The Princeton union., 1900-11-22
GIRL
Of GRIT.
=: :: BY MAJOR ARTHUR GRIFFlTNS.
Copyright, 1900, by f. +. Ftrtno c: Go.

BY the time I reached the Strathallan
road it was broad daylight. I fouaiu
long road Of detached villa houses.
each in it's own garden, many with
stables adjoining. [ figured it out, as
I walked up and down this road twice,
that one OF these cottages was just
suited for the purpose OF scqucstratinG
Captain Wood, il he could be got
to it. He could be driven straight into
fhe stable yard; the cab would be no
more seen when the coach house door
closed behind him, and no one. neither
the ncighbors nor the police, would be
bit the wiser as to what mischief
was being worked inside.
1t took me just two hours to examine
the entrance gates Of every villa house
with stables in that road. In three
Of them there were the new tracks of
wheels marked plainly in the thick
lying summer dust. l could not dis
cover which were the most recent, but
carefully noted the numbers Of these
houses, meaning to put q watch upon
them all.
l called up the boy Joseph Walls, a
very smart young squire, too, from
the office in Norfolk street, as soon as
1 could get q telegram through. BY
the time he arrived had narrowed my
Investigations to Il single point for
further observation.
The day had so far advanced that
the business Of life was we'll begun. l
saw the blinds drawn up in two Of the
houses, the front doors opened, the
women helps busy shaking the mats
and washing down the stoops. Pres
emily some of the young folks ram out
into the gardens, and could see the
family gatherings round the breakfast
tables, from which on the early morn
ing air came the smell Of hot coffee and
English breakfast bacon. with the
temptation of Tantalus for starving
man who had been out all night. All
this while the third house remained
closed, hermetically sealed. 1t was
closed up, tight shuttered. not sign
ings in Norfolk street / was pretty
we'll washed out. But I turned in for
an hour and at 10 q. N. woke much
refreshed. As dressed with care
pondercd deeply over this business
and the course that | should adopt.
My first and most urgent duty was to
secure the release Of MIR. Wood, always
supposing that my gentleman was the
person actually carried off in the cab.
AT present l had no certainty OF this,
only bit more than strong suspicion.
Yet if I could ascertain that he had
not returned home I should be JUST.
fed in taking surmise for fact.
First l went to Charges street. The
man there remembered me, but looked
strangely when l inquired for Cap
tain Wood.
"You have not heard the news, then p
he said.
"What in thunder is there to hear
more than I have to tell you?" asked,
nettled at thinking some one was be-
fore me.
"Why, that the captain has met with
an accident. He slipped up somehow
last night or early this morning and
hurt himself badly
"Who told you that story? Do you
believe it:''
II believe the captains own hand
writing"
What did he say exactly?' l was
quite taken aback, us you may sup
pose, but did not want to show it too
much.
Here, read it for yourself. It's no1
all his own, of course, and you will I'LL
DIT l.
The bottom there sure enough
1t was written on good gray note pa
per in q fair running hand, and it said
savory, I've come to grief driving home. lIors
slipped upon the curb, and ! was thrown out Z
the cab. Some kind people picked up an
taking good Of But shaat b
able to move hand OF foot for sor1e days. Sen
me by bearer portmanteau Of things-shirts, dress
ing gown, dittoes chcckbook. letters, papers an
the rest. Yours, ". A. WooD
TIA Labu1nuln Street, Harrow Road.
And you sent them? How?'
by the cab that brought the letter.
"Why didn't you go with them your
self?'
II thought Of it certainly, and wisl
1had."
You may we'll wish that. And now
IL you will be guided by me, you'll s
and find out 17A Laburnum stree
right away, if there's any such place a
all"
"Oh, but there is. It's in the direct
ery''
lis that SO? Well, if you come acros
Mr.. Wood there I'll run you for mex
president Of the United States. You'v
got just the face for postage stamp
What In the name Of conscienc
dye mean? What's 'appened to hin
thenY'
Its my opinion that Captain Woo
has fallen among thieves, brigand
worse-ruffians, who'll hold him to raj
som for blackmail, rob, murder hin
God knows what, unless some Of ,
can circumvent their blackguard m
neuvers. And l am going to try.
don't believe in cab accidents and L
burnum streets. You may, so you
better go and judge for YOURSELF
But he was not going to find him
Laburnum street. was pretty sure
that, but it was right to look there {
u.