The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-26

Il was sort or WOODEN erection
something between scaflold and
bulkhead; two great upright timbers,
wedged in tight between the ceiling
and the stone floor-might have been
support, pillarlike, for the roof or
ceiling, but we could see 1t was meant
to make some one fast to--a pair Of
stocks, you might say, or a whipping
post. And so 1t had been used, no
doubt. For there were long chain and
paddock hanging between the uprlghts
Just over low bench that served as n
seat for whoever was held there n
prisoner.
This was where the collie ragged
about most fiercely, shifting. seeming,
hunting to and fro, always under the
encouraging voice Of missy, who shout
ed, "Lu-lu-lu. good dog: find him, then.
Where is he! Out with him, Lulu"
OF course his master had been there.
None Of us had doubt of that, any
more than of the plain fact that he was
not there now. We looked at each other
blankly, after a bit, hardly knowing
what to do or say next. till miss stamp
ed her pretty foot and cried. well"
II have my suspicious" began the
sergeant, knocking his hands together
rather jovially, till the dust few out Of
his white Isle thread gloves. Its not
nil fair and square. | shall make re-
port to that effect and await instruc-
TONS"
"Pshaw" interrupted miss And
meantime Mr.. Wood may be murdered.
shall offer a reward Of $500 towhoever
ands him, but it must be within the
next "a hours"
snow you're talking" ! said hearth
~, land l don't see we gain much by
staying here. The cage is empty. and
we've got to follow the birds WHEREBY
er they've flown"
"If you'll excuse me-" said the ser
geant, who had got mighty eager when
he heard Of the reward, "the most
proper course, as l see It, is to start
from this here house. Whose is It?
Who took It? Likewise who put up this
apparatus, and why? When those ques-
tons is answered by the neighbors,
house agents, tradesmen and such like,
we may come to lay our fingers on
them as Is responsible for this here
business"
"You had better do all that, then"
said the general, very disconnected,
"and l shall 60 to New Scotland Yard
to the fountain head. There's more in
this than you buffers seem to think.
I'VE want the best man they've got, II
real detective, to take up the case"
This was aimed at me. 1t was un-
kind, you'll say. But after all how
much had l done and where was boy
Joe?
"Its not like him." was saying half
to myself as we stood together, miss
and |, while she was taking the rib
bons and with one neat brown shoe on
the step was just getting into her cart.
"Either he's been caught spylng--and
that's not like him--or he's hanging on
to their heels like bird lime. But
What In thunder's thatY
saw some rough writing In white
chalk upon the gate, and an arrow fig
~ured there with the point toward Lon
don:
Cooked It. Follerin on. JOE.
They were as plain as print, so was
their meaning, and l pointed out the
words triumphantly to Miss Fairholme.
Il knew that boy wouldn't fail me.
He's got grit, he has. Some day he'll
be able to teach me my business
81 wish he would begin soon." said
miss peevlshly. Its always the same
story. Some day, one day, next day,
never. And all this time he-poor Cap
tain Wood-is"-
With that she gave her pony a smart
cut with her thong, and the beast, near
ly springing through his collar, started
off like mad thing, with the other
mad beast of dog yelping and
screeching and jumping up at his muz.
zle or trying to bite at his heels. The
general also gave me a contemptuous
good day and, springing on to his
"bike" like boy, went off at a real
right down scorching pace after the
buggy.
expect that is the last shall see Of
her, for she never took card of mine
or asked where she could find ME
again, and I've fully made up my mind
that never so long as live will hunt
after her. When Joe reappears, us l
tell you, gentlemen, most confidently
expect he will at any moment and
with important news, so that can
pick up fresh threads, I'll do the next
Job alone. | don't want no highfalutin
young duchesses treating one like dirt,
for true born American citizen is as
good as any emperor, let alone pert
mink with ever SO pretty face. We
shall see. If there was no better rea-
son than the wish to humble her, l
mean to see the thing right through to
the very end.
CHAPTER VI.
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