Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-12-19

feeling that--as we have eScertained
I Tho is In communication with the po-
lice, I'm order that he may serve the
cause about which he Is so infatuated
by Kidding il OF the imen-ourselves-
who In his opinion are its betrayers
and enemies He Is at this moment
alone on board the little yacht which
lies in straight line a couple OF
hundred yards further out at sea than
this vessel. At present the police
know nothing OF what he has TO tell
them. The matter has not gone far
enough for that. All that he has done
is to send word to certain detective
that he has an important communica-
ton to make. He has asked that de-
tective-Detective Marten-to join him
at IL o'clock tonight on board the
yacht to receive the communication.
His reason for SO doing is as follows:
The council was to meet on board this
yacht not tonight. but tomorrow
night. The man who intends betrayins
us does not know that we are aware
of his intended treachery and that we
have altered our date Of meeting. He
thinks 1t is tomorrow that we are to
assemble, and after he has made known
our plans to the detective he will pro-
pose that our meeting be allowed to
| take place, and that then, when we
| are gathered together here like rats
in trap, the police shall surround
| the yacht and make the whole of us
prisoners. 1t is prettily enough
arranged programme, but the poor fool
has moderated our abilities and our
! resources for obtaining information"
And where do 1 come in, in this
business?" asked the newly appointed
councillor nervously.
"Ah! you are business-like," replied
the chairman, with q smile. Listen.
The detective is to join Councillor
Number Seven, as we will continue for
the present to call him, at midnight.
| on board the yacht l have told you of.
1t will be our business to see that he is
prevented from getting there, and you
may rely upon our doing it, for the
| resources at our command can
complish anything. We ro az
Jake yeo-@ asuere With us in the dinghy
Wheh this meeting is concluded. There
q skin will be waiting for you, in which
sou will row out to pay a visit to
| Councillor Number Seven. In. fact.
you will go there impersons ting his
| expected visitor Detective Marten. He
has never seen Marten, and doesn't
even know what he is like, which SIM
plifes matters very much. You see this
| india-rubber ball, scarcely bigger than
n marblef You will have no difficulty
in concealing it In the palm of your left
II n Nnt az
tube or pipe to it? Well. Councillor
| Number Seven has long story and
a dry one to tell you. and from what |
| know of him, l can promise you that
he Will offer you refreshment, and will
not want much pressing to- join you
| himself. You must make some oppor-
tunity. when he is not looking, TO pass
| your hand over his drink AS you do
so. squeeze the bali, and IL one drop of
what 1t contains goes into the whisky,
4 your business will be done. But ever,
II you can't manage the business that
way, you will have no difficulty in
effecting his removal. for he has
arranged to give the detective a berth
for the night. and you can easily chic
reform him when he is asleep. Wen
supply you with the drug for the pur
pose"
And what do do with the body?"
asked the new councillor. His face was
now deadly pale. and his fingers were
| picking at the braid on his coat while
he spoke
| That too we have arranged" was
| the answer. You see that brown
| leather handbag on the locker? Lift
it. Rather heavy. isn't it? Let me
I show you what it contains. This
weight attached to chain is heavy
enough to sink two men. When your
business with Councillor Number Seven
is transacted. you will slip the chain
round his ankle, fasten 1t so, and drop
the body overheard. Then haul uD
| the anchor, row ashore, and leave the
yacht to drift with the tide. She may
so a long way out to sea, and the
| farther the better.
| "On the first OF next. month the
| council meets again, when you will
make your report. Put this letter in
| your pocket 1t contains instructions
| as to where we meet and under what
| circumstances.
And now about the disguise. You
| received, before you came here to-
night, the clothes you are wearing. the
| false beard and the rest of il, with in
| structions Ia regard to getting up.'n
YES" said the recruit; but T
/ didn't know that ali the seven We're to
be disguised alike. and it gay1 ME a
turn when first came down in the
cabin. 1t is the cleVerest thing l ever
saw, for behanged if the seven of us
aren't as like as two peas. If we were
all shuffied together like cards in
pack l don't believe l could pick out
any one of us again to save my life.
What's it for, and how do you know
each other again?"
| I'VE don't know each other again."
was the calm reply. NO man here
except myself. SO far as l am aware,
knows the name of any of his fellow
councillors. Why should they? There's
no chance of my turning informer. If
l turned Queens evidence thousand