The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-02-02

A1eA1L IHdI Ills announcement CalleQ up,
and so fearful vas I lest my voice might
betray me, that I made no answer, but
followed him in silence to the smoke
room.
An hour before I met this man I had
been full of hope, and now unless I
could shake him off, I had not the
slightest chance of communicating with
Anguish, and unless I did so he would
be utterly in the dark as to my where,
abouts, n might naturally imagine
that I had met with foul play. And,
indeed, at first, as I made a rapid ment-
al survey of the situation, tt occurred
to me that this might easily happen;
but before I was halfway through with
my cigar I reflected that D'Orvflle had
made no secret of the fact that I was to
meet him-at least I new that he had
not lone so to Mr.. C~ourtney-and that
if I disappeared he would certainly be
Intercepted. @
If I went the length Of Withdrawing
from the undertaking now I should i'm
mediately become a suspect, and should
I call in the aid Of the authorities and
have D'Orvil1e arrested T must make
some specific charge; and the news of
his arrest and the reason thereof
would bring down upon me the veng-
eance of the remainder Of the gang.
And I felt that this would reach me, no
matter how I might be guarded; and so
I went On, desperate as matters seemed,
and trusted to Providence to provide
me with some opportunity of writing q
few lines or sending a telegram to the
address that Anguish had given me.
We took train at Waterloo, but never
for one moment did D'Orville lose sight
of me, and as soon as we arrived at
Southampton we found a carriage
awaiting us, and into it he hurried me,
and we were driven away rapidly. I
was altogether in his power now.
What would he do with me? The pace
was too rapid to permit of conversation,
but as we whirled along in the waning
light I caught sight of the water, and
when this had vanished n the woods
had been on each side of us for some
space, we drove up an venue to a
large house.
"Here we are," said D'Orville. Jump
down and come with me. I should like
to have a few minutes chat before we
begin business" "
I followed him up a broad staircase,
and we found ourselves in a well-lit,
cheerful room.
'Take that CHAIR" said he; and when
we had made ourselves comfortable, he
went on: 1--WE are obliged to act with
the greatest caution. The house we are
in has been taken for a fortnight, but
our occupation Of it will be of the
briefest. We shall be here tonight and
gone tomorrow. You are, about to take
,,~@vo xvo,,rco1r a vonsf S01oynn ~rQcnnnHfs
bility and in a most solemn manner,
but that need have no terrors for you IT
you are true to us and your heart is In
the right place."
I remembered the mummery and so
forth that he had spoken of to the
worthy Sweeney, and however much
solemnity they might impart into the
ceremony of installation, I should put it
down at its own valuation.
"Now," he went On, "before you go
any further, tell me whether you have
any scrples about becoming n of us.
If you have, and you wish to retire.
now is the time to do 1t. In less h a
an hour it will be impossible. Say the
word, and The carriage that brought
you here shall take you back to South
ampton."
"I don't know why you should harp
on such a string" I said. II have gone
so far now that o ought to know
that I intend to go through with the
matter. Let me ask you, on my side,
whether you think I shall be a useless
member?"
"Perish the thought" he said, gaily.
And now T must leave you for a while.
You will shortly be summoned to the
Presence Follow your guide and do
exactly as you are told"
With that he left me.
Elm minutes or SO might have passed
and I employed the time in examining
the place closely-when a figure, wrap
ped in a long cloak, and wearing a
mask solemnly stalked in, and, standing
still a few seconds. to impress me the
more, as I supposed, uttered the words.
Follow mel" in a deep, sepulchral n
We passed along a passage to a door
at the far end. Three knocks were CIV
en-. and scarcely had the third sounded
when the door few open and we were
admitted.
I was left standing close by the en-
trance, while the individual who had
guided me so far slipped quietly to the
chair that was placed at the end of the
half-circle Of seats, in which, wrapped
in long cloaks and a profound silence,
sat eleven other persons.
.The mystic number is made up"
said one Of the twelve, in a deep voice.
1--WE are now thirteen. Let the rules OF
the Ragged Thirteen be read to him
who would boone one Of us, to aim who
may not leave this room alive unless he
subscribes to our regulations"
Andsthen in basso profundo a rigma-
role Of laws was read to me. to not
of which did I pay any attention.
though the penalty Of death for h In
fringeinent Of this, that or the other
was srepeatd with tiresome iteration. l
signedEa document with,a pen dipped in
4 fluid supposed to be blood. The lights
were lowered. The men gathered round.
me. and drew the swords, which up
till now had been concealed, and ais the
blades clashed above my head, I under
stood clearly how helpless ! was. did
they mediate mischief. And when the
Wild dance, that I was sure had been
improvised for my benefit, was finished,
they glidedS back to- their chairs, and I
was informed that / was now 9 number
OF the society.
"Youu have not seenthe faces Of your
fellows. and you do not know their
names. said the Z who had nrst