Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-05

lie was conscious that his feet
crunched upon gravel paths which
wound in and out among shrubbery,
for the branches frequently brushed
against him, and once he thought it
probable that he was again within the
secluded garden of the Tacubaya gam
bling house. This illusion was soon dis
PEELED, however, for after passing
across an extended court that was flag
ged with stone and thence into a sec
ond shrubbed and graveled Enclosure
he was directed to mount n flight OF
three steps, and he knew that he en-
tered an apartment Of some kind.
There was the yielding touch Of soft
carpeting under his tread. and the
warm air was quite in contrast with
the chill without. He was hidden cour-
tcously to wait one moment and WIS
left standing in the middle Of the floor
lie heard the sound made by a closing
door, and after what seemed an inter-
minable period, although it could not
have been more than n minute or two,
he attempted to relieve himself of the
binding scrape.
There was no resistance. and upon
casting it aside he discovered that he
was alone. His conductor had disap-
peared.
For moment he stared around him
in amaZcment. This was certainly not
the sort Of treatment he had expected.
He began to think that perhaps they
were not bandits after all; the sur
roundings of that moment did not sug-
gest such an explanation. The room
was richly, even luxuriously, furnish
ed. and his first quick glance told him
that 1t was the favOrte living room Of
lady; the pictures on the walls, the
chairs, the piano and the books that
Uttered the table all assured him II
that much. The wide, low window,
through which he believed he had en-
tered the room, was open. Not so the
iron bars that protected it. but they
told him nothing. since every house In
Mexico has its windows so furnished.
lie peered out through the grating, but
he could see nothing except the out
lines of tall trees showing against the
sky. There was nothing by which he
could determine his locality. so he turn
/ ed back into the room again and cross
ed to the table, where one Of the lamps
with which the apartment was sup
piled was burning. His glance rested
upon slip Of paper with writing upon
it. and he read these words:
| Senior Pendeton-It you are nystiAed concern.
/ ing the events of this evening, read the letter
that last came into your possession.
/ There was no signature but he rec
oGnizcd the chirography as the same
as that he had received early in the
day calling him to Tacubaya. and he
added mentally. where | was fool
enough to so to be trapped by a wo-
man"
His cigars were intact and he light
ed one. Then. after arranging the lamp
more to his purposes. he dropped into
an easy chair near the table. produced
the letter which had been given to him
by his companion in the summer
house. broke the seal and began:
crave your pardon, Senior Pcndleton for the
indignity that | am forced to thrust upon YOU.
have determined to prevent the meeting between
| you and Captain Romero, and as | have hope
that you will consent to abandon all thought Of
nave ptepa,,u ,his III an'l',pa'lon OF your
necessnry,that is, only little longer for it
Sar "D so,,;sh, w. .ns w. b uu',nS ' ,c
| the duration Of your imprisonment. In the
meantime you will be left entirely alone. Your
room Is suppNea WIN every necessity you VIII
,oon as Won have nac,d the serane over yonr h., .d
SO that you can see nothing, you will be taken
back TO the city, or at least as far as Fl Cabilto
' ,''a. ~ ~ su.' INTENTION" 70 'y'ur
not be able TO lherate Won soon enough for won te
carry out your plan. The train leaves three hour,
TOO carry Tor that' But you need not be pre-
Tho othsr rn,G - ro,, vii ,.,'n a't y,
address on the table. will communicate viii
you again; also. should you care to communicate
orI .jra, - - t .'' -. A.~' $50.
do,, !. yin Ia jo,;,o.o, =, go a.
. van In n f,lsa ,,s.,;o, aonro..;r .i a., w
your ,r,sc,I;n, ooroo,,,;o ~, ho,,e, ,sr as.,'.,
Won TIM, tho doy vii co,ro vhcn ,o,, Vii &c.,,
mo for what I have doro 70 tho onnortur;,y -,
ours Will sign this letter as did the one thai
,Io 800 you ~ aIeupayS one VINO prefers '0
way C.,v,v
pondIoton ro,dod Tho ,.++or ord 70
turned If 10 his nocket Tbon bo IDOL, od
ot biS y,,,h ord d,soovorod .,,,t I,
""' no' 'r. iniol'lSn.' Aiter 'l''l liz
P"cc" .'oo''is up anu oo"h 'he room