Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-12-26


panky with me-"
l rose to sitting posture, with up-
heid hands, as hidden. Had my head
been fastened to my body with gummed
paper l could not have moved more
g1ngerly. for the revolver barrel never
judged an inch, but chung leech-like to
my forehead while l shifted.
And now" said Number One. poIite-
ly. "Tn trouble you, sir. to tell me
who you are"
Il am Councillor Number Seven" I
said.
That's a liei" he replied, calmly.
You ought to be Councillor Number
Seven, but who the devil you are. and
how you come to be here and in that
disguise, don't know and can't think.
III, as seems likely, you are detective
who has found out something, and YOU
meant attending the meeting tonight.
and plan taking us in our own tran.
1t is possible that you know enough
of me to understand that I'm not a
man to be played with. Tell me who
you are, how you came to get that dis
guise, and where the real Number
Seven is, and I'll spare your life, under
certain conditions. But you must be
quick about it, and make clean breast
of it with no trickery, or, by God!
man, I'll scatter your brain pan for
you. No, it's no use your trying to look
outside to see where we are, and if
there will be a stoppage soon. 1 got
In at Stepney, and the station we have
just left is Upminster. So the train
won't stop any more this side of Ben
fleet. Out with 1t, man, unless you
want your brains outside your head in
stead of in it. Who are your"
| Councillor Number Seven" l pro-
tested stoutly, seeing no way out of it
but to lie.
! You're not. That game won't do
Tor me. Now do as bid you or it will
be the worse for you. First of all, re-
move your hat. Now unlock the beard
and take it off, too. That's right, keep
your hands up still. Now turn your
face this way, TO the light, and let's
have look at you, but move carefully,
for the trigger of this revolver is hung
as light as a watch balance. No, I'm
hanged if know you. Come, ydn are
quite young man, whoever you are,
and it's pity to throw away your life
out of sheer obstinacy. I'd rather
spare you than shoot you, especially
as | want to know who's blown on us.
When you are dead meat what good
q, will it do you whether we are nabbed
or not? Once more, who are you?"
Councillor Number Seven" l re-
peated, doggedly.
""Twon't do" he said, decisively.
But come, I'll give you a chance.
You say you are Councillor Number
Seven. What's his real name, then?"
This was a poser which l tried to
evade by answering his question with
another question:
Didn't you tell me yourself at the
last meeting of the council on board
the yacht that the names of the differ
ent members were kept secret?"
so that's how the land lies, is it?"
he said, with a whistle You were
concealed on that yacht, were you?
You were a brave man and bold one.
my friend, to have put your head into
that den of lions. 1t seems a pity to
spill such brains as yours for nothing.
Let me see il can't find out something
about you for myself, since you won't
tell me. Put your lef4 hand in the
breast-pocket of your coat and take
out any papers you have there. But
don't forget that the revolver is at your
forehead all the time, and at the first
sign of disohedienee or of anything like
hanky-panky--snap goes the trigger.
and bang goes your life"
did as he told me, and took from
my pocket the only paper which it con-
tanned, 1t happened to be no other
than the very document giving notice
or the place and date of the meeting
TO attend which was then on my way.
AS the reader knows, had taken il
from the pocket of the dead man
whom l was personating, and when I
realized what document it was, knew
that the sight of it would bring mat
ters to a crisis.
As yet, however, Number One had
nos recognized it, for it was folded
when took it from my pocket and held
1t out to him.
NO, thank you, my friend" he said.
with an ugly smile Its very kind |
or you to wish TO take me into YOUR
confidence in regard to your private /
papers. You have no doubt over /
looked the trifiing fact that If I took
that paper into my hand to open it.
my attention would be withdrawn from
your agreeable self. Not that Won
would take any unfair advantage of
my pre-occupation, / am sure. But
somehow this little bit of cold steel
with which | am cooling your heated
brow seems to have so beneficial in
fiuence upon you--seems so to stimu-
late your faculties and to render You
so willing and obliging-that | should
De sorry to deprive you of its influence.
perhaps you will favor me by opening
that paper and holding it out before
you, so that can read it without hay-
ing to remove this little playthins
from your forehead No. wait a mo-
ment. think Wen have a bigger tar
get this time. II your head were by
e.