Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-03-04

certain brand while standing before
the doM of certain cigar store Tor
Just withln II il should rain. and then
he would 20 TO a theater and occupy
seat on the center aisle in the last
row OF the orchestra.
Kent was strongly tempted TO sit
down at. the table with the detective.
although he knew that this would be u
breach of strict professional etiquette
He sat down in a corner and ordered
some dinner. The waitress who served
him was nice girl, but very loqua
cious, so much so that Kent felt
Obliged TO warn her in a whisper no,
To say anything that should reveal the
nature OF his occupation.
Il guess there must be something
doing this evening" said the girl
glancing at the stranger out of the cor
ner of her eye. MIR. Bond gave me the
same advice"
Presently the passenger from New
York called IA messenger boy and sent
him out upon an errand. He seemed to
be giving somewhat elaborate instruc-
tons TO the boy, and Kent felt obliged
TO get some hint of their nature. In
this matter the waitress proved TO be-
an adequate source of information.
He sent the boy up TO the Park the
ater TO buy ticket" she whispered.
"Ie said that he wanted it in the last
row of the orchestra"
The last row in the orchestra" re
peated Kent, glancing at Bond.
1t was In the nature of a coincidence.
for if the boy should do his errand
well the mysterious stranger and De
tective Bond We're certain TO spend the
evening very close together.
Can this be IA fly cop from New
York; Kent asked himself. Have he
and Bond got something up? Do they
expect to nab somebody in the the
ateri'
1t was question impossible to an
swer without more data. But at any
rate the case was worth watching The
messenger boy returned with the tick
ct after a considerable delay. during
which the stranger seemed to be some
what nervous. 1t was then 7:29, and
by all the laws of nature Cyrus Field
Bond should leave the restaurant in
exactly one minute. He did not do so,
longer in doubt.
1t was Ten minutes before S when
Bond left the room, and he went no
farther than the restaurant below,
where he leaned against the cigar stand
and conversed with the man behind ii.
He had not been there long when the
mysterious stranger paid his check and
departed from the depot. quietly at,
tended by Kent, who walked upon the
other side of the street.
There was considerable crowd about
the entrance of the theater, and, in
deed, it was not easy to get in, for it
was the night of first production
upon any stage" and both the play and
the company had been well advertised
in advance. So far as Kent could
judge. the stranger was relieved in
mind by the sight of the throng of peo-
pie. for 1t was certain that he stood
small chance of recognition in SO close
an assembly. Indeed, the reporter had
great fear for minute or two that he
had been thrown off the trail; that the
buying of the ticket had been Il mere
rllse, and that the man of mystery had
mingled with the crowd merely for the
purpose of working his way secretly
out again and leaving the theater.
But when Kent had secured an ad-
mission ticket-no seats then remain
| ing-and had made his way inside he
perceived the unknown seated in the
last row of the orchestra, still clad in
the raincoat and with the collar turned
up around his neck. In the aisle seat
of that same line of chairs sat De
tective Bond, and it flashed across
Kent's mind that If the two men had
desired to exchange a few words III
such a manner as to attract no atten
ton they would have had an excellent
opportunity when the stranger passed
Bond OH the way to his seat.
Was it possible that they had ar
| TdHSeu tulS uldttcI ny oSSiSt SiS h'i' A.
the restaurant! And, If so, what was
the game? Were they so placed in the
theater that some person or persons
whom they desired to entrap would be
seated between them? The stranger
was in chair Y 13, the sixth seat from
Bonds, which was X !. OF the i've
seats intervening Nos. 3, ) and were
occupied by people who We're known
to Kent, people of very harmless
sort who could have no share in this
mystery. Nos. 8 and IL We're vacant
and. though Kent knew that the tick
cts must have been sold, he beheld the
places still empty when the house was
darkened and the curtain rose. Almost
Immediately, as if they had been wait
ing for a signal, two persons appeared
an elderly man and Il young and very
pretty woman, both strangers il
Bridgeport to the best of Kent's knowl
edge and belief. They were usheret
into the waiting chairs. AS they pass
ed Bond the reporter saw no sign OF
recognition, but the stranger betrayed
himself. Beyond doubt he knew
these people and was extremely de
srous to avoid attracting their espe
cial attention. He pulled up his colla1
little farther on the side toward
them and turned his head so that nj
clear view of his face could be had
Later he managed to assume no
notably unnatural position, with hi
right elbow on the arm Of his chai
and his hand sheltering his visage.
1t was the young lady who was mex
a. tho man In fhn raincont and Shi