Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-02-23
"A GIRL E GRIT.
BY MAJOR ARTHUR GRIFFITHS.
Copyright 1906. by r. f. Fenno & Co.
BY MHJOR ARTHUR GRlFFlTHS.
Copyright, 1900, by n. F. Fenno & c..

- ~ ~ y ttN Dit
Joe continued. THE boss ere had only
told me to watch. saying IL vas a cross
job, but he mentioned 10 So !
UPS and asks, Is hat Mr.. Wood?' and
/ could "a sworn that the bundle
moved, and there was struggling like
inside"
Gagged, Of course, put in the Amer,
team.
Joe went on. Anyway, 1 am his
friend. she says i don't mean h
shall come TO harm. And l want him
the bundle moved again-'him and
Others TO know that, and I'd like you
to tell EN- so when you get out Of this
mess 'When'n that be?' / asks, a lit
tie bit on the hump, you know. Now,
II you're game TO hop out, I'm not a
going TO stop you and she was for
turning OF the handle then and there.
But 1 considered a bit, and the
thought came In my head that now I'd
got ere l had ought to stick ere. There
was the gentleman opposite meas |
judged-and If | was to do any service
to him 'twasn't by cutting away I'd
got to see the thing right through
where they topls him, what they did to
him, who andb@hat they We're"
You're a brave lad" / said, stretch
ing out and shaking hands with him,
and indeed ] should have liked to hug
him, dusty and dirty as he was.
Thank you kindly, miss" he an
swered shyly. and went on. The only
way out Of 1t was to say / was afeard
to jump. The cove on the box was
a watching me. says, and a lot more.
Then the carriage settled 1t by turning
Ia n 1870 IA 81 a L. % n1nLA 20
looked like, but they gave me no time
TO spy, for the feller from the box came
down directly we stopped and had me
out In a jiffy.
Ere he says, we've got first TO
do with you. Lay hold on him. Then
two other chaps grabs mt by the arms
and rushcs me head down, jam, ram,
straight INTO a dark hole that smelled
OF moldy straw and ga~rbage-some
sort Of cellar-where they locked a
door on me, and l was laid up In limbo
like a rat in Il trap.
1T took me half an hour or so to
shake myself together. First thing
that gave me heart was a streak Of
daylight up atop of the calabooSe, and
when ! struck a match ] found 1t
coined through an old iron grating,
which / soon overhauled. 'Tworn't set
w Aibl NildN 4 NohAhA4 \ D''Ll 4ODHNAA a
brick, although / tore my hands a bit
before ! got the thing right out. Then
I'd a job 10 lift myself up by my arms,
but I'm strong in the arms, and by and
by / scrambled through that grating
that's what tore my clothes-and out
on to the yard above. 1t was the one
as we'd druv into-a stable yard at
the back of n tall house ali shut up,
windows shattered, blinds down. No
one at home, you'd say. The stables
was empty-no horses, helpers, no
traps. / couldn't find that the stables
Joined on t. the house neither, but !
Judged It was better not to hang about
tool ong or they'd be coping me again.
So l makes for the yard doors. They
was only barred on the inside, and 1
got out right enough into the back
lane. That's about all. / coined on
then straight to you, SIR, to make my
report"
You were In n monstrous hurry"
said Colonel Rannister, why didn't
you mark down the house, the neigh
borhood, the exact spot?'
Mr.. SnuyZer took his part. Joe
knows his business; yes, sir, rs we'll
as the best professionals. Tell us,
joe"
The stable was in Fcathcrstone
news, No. Z. To make sure / chalked
on the doors. The stables
was at the back OF Featherstone gar
and belonged, l should say, to
No. ="
In a few minutes more we had
in cabs-I In a hanson with
Sir Charles-straight for Featherstona
gardens. Roy came with US. We were
the first to arrive, but the others had
gone round, escorted by Joe, to the
of the house so as to verify the
and the situation exactly. When
they joined us at the entrance OF the
gardens, Colonel Bannister, who nov
took the lead, dismissed the cabs and
said in his brief, ordering sort OF way:
I'VE can't all go up to the house. 1t
might create a scandal. The whole
thing may be a mistake. I'll take this
lad first. He may perhaps identify
somebody, and then we shall be enti-
tied TO act"
And me, please" / added. ooh, yes,
Indeed, Colonel Bannister, / shall 60,
He shrugged his shoulders, and we
three, with Roy close at my heels, soon
stood on the doorstep Of No. Z. The
house was all shut up. the chain was
on the door, and we waited a long time
some one inside fumbled with It
several bolts.
Wei, what Is it," asked an old man
who at last opened the door, but held
L ajar. He was Of very respectable
appearance, with white hair under a
skullcap. and wore a decent blue
and white striped jacket. the type OF
IN old servant In a good family. May
Inquire
1--WE wish to see your master" said
he colonel promptly.
Il am afraid that is impossible, sir"
the man civilly. The family
gone out of town. The luke left
yesterday for Spain"
THE duke?"
The duke Of TERRA Sagrada. He
S my master, sir. If you will leave
o him, or any letter. / have his adj
I'm Spain?"
Certainly. sir. Casa Huerta Her
nosa, st. Sebastian. They have gone
the seaside. No, plcase"-this was
o me, for / was quietly trying TO get
Roy past him into the house-"that
log mustn't come IN. My orders are
trict against dogs"
Call him back. Miss Fairholmc, at
'nce," said the colonel In u tone which
resented, but he cut me quite short.
This farce has gone far enough. l
wash my hands OF It. Good night
his TO the old manservant as we
away. and If you will be
'uided by me, Miss Fairholme, you
iii do the same. It's all humbug from
TO last, l give you my word. l DO
.ot believe one syllable OF this story,
kept perhaps about the papers, and
ven then l am not quite satisfied, for
hey were Sent to Captain Wood in the
ispatch box. That we know"
but. not at Captain Woods re-
] said hurriedly.
His man thinks not, and l admit
box was not specifically mentioned
4 the letter, but the letter, said pa
ers and the expression was seeming
Y II that Wood used, for the man,
s a matter of course. sen the dispatch