Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-02-10
CHAPTER Y.

I SQUIRM UNDER THE COLD KISS
THAT A REVOLVER'S UGLY LIPS
PRESS TO MY FOREHEAD.
In the pocket of the coat which had
belonged to the newly-elected Coun-
cillor Number Seven l found a paper
which contained instructions regard
ing the next meeting of the Syndicate
of Scoundrels. Here is a copy of the
document in question:
Last day of month. Midnight.
Gypsy wagon drawn up on waste space
near first finger-post on high-road to
southend after, leaving Leigh. Knock
at door, and in reply to question
Who's there?' state your number.
Make yourself acquainted with local.
ity beforehand, that you need not have
to ask directions. Leave Fenchurch
street by ten o'clock p. m. train and
alight at Leigh. Obey instructions i'm
plicitly, especially about leaving Lon
don by ten o'clock from Fenchurch.
and destroy this when read without
.fail.'
These were my Sailing ORDERS" and
plain and straightforW ard enough they
seemed. l wondered at first why the
very train Dy which ! was to journey
down was expressly stipulated, but a
moments consideration showed Me
that some such arrangement was very
necessary. Otherwise it was possible
that the whole seven of us might elect
to travel by one and the same train.
In which case the ticket inspectors
could hardly fail TO notice that seven
men all exactly alike had passed the
barrier.
1T was not probable that Councillor
Number One would overlook the COM
plications that might arise from the
fact of even two members of the coun-
Gil choosing the same train, and, as I
afterwards learned, he had taken every
precautjon to prevent any such dilem-
ma. Councillor Number Two had re-
ceived instructions to stay at Leigh,
whittier he was to journey by the Lon
don, Tilbury & @Southend railway on
the evening before the meeting. Coun-
cillor Number Three was also to start
the evening before the meeting, but
was to put up at Southend, whittier he
travelled by the Great Eastern rail-
way. Councillor Number Four was to
go to Southend by steamer on the
morning of the council meeting. Coun-
cillor Number Five was also to start
on the morning of the meeting, but
was to use the Great Eastern line.
Councillor Number Six was to wait I'M
til the afternoon and was to travel
via Tilbury; and Councillor Number
Seven Represented by myself was "a
wait till the ten O'Clock down from
Fenchurch street.
These instructions l rigidly obeyed
and on the last day of the month I was
at Fenchurch Street station in time to
catch the train in question, and was
so fortunate as to secure a compart-
ment to myself.
fully realized the risk I was run
ming in thus electing to personate the
dead man at the meeting of the Council
of Seven, and had not come unarmed
l had put my unloaded revolver in one
pocket and some cartridges in another
and did not intend to set foot inside
the gypsy wagon, where the council
was to- meet, until had made sure
that the weapon was charged in every
chamber. When we were approaching
Leigh it would be quite soon enough
/ decided, to slip in the cartridges, and
in the meantime l would do my best
to shorten the long journey by means
of nap.
Like friend of mine, who complains
that no sooner has he put his head
upon the pillow than some one knocka
at the door and says it is time to gel
up, can go to sleep at moments no
tice; so lay down at full lenghth upon
one side of the carriage, and, puttinl
my head, upon the arm-rest at tn,
end, was soon fast asleep, and, fea.
snoring. 49,.
TTO Re Confinned I