Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-09-20

Ii must have boon shortly aftcc MIDI
night when heard the front door
creak on It's hinSss- was concealed
behind ssms shrubbsry at the time.
where ] could comnasd q good view
OF the entrance to the houssL The door,
i knew. was opeatnE but no ray OF
light streamed through tie craek- The
whole house was. In fset- wrapped In
darkness
saw the shadows Of two men ON the
front porch. and by their general out
lines | knew that one was my master
and the other Dr. Squires. Neither
spoke for some time. Then / heard the
doctor say In low. muf1ed voice:
Now. Charles. tho house is three
miles below, and you ought to reach It
In half an hour
Yes; I'll reach Il IN half an hour"
you must be extra cautious. for
there are many detectives around the
doctor continued
81 shall be very careful
Then go and return as soon as pos
sible."
They separated. The doctor stole
noiselessly back into the house and
A-J AANsNCh hoAhS0 elCdllAllJ OOWh the
gravelly drive toward the main high
way.
His manner had completely changed
Every movement be made indicated
suspicion and alertness He was not
nervous. but every faculty was strained.
He was now the professional burglar
ON the scent The slight breaking of a
twig or the cllnking OF pebble, /
knew, would arouse and alarm him.
My prey was not an easy one to fol-
low. He would stop and turn upon his
tracks in the most unexpected way.
His ears and eyes appeared gifted
with wonderful powers OF sensation. L
had to increase the distance between
/ us to avoid detection
managed to keep him in sight for
about a mile, and then he suddenly
/ gave nee the slip. In some inexplica-
bic manner he had lodged away from
me and disappeared as completely as
If the earth had swallowed him. Cha
: grined at thus being thrown or the
track, put all my energies at work to
regain the lost trail For two hours l
wandered around. vainly trying to
catch glimpse OF the man I became
so reckless that l would have exposed
my person to him If II would have dis
covered his whereabouts TO me.
Finally / gave II up IN disgust |
seated myself under a tree near the
| highway and reflected. Certainly l
was baffied for the night I was on
| the point of returning home when the
words Of DIR. Squires required TO me.
Il Tho two nx-fH
the same criminal practices, and they
would probably meet again that night
| somewhere.
With this thought uppermost in my
mind / cautiously retraced my steps to
| the doctors house Once | thought
that had discovered my master again
by accident. but upon closer observa-
ton found that | was ON the very
point OF aceosting a detective. An ar
rest ut such time OF the night might
lead TO unpleasant complications. and
/ so remained half an hour hidden I'm
the bushes until the man had disap.
peared
When / reached the old mansion. ev-
erything was as dark and gloomy as
when left IL TO follow my master.
There was not the sign OF living be
Ing around. | cautiously started To
walk mp the grayeIly drive. and tho
/ crunching noise OF my boots sounded
clear and distinct on the night air. I
I Just had time TO drop down behind
] come shrubbery before the front door
Of the house opened. and the dark
, shadow Of man seemed 10 Git out of
/ IT. remained perfectly quiet. not
daring 20 move or scarcely breathe.
| Undoubtedly the noise made by my
boots had attracted the attention of
somebody in the mansion
| remained in this reclining position
( for full half hour. The shadow on
the porch remained so perfectly ST
that | half imagined that it was an
Illusion or the reelection OF some inter
INening object But my policy has ever
been to make sure OF a thing bsrore
| deciding what course 20 pursue, and SO
l accepted the benefit of the doubt ana
! waited patiently. Once or twice I
thought of the tales OF spirits and
ghosts related about the old mansion
| and OF how they walked through the
empty rooms after midnight aud made
free with all earthly occupants This
did not disturb me- however, for
knew that somebody besides spirits
was awake around the house that
! night
l was getting tired OF watching that
immovable figure ON the porch, and my
eyelids were winking and blinking
! systematically when my ears caught
sound directly back Of me- l did not
| dare move my head an inch, but the
thought OF the bloodthirsty Danes sud
denly made me cold and clammy.
imagined detected tho patter OF their