Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-02-09

pulous foes had got him into their tolls
I was now amazed with the breadth,
the boldness of their scheme. 1t was
as clear to me as IL 1 had seen it all In
print. To seize, seauestrate, securely
hold their prisoner, with heaven knows
what added III usage-it might be
make away with him utterly--while his
double, some cleverly set up second
self, their puppet or confederate, per-
sonated him, acted for him, making
ducks and brakes Of his fortune, &C
curing every red cent tina was nova
bic and within reach, without fear of
interference or rctribution, provided
only they kept fast hold of their prey.
How far was it In my power to meet
and Illustrate these ~felonious but as
tutely planned measures? At least l
had n or two threads, one or two
clues. in my hand.
| believed that | could exactly locate
the present place of Captain Woods
detention. ] knew the very house or it's
outbuildiDgs in which he was impris-
oned. To get him out must be my next
job. IL he were once free, much mis-
chief, the worst certainly, might be
prevented. But whether he were inn
mediately released or not it was of lit
tie less Importance TO follow up his per-
secutors to ascertain what they were
doing and work to counterfeit and de-
feat them.
Three Of them, at least, l had heard
OF, thanks TO my friend at the consu-
late, two by name and clear identity.
The third should be discovered through
the other two.
My next moves were clearly and i'm
peratlvely marked GU for me.
AS / DaSSa1 alpnp tba GfranI I nallaI
mat Norfolk street. No sign froIu 10,
seph, SO all was presumably without
change in the S~trathallan road. Next
10 Charges street.
Time was getting on. Close on 3 p.
M. and nothing done as yet i'm Mr..
Woods behalf. | was impatient, eager
TO act for him, and yet | knew / must
proceed regularly. The man Savory
had returned, and / knew by his face
that he had drawn blank in Laburnum
street. or course no Mr.. Wood was
there. ] did not require to be told that.
Savory was also satisfied now, a good
deal on the evidence Of the collie dog
which he had taken with him.
Master Willie was nowhere on the
premises. Roy will answer for that. l
told him TO go look although the
woman Of the place-it was a sort of
second rate lodging house-called him
a dreadful dog and tried TO stop him.
Itoy's teeth helped him to quest right
through the house.
Fine fellow! Wen take him with
us to look for Mr.. Wood. Eth, Roy?"
He was like a Christian, that dog,
for he made friends at vlce, wagged
his tail n put his nose in my hand.
When Savory added on some gibberish
with "ullooloolOO, go search, Roy" he
first howled and yelped, then ran up
and down the hall entry like a mad
thing.
where are we going, sir?" asked
Savory, growing respectful as he rec
ognized my authority.
"To Scotland Yard straight. They
wouldn't listen to me this morning.
Now perhaps What have you got
there?"
ITS a letter, sir, brought by hand
half an hour ago for Mr.. Wood, marked
Very Immediate Dye see? But--you
wouldn't surely.
This was In alarmed protest as l was
about to break the seal.
Wouldn't / though? Why. it's a
question of life n death with Captain
Wood. Anything and everything that
Is likely to help US must be made use
Of. l stand on that, and here goes"
But just as | was about to open the
letter we we're interrupted by the ar
rival OF a tall, military looking gentle
man, with a fierce face and a very hec-
toring, ~oVcrbearing manner. We were
standing i'm the hallway, the man Sa-
worry and |, for although he knew what
my business was he did not trust me
enough to let me go upstairs. The
front door was just ajar, he inside and
/ still on the stoop, when this high
~falutin, masterful sort Of gentleman
came up and said to both of us:
rs this where Captain Wood lives?
Look sharp. l want to know"
There was a shortness I'm his tone and
manner which, being a free born Amer
lean, l could not stomach at all. He
might a been a slave driver talking
to black Africans, and / looked at him
in n way to warn him not TO raise my
dander.
Come, speak out. Which Is the man
Of the house? Is Captain Wood in? ]
must see him at once. l am Sir Charles
Collingham."
At this Savory bowed low. They are
a mean, %lickspittle lot, these Britishers,
when there's any talk of titles or big
toads in their puddles.
Yes, yes, Sir Charles; quite so. /
know you now. But Captain Wood is
not In"
Where shall / find him? l must see
him at once. 1t is a matter OF duty.
Where is hc?'
That's just what we want to know"
l put in. 1t puzzles us entirely. He
has got into some mess somewhere, and
we can't tell for certain what has hap
pened to him or where to find him"
And who the devil are o pray?"
asked my gentleman insolcntly. And
what in heavens name have you to do
..I L =. ~ - -, aA- -. ---
lean, l perceive"
WAL, that's so, and what difference
does that make? Amt | good enough
to know Captain Wood or for you to
talk to?" He had pretty we'll raised my
dander this time.
'Pshaw! I've nothing to say to you.
i don't know YOU, and l don't want to
know you, and you may go to the devil
your own road as soon as you please"
And, without waiting for more, he
brushed past me, pushing Savory aside,
and saying:
II must go up to his rooms. There
are some papers up there / want. Show
the way, please" and he ran upstairs.
OF course j followed. l was as much
concerned about Captain Wood as he
was. Besides, l felt it due to myself,
respect and position as one of your
trusted agents to call this over
bearing Britisher to account
The new visitor, General Sir Charles
Collingham, as L presently heard he
was called, was the first in the room,
and he went straight to the bureau or
e%scritoire, at which l expect Captain
Wood did his writing business. The
general fell upon the papers and turned
them over with much haste and excite
ment. Then he turned to SaVory and
said In the same peremptory tone:
Where is the dispatch box from my
office, sent here last night? i don't see
1t. Fetch it, will you?"
But it went to the captain this
morning, Sir Charles, with his port
and other things
Great powers! How could IT when
you don't know where he is?"