Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-11-06
not dare harm The girl himself, for


Heap like Chinaman's Joss. Velly
smart. Much pay"
He fumbled under his peculiar,
shirtlike garment, and from some CO.
pacious pocket produced fat pocket
book. He counted ont five ten-dollar
bills and handed them to me. I put
them in my pocket as if that sort OF
thing were an everyday sort of occur
renee.
When I walked down the stairs to
the door, rau the gantlet of the same
curious eyes that I had when l came
in. One brought my hat, neatly
brushed. Another brought my mack
intosh-or, rather, Phister's--care
fully feeling of Its ample folds to as
sure himself that it was dry.
The storm had abated. / stood a
moment on the threshold, and then
passed out. The Chinaman wits.
pered behind me:
''Dloctor not say anything bout
this. Savee, dloctor?'
No sooner were the words uttered
than [ began to regret my ill-consid-
cred resolve. could have pounded
myself for a fool because | had not
acted on my first impulse, and wrestei
the girl from the brute by force aad
dragged her from the house. 1t was
now fearfully apparent that the gil,
instead of being the wife of the China.
man, was the victim, or the intended
victim, of the foulest system of or
gained KIDNAPPING ever in existence.
NY heart beat furiously with rage as
| realized how I had been dnped.
But the door was slammed in my face.
and I stood alone i'll the darkness.
Nothing was left then but to follow
the plan had formed inside. This
was to reach the highest police au.
thorities to be found at that hour OF
the night, and to plainly lay the case
before them.
10 do this properly it became nee
essary to fix upon something by which
| could identity the house. SO far as
| could tell in the black darkness that
surrounded me, there was nothing
about the exterior of that house to
distinguish it from dozen Others
around it. The same somber fronts,
the same heavy outlines doomed I'D
before me on both sides of the streets.
After spell of INDIGESTION.
another spark Of genius seized
upon me. A thought struck me
that seemed to me to be partic'
ularly bright and happy. With
out moving from in front of the
house. | fumbled in my pockets for a
string or something of that kind. L
had purchased bookcase for my
library a day or two before, and had
measured the corner into which 1t was
to go with piece OF tape. This tape
| had forgotten; but now, to my great
Joy, [ discovered it in my coat-pocket.
/ drew it forth, and breathed bIesA-
ing upon it. With the piece o.
tape in my hand. fastened to the
curb and tied the measuring-strinS
around tree that stood directly III
front OF the door.
Having fixed things thus satisfac.
torily to myself, | hurried off in the
direction OF what | concluded to be
the Bay district. | knew that police
headquarters lay in that direction,
and my object now was to reach there
as soou as possible. | say | hurried,
but in truth made but slow progress.
As | went along closely scanned
everything | could see. | wanted to
establish II system or chain OF land
marks that would guide me back to
that house. On one side of the street
| saw a bent tree of great dimensions.
That was n good mark. Then | saw
house of holder front than the others
standing farther out in the street.
This, too, [ mentally noted.
At every corner | studied the lamp
POSTS, for the names of the streets. |
did not find many signs. Bat | found
enough to establish the fact that the
house / had Just left was on Sand
street, just north Of Bank street. |
knew I was Just on the outskirts OF
Chinatown. Turning down Bank
street, [ felt my way along for block
or two. On q corner, well-lighted,
found q policeman standing. He
seemed to take great interest IN my
movements. When approached him
he took few steps toward me as
though he was going to accost me. l
stopped abruptly.
Say, officer I began, before he
had chance to say anything. II
want some assistance from you.
whats the matter? Are you
lost?" he asked.
"No, [ am not ost I am a physi
ciau-Doctor Crickmore, of the Col
den Gate Club. l was called to 4
house up here on Sand street to see a
woman. A Chinaman came after me.
The woman has been drugged, and il
now unconscious. am on my way TO
police headquarters to get help. What
do you advise me to do?"
The officer slowly whistled softly to
himself. He eyed me curiously. l
wondered if he wasn't going to make
me any reply.
young man, he said, you havo
never got yours elf mixed up in one OF
these Chinese scrapes or y'u'd be
steerin' clear of this one. But it
you're goin', y'u'd better go. Where's
the house,"
"On Sand street, just north OF
Bank. Two houses from it there is q
bent tree in the same side OF the
street. l tied q tape around the
small tree that is directly in front OF