Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-01-31
Copyright 1900, by II. F. Fenno & c..

MA IA 1 !. ]:
tUR 6RlFFl'TtfS.
r. f. Fenno & c.. {
I. + + I. 81
down the llensington road, losing my
distance, of course, Very fast. by the
time | reached High street l had lost
The cab.
But a man at an early coffee stall
had seen ii pass, holding straight on
The main road toward Holland House
| heard of it again at st. Mary Abboti's
terrace, and was told that it had turned
Up Addison road. traced it by Hoi-
and road to Shepherds Bush Green,
and there Il herring WAS drawn across
the scent.
WAS ON the track now of two cabs,
one going by the Shepherd's Bush or
llNbridge road, the other by the Starch
sreen road. | followed the first, and
drew blank. 1t was a nghthawk 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 /
could see he was speaking truth, for
his horse had not turned Il hair.
j then went back to the Starch
Green road, asking all and several for
my galioping hanson cab. There We're
Very few people about at this early
hour. only the policemen, and they
looked Very shy at my tramps clothes,
giving TO answer. At last couple of
decent farm folk, bringing in milk told
me they had passed hanson with
worn horse ON the far side of Ham
inersmith bridge, in the district of
Barnes.
6y the time / reached the Strathallar
road it WAS broad daylight. j foarld
Il long road of detached villa houses,
each In it's own garden, many With
stables adjoining. l figured it 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 no more be
seen when the coach house door ciosel
behind him, and no one, neither this
ncishbors nor the police, would be bit
the wiser as to what mischief was be-
ing 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 We're the new tracks of wheel
marked plainly in the thick lying SUM
mer dust. ! could not discover which
were the most recent. but | carefully
noted the numbers of these houses,
meaning to put a 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 L
could get telegram through BY the
time he arrived l had narrowed my in
ves,igations to q single point for fur
Their observation
The day had SO far advanced that
the business of life was wei! begun. |
saw The blinds drawn UP in two of the
houses the front doors opened, the
women help busy shaking tho mas;
and washing down the stcops. Pres
entity 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 u starving
man who had been out all night. An
this while the third house remained
q ID. hermeticall. sealed. 1T MIS-
Closed up, tight shattered, not a sign
OF life in it. When ] reached my loag-
ings in Norfolk street / was pretty wen
washed out. But turned in for an
hour, and at 10 n. II. woke much re-3
freshed. AS | dressed With care po.l-
dered despiy over this business and the
course that I should adopt. My Fir
and most urgent duty w2s to secure tis
release OF Mi. Wood. always surprising
tina my gentleman was the person ac-
tually carried off in be cab AT pre-
ent had TX. .,z:--..'s tf of this, only a bit
more ihaa efscii; suspicion I6t If 1
could ascertain that he had not re-
turned home should be justified in
taking surlfise for fact.
First ] vent 10 Charges street. The
man there remembered nc, but looked
strangely when 1 Inquired for Captain
Wood.
You have not heard the news, them"
he sa.a
What in thunder is there to hear
more than | have to tell youo" I asked,
nettled at thinking some one was be-
fore me.
Why. that the captain has met with
an accident. lie slipped up somehow
last night or early this morning and
hurt himself badly"
Who told you that story? DO you
believe jt2"
II believe the captains own hand
writing"
What did he say exactlya" / was
quite taken aback. as you may suppose,
but DID not want To SHOW it too much.
"Iiere, read it for yourself. It's not
All his own, of couise. aud you will UNI
Gerstand Why. But that's his name at
the bottom there sure enough
1t was written on good gray note pa
per, in a fair running hand, ana IL
said:
'saNory, I've Come 10 grief driving
nome. Horse Slipped upon the curb.
and l was thrown out of the cab. some.
Kind people picked ,no up and are talk
ing good care OF me- But shan't be
able to move hand or foot for som.
days. Send me by bearer po,t,narteo;,
OF thinss-sl,irts. dressing grown, ait
toes chce lsbook. letters, papers and ll.c