Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-01-06
IB GRACE
BY MRSyC. N. WILLIAMSON.
Author Of 'gThe Baln storners, "The Woman in Grey,
"Fortune's Sport "The House by the Lock"
IA Man From the Dark, Lady Mary
of the Dark House." "Her
Royal Highness" etc.
Royal Highness" etc.

occupied by the voyage. one OF the
shortest trips on record, though an in
terminable time to the dark-faced old
man who had industric;,sly earned the
nickname of the Deck-pacer." One
more day and a night had taken him
from New York to Chicago, where he
had some reason to expect that he
might come across trail, the scent OF
which he had never for long allowed
himself to lose. Fortunately, his ex-
pectations were partially fulfilled.
A detective agency, various branches
of whose firm he had employed for
years upon the same business, had
something to tell him, though their
tidings were of nature not wholly
pleasing. Still, there was the comfort
ing reflection that things might have
been worse; and on the strength of
what he had heard, he had almost i'm
mediately proceeded to Joliet, a town
which would probably have failed to
achieve historical distinction were it
not widely known for it's connection
with the large and commodious"
State prison.
Not one hours delay for the sake Of
rest had Savernake allowed himself,
and it was scarcely to be wondered at
that he had now arisen at the I'M
natural hour of seven, with much the
sensation of one whose muscles have
been stretched upon the rack. He was
carefully shaver and dressed, however,
and there was that in his appearance
which aroused interest and attention
of such inhabitants of Joliet as chanc-
ed to see him. There was no mistak-
ing him for anything in the world but
an Englishman, and he was the in
carnate ideal to the ingenious Joliet
ians of what a British Earl should
be.
AS the clock struck, he took out his
| watch and consulted it with anxiety,
for business, not idle inclination, had
I brought the elderly sybarite out at this
unwonted hour. Half-past seven. Yes,
the Joliet clock was right, because it
agreed with the infallible.
A cab-or, in Joliet parlanoe, r.
''hack"-had been ordered for him
overnight. The smell of the vehicle
was musty, but the protection of it's
| closed top was agreeable. Savernake
J ieant back upon the moth-eaten cush-
ions, and endeavored to compose his
mind. He had usually little difficulty
! in doing so, even on the eve of various
great crises through which in his
somewhat chequered career he had
passed, but to-day was an exception.
Perhaps his physical condition, conse-
quent upon over-exertion at his time
of life, had something to say to 1t, but
Savernake could hardly persuade him
self-though he tried-that the siren
uous beating of his seasoned heart.
nerves, could be thus explained away.
The fact was that he was laboring
under intensest excitement His head
throbbed, and there was a knot in his
throat, with a Qualmishness which
called to mind the first day on ship
board of a traveller less hardened than
he. Had he been a woman. he might
have wrung his hands, and broken out
into the relief of hysterical cries and
laughter But being what he was, he
reclined against his hired cushions;
and only the constant beating of a
thick vein in his temples betrayed the
storm raging within.
Presently he drew from the breast of
his coat a wallet-like pocket-book, and
selected from among its contents a
small unmounted photograph. 1t had
evidently been taken as a snapshot
by the diminutive but effective instru-
ment known as detective camera, "
| DE GIANT.