The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-22

time ! reaCneO alsn street ndu AOst
the cab.
But q man at an early coffee stall
had seen 1t pass, holding straight on
the main road toward Holland House.
l heard Of it again at st. Mary Alb
bott's terrace, and was told that it had
turned up Addison road. traced 1t
by Holland road to Shepherds Bush
Green, and there a herring was drawn
across the scent.
was on the track now Of two cabs,
one going by the Shepherds Bush or
Uxbridge road, the other by the Starch
Green road. l followed the first, and
drew blank. 1t was nighthawk work.
Ing home to his stables, and where, by
and by, caught the chap settling into
his crib. He swore he hadn't had
fare for the last two hours, and I
could see he was speaking truth, for
bis horse had not turned a hair.
/ went back then to the Starch
Green road, asking all and several for
my galloping hanson cab. There were
very few people about at this early
hour, only the policemen, and they
looked very shy at my tramp's clothes,
giving no answer. At last couple Of
decent farm folk bringing in milk told
me they had passed hanson with a
worn horse on the far side OF Ham
mersmith bridge, in the district Of
Barnes.
BY the time reached the Strathallan
road 1t was broad daylight. found
long road of detached villa houses,
each in its own garden, many with
stables adjoining. I figured 1t out, as
walked up and down this road twice,
that one of these cottages was just
suited for the purpose of sequestrating
Captain Wood, If he could be got
to it. He could be driven straight into
the stable yard the cab would be no
more seen when the coach house door
closed behind him, and no one, neither
the neighbors nor the police, would be
n 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. could not dis
cover which were the most recent, but
l carefully noted the numbers of these
houses, meaning to put watch upon
them all.
called up the boy Joseph Walls, a
very smart young squire, too, from
the office In Norfolk street, as soon as
could get telegram through. BY
the time he arrived had narrowed my
Investigations to a single point for
further observation.
The day had so far advanced that
the business of life was well 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 ran 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 n starving
man who had been out all night. All
this while the third house remained
; closed, Theoretically sealed. 1t was
closed up, tight suffered, not a sign
of life in it. When ! reached my lodg-
lngs In Norfolk street l was pretty
well washed out. But turned in for
an hour and at 10 a. m. woke much
refreshed. As I dressed with care l
pondered deeply over this business
and the course that | should adopt.
! My first and most urgent. duty was to
secure the release of Mr.. Wood, always
supposng 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 justi'
: fed in taking surmise for fact.
First i 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, Them
he said.
what In thunder is there to hear
more than have to tell you" l asked
I 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"
r "Who told you that story? Do yor
e believe it?'
| II believe the captains own hand
{ writing"
, what did he say exactly" I was
, quite taken aback. as you may sup
pose, but did not want to show it toe
= much.
Here, read II for yourself. It's moi
all his own, Of course, and you will I'M
e derstand why. But that's his name al
y che bottom there sure enough"
1t was written on good gray note pa
per in fair running hand, and it said:
savory. I've come to grief driving home. Hors
slipped upon the curb, and l was thrown out o
the cab. Some kind people picked me up ant
| are taking good care Of me- But ! shan't b
able to move hand or foot for some days Sem
me by bearer portmanteau Of things-shirts, dress
Ing gown, dittoes, checkbook. letters, papers AM
the rest, Yours W. A. WooD.
TIA Laburnum Street, Harrow Road.
"And you sent them? How%
"By the cab that brought the letter.
"Why didn't you 60 with them your
selfT'
~ thought of 1t certainly, and I wlsl
had"
"You NAV well wish that, And now