81 have come" he said, "to re-
trieve large box which was left here
by mistake"
"Then you have come to the wrong
man." I said, boldly. "That box and
its contents are in my care"
As l spoke, to my surprise two
policemen sprang out of the shadow
of neighboring archway, and seized
the man before he had time to turn
round.
"We were given hint to keep an
eye on this house, sir-by Mr..
Holiness" one of them informed me
shortly, before they marched off to
the nearest "station" with their pris-
oner.
I Iretreated indoors and awaited de-
yelopments. Evidently ] was in for
a night of it, thought grimly.
And indeed, I had only taken half
dozen pulls at my pipe when four.
wheeler drove up. Inside were Mr..
Holmes, the detective; two policemen,
and my servant Burns with handouts
On.
''What does this mean?" I asked.
The detective came into the house
and shut the door-the cab drove of
and I mechanically followed him
into the library.
There, he turned and faced me.
"It MEANS" he said, shortly, this:
that your man servant is q member of
a dangerous secret society of an
archists. Mile. Seslegin (who is,,very
richl had bribed one of the younger
members to sell her some papers which
contained a clear and concise account
of how to set about placing bombs in
Westminster Abbey before the coming
royal marriage--in order to blow up
the whole royal party.
Zone or twice lately Mile. Seela-
gins house has been broken into, not
for purposes Of theft, but to find the
missing papers, which she had copied
and sent to the police, but kept the
originals to put the anarchists off the
scent and help the authorities to catch
them all together.
Besides she wanted to pretend she
had not given information. She
knew anarchists and their ways, and
feared their vengeance. She little
knew their skill. They contrived this
evening to enter her house, drug her
wine, and while all her servants
We're at supper they put her into this
box which they had got ready and
carried her off,
''The orders were to deliver the box
at No. l Mortimer street.
"By curious coincidence there
happened to be two Mortimer streets,
and the box was brought to the wrong
one.
"The plan was (had she been taken
to the anarchist who lives in the
other) to cross-examine her on the
subject of these papers, and then she
was to be taken out to sea and
drowned. Dead men-and women
tell no tales"
I handed him the paper I had
found.
"Yes-that is tho formal order for
her death. know their cipher we'll. "
"And Burns?" asked. "How was
it, if he was in it, that he offered
nay, went-to fetch the doctor and
you?"
"He did neither. I sent police
man for the doctor, and came of my
own accord. Mile. Seslagin's house
; ; has been watched for the last week,
for (unless she was in danger of her
life) made up my mind to wait and
catch the whole gang at No. Morti-
mer street tonight. The drivers
! ! mistake has put me out rather in my
calculations, for Burns had time to
: warn the others before I managed to
:, nab him. Meanwhile, you have indi-
> rectly saved that poor lady's life"
As he finished speaking 1 was busy
writing. 1 handed him a check.
=. "Thank you, sir; though really ]
am so pleased at to-night's work I al
most feel like refusing this"
:, ."Nonsense! Imay need you again.
Good night"
=, After that was at last allowed ia