Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-09-13

OhoAitC W 10 AtCtAh6 uAaoheiAJ cOtN
and light-hearted on this night, which
he supposed would be his last on Eu-
ropean soil.
Presently he expected to be on board
a stanch German liner, viewing the
low shores of the old world with COM
placency-for at his side would be
Lady Airline: and left behind as
memory of the dead past, such persons
as the professor and his wife, Baron
Peterhoff, Isolde, Countess Brabant,
and Captain Brand of the Hespasia.
He intended giving Capt. Brand the
full worth of his money, and then, by
fiuke, dropping him in some section
of old Antwerp, while he himself took
a fly and drove to the landing stage in
time to catch the steamer.
Perhaps this might have been car
ried out had circumstances not united
to arrange events in the captains
favor.
Charlie haa his fun.
He dragged his persistent pursuer
over a good part of Antwerp-now
they were on foot and anon chasing in
vehicles at a pace to set the staid old
Jul BnClc a6OS VIII ouA pAAoC eAA CS%@
sternation.
Outside a desire to have little
sport with his friend, the captain, his
sole purpose in leading Brand this
wild-goose chase was to keep his at
tention upon himself, while Lady Ar
line and Artemus left the hotel; for
somehow Charlie had a vague fear lest
the resourceful ex-sailor might use
force to prevent his supposed daugh-
ter from departing, advancing some
daring plea that her mind was affected
and having hired experts, who would
perhaps decree that she should be In
carcerated in an asylum.
These things might appear ridicu-
lous, but such happenings have come
to pass ere now, and he CHANGED to
have personal knowledge of at least
one similar case.
Whether or not Charlie were foolish
in thus conjuring up phantoms that
could not exist, was a question that
should not be decided hastily.
He believed Brand toybe desperate
man. against whom he could as yet
hardly appeal to the law, since Airline
would not give her consent.
He was convinced that Brand did
not desire the heiress to get beyond
his reach, and would hardly hesitate
at any end in order to hold her until
his sinister plans could be worked out.
Hence it was, after all, in a spirit of
self-sacrifice that Charlie undertook
to have a little fun with Capt. Brand,
L. = to and
down the crooked streets of Antwerp.
All would have been well but for
two cronies of Brand. They CHANGED
to be standing at dark corner where
the other had agreed to meet them,
and, hearing his signals, sprang upon
Charlie ere he comprehended his dan
ger.
AS a result he was struck senseless
by a blow from some blunt weapon.
When Capt. Brand arrived on the
scene his first act was to sprinkle
powdery white pigment in the young
mans hair, to give him the appear
ance of age, and to smear his face with
a little street dirt in order to disguise
his features.
Then, for the benefit of the man
whom he knew lowered near by, lit
tie one-act drama was carried out, the
two men chasing Brand hither and
yon-then, as the baron's spy came in
sight, two men running away, while
a form lay on the street.
1t worked like a charm. The ennis
sary of Baron Peterhoff fastened up as
people began to open the windows of
houses to learn what the disturbance
might mean. There he found one who
appeared to be the old fellow he had
been set to watch.
The man called vehicle, placed the
limp figure in it's interior, entered him
self, and then started to report the
astonishing result of his espionage to
Baron Peterhoff himself.
While Capt. Brand, rejoining his
confreres down the shady street, set
off in hot haste to get aboard the
steamer, which, in another hour or so,
would be moving down the River
Sheldt, bound for the far-off distant
shores of America.
Artemus stood on the hurricane deck
of the great Red D ocean liner and
looked back in the morning sunlight
to the distant and fast-receding coast
of Belgium.
Homeward bound!
There is always a pleasure in this
thought and Artemus experienced it