The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-01-25
CHATTER IL.

~ ton, the lasso was reno,
~ ed, but the serape which so effectuall
=. hoodwinked him was not disturbed
One of his captors took him by the arm
!, and lie was Informed that il he woul
y walk along quietly no harm would be
;, fall him. He complied without dcigu
:, ing to speak.
= lie was conscious that his fee
II crunched upon gravel paths whicl
+ wound In and out among shrublery
:. for the branches frequently brushed
4 against him. and once he thought fl
probable that he was again within tho
d secluded garden of the Tacubaya gam
bling house. This Illusion was soon dis
PEELED. however, for after passing
across an extended court that was dag.
ged with stone and thence into Sec
ond shrubbed and gravelcd inclosurc
he was directed to mount fight Of
three steps, and he knew that lie en-.
tered an apartment Of some kind.
There was the yielding touch of soft
carpeting under his tread and the
warm air was quite in contrast with
the chill without. He was hidden cour.
teously TO wait one moment and was
left standing in the middle OF the floor.
He heard the sound made by closing
door, and after what seemed an inter.
minable period, although It could not
have been more than minute or two,
he attempted to relieve himself of the
binding sernpe.
There was no resistance, and upon
casting 1t inside he discovered that he
was alone. His conductor had disap-
| pcarcd.
For moment he stared around him
In amazcment. This was certainly not
the sort Of treatment he had eXpccted
He began to think that perhaps they
! were not bandits after all; the sur
ro1lnhings of that moment did not Ms-
gest such an explanation The room
was richly, even luyuriously, furnish
Ell, and his first quick glance told him
That 1t was the fuvorite living room of
lady; the pictures on the walls, the
chairs, the piano and the books that
Uttered the table all assured him OF
that much. The vide low window,
through which he believed he had on.
tered the room, was open. Not so the
iron bars that protected It, but they
told him netting, since every house in
Mexico has lis windows so furnished,
lie rcercd ont through the grating, but
he could see nothing except the out. |
lines OF tail trees showing against the
SKY, There was nothing by which he
could determine his locality, so he turn I
90 back into the room again aud cross
cd to the table, where one CT the lamns
with which the apartment was sup
Piled WIS burning. His glance rested
upon slip of paper with writing upon
it. and lie read these words:
Senior Pcndetoa--lf you nre mvstif,d concern.
ing the ever's Of this evening. read the letter
That last cana into YOUR possession.
There was no signature, but he rec.
ogni%cd the "hirogrnpby as The same
as that he had received early in the
day calling him to Tacubaya and he
added mentally Where | was fool
enough to go to be trapped by a wo-
man."
His cigars were intact, and he light.
cd one. Then. after arranging the lamp
mere TO his purposes, he dropped into
nm easy chair near the table, produced
The letter which had been given to him
by his companion In the summer
mouse. broke tine seal and began:
crave your pardon Senior pcndc.3n, for the
ndlgnty that nm forced to thrust upon YOU.
ave determined to prevent the meeting between
"H ara 'dFt1in Romero, and as have no hope
rat You VIII consent TO abandon all thought OF
have prepared this in antcipa ION Of vo,r .
e'usfl. You Will not be detained longer than is ,
ce'ssaiy--that is, only little longer. for it
VI" no. oe possible to lberate you during the I
ours OF daylight. Twenyfou hours will he
he duraion Of your imprisonment. In the n
meantime you viii be left entirely alone. Your .
nom Is supplied with every necessity YOU will u
'qnrc curing inst time and when It expires as q
bon as you base plated the serapc over sour head
Una, you can s"c nothing, you will be taken I,
a'k to INC t'y, or at least as far as Fl Callito
am Informed that 1t ia your intention to return q
Ne" York tomorrow night. ! regret that will
II be able, to lhcrar you soon enough for Won 10
lfJ cut your plan, Tho train leaves three hours
10 early Tor that But you need not be pre.
'hed 'ro'n taking the early morning train on G
n other road. Ii you will leave your New York
'Jt"ss Oh the table, will communicate with Il
~ again; also, should you care to communicate =
IN vo'r servant II you will write the message
!" '""T 1t through the grating at your win. ! ii
" il WIN be delivered at once. II have plo,cd
II IN false position concerning the duel and
UT masculine conception Of honor, I can assure
u t'at INC Cay Will come when you will thank
"' "hst ! nave cone IL the opportunity &C. n
rs ! VIII slSn this letter as ] did the one that
ought you to Tacubays. One who prefers, for =,
? present. TO be known to you only as Vi
CARMEN. NJ
P"ndlfton folded the letter and re.
rll2d it to his pocket. Then he looked "
his watch and discovered that 1t hi
"a not yet midnight. After that he u!
ced modify up and down the room
my times.
or course she means to read what on
er write to James," he mused, "and IN
say anything In explanation Of my
sence the message will not go. The a.
" thing can do Is to tell him to let II
ngs stand as they are until later, wv
Il must do that; otherwise he will
out OF the city before | am out Of NC
e unless tn
here were writing materials on the
lie. and he indited the following
ssage to his valet: IN
gu will extend the time Of waiting for me w"
ntytour hours DO nothing whatever until age
time. " there should be callers tell them NJ,
mat will he prepared to receive everybody
midnight tomorrow night-tonight OF the dav aeh
receive this. RIP Ian
lro 10 ,o,4i,.s, req,
INoNo o'osnuou'l Bar
- Lyk
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