Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-03-18
my master walked stealthily down the
gravelly drive toward the main high

my master walked stealthily down the
gravelly drive toward the main high
way.
His manner had completely changed.
Every movement he 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 q
twig or the clinking Of pebble, I
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. I
had to increase the distance between
us to avoid detection.
I managed to keep him In sight for
about a mile. and then he suddenly
gave me the slip. In some inexphca-
BILE manner he had lodged away from
me and disappeared as completely as
If the earth had swallowed him. Cha
grined at thus being thrown of the
track, put all my energies at work to
regain the lost trail. For two hours I
wandered around, vainly trying to
catch a glimpse of the man. I became
so reckless that would have exposed
my person to him If it would have dis
covered his whereabouts to me.
Finally I gave it up in disgust. I
seated myself under tree near the
highway and reflected. Certainly I
was baffled for the night. I was on
the point of returning home when the
words of DR.. Squires recurred to me.
The two were evidently engaged In
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 I thought
that had discovered my master again
by accident, but upon closer observa-
tion I found that I was on the very
point of accosting detective. An ar
rest at such a time Of the night might
lead to unpleasant complications, and
30 1 remained half an hour hidden in
the bushes until the man had disap-
peared.
When l reached the old mansion, ev-
erything was as dark and gloomy as
when I left it to follow my master.
There was not the sign Of living be-
ing around. cautiously started to
walk up the gravelly drive, and the
crunching noise of my boots sounded
clear and distinct on the night air.
just had time to drop down behind
some shrubbery before the front door
Of the house opened, and the dark
shadow Of a man seemed to fit out Of
It. l remained perfectly quiet, not
daring to 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 30 perfectly still
that I half imagined that 1t was an
illusion or the reflection of some inter
vening object. But my policy has ever
been to make sure of a thing before
deciding what course to pursue, and 80
I accepted the benefit Of the doubt and
waited patiently. Once or twice /
thought Of the tales Of spirits and
ghosts related about the old mansion
and of how they walked through the
empty rooms after midnight and 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.
I was getting tired Of watching that
immovable figure on the porch, and my
eyelids were winking and blinking
spasmodically when my ears caught a
sound directly back Of me. I did not
dare move my head an inch, but the
thought of the bloodthirsty Danes sud-
denly made me cold and clammy.
imagined I detected the patter Of their
feet on the drive, and I gripped my re-
volver tightly, determined to make a
desperate stand for my life.
A moment later my feelings were
considerably relieved. The steps ap-
preached nearer and. nearer soft,
stealthy, delicate steps that might have
been made by child. Then the figure
of man loomed up within three yards
Of me and moved swiftly toward the
house.
But in that momentary glimpse
caught the features Of my master. In
his hands he carried clumsy bundle
or article, which failed to make out.
Then for the first time the shadow on
the porch moved. The two met at the
top of the steps and quickly disap-
peared in the house, the door closing
noiselessly behind them.
I would have given much just then
to have had the power to penetrate
behind those wooden walls or to have
raised the shades and looked into the
doctors Office, where 1 knew that a
light must be burning. But felt that
my quest was ended for the night and
that further work would be useless.
After waiting around another half
hour l quietly stole out of the yard
and hurried home to reflect over the
strange occurrences Of the night.
TO BE CONTINUED.