The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-01-25

1
missed. Then he rode to town on a
fast horse, and this suspicious looking
stranger, most likely implicated in
your brothers schemes, follows him.
| / believe they will meet in the city,
and ii we can manage not to lose sight
of this man we may be able to gain
a great deal of information"
After an hours drive we reached
the town. The yellow buggy in front
of us drove more slowly. Finally it
stopped at livery stable, and after
talk with the man in charge, the
stranger drove his vehicle in through
the large doorway. Most likely he was
| going to leave it in care of that es
| tablishment.
What were we to do? Should we
drive to the stable, and leave our rig,
| it might arouse the mans suspicion.
We concluded to stop and await de-
| velopments After few minutes the
man came ont, crossed the street, and
entered saloon. Then | told Fred
to take our horse and buggy to the
stable while | would watch the saloon,
| until he could rejoin me. 1t was now
quite dark, and the entrance to the
stable was not well lighted, so the
stranger could not see our faces. We
| had the advantage in that respect, for
| the entrance to the saloon was bright
ly illumined.
After Fred came back we had not
to wait very long. The stranger came
out of the saloon, rubbed his mus
tache with his handkerchief, cleaned
his glasses, and slowly walked up the
street. We followed him. AS we
passed along we heard people talk of
flooded cellars, and the warning in
the papers. Fred paid little attention
to those remarks, but to me the ex-
pressons of anxiety were very inter
esting.
After walk of about half an hour,
the man halted at corner, held his
watch up to the street lamp, and then
leaned against a post, evidently eX-
pecting somebody. His patience was
not put to too severe a test. Soon an
other man arrived, and Immediately
the second man came up, my friend
pressed my arm, and | nodded my
head. In the light of the lamp we both
recognized Henry Andersen. We had
to be very careful, now, for we had
reached part of the town whose
streets were more deserted than the
business district. The two men ahead
of us seemed to feel perfectly safe,
however for they walked on uncon-
cernedly
We were near the famous bottoms"
of the city, when Henry Andersen and
the stranger stopped at an old two
story frame house. The stranger
fumbled in his pocket, drew forth a
key, opened a door, and both entered.
We took a position on the other side
of the street and intently watched for
light,
A man came out of the house in the
shadow Of which we were waiting, and
| accosted him, asking
do you know, sir, who lives in that
frame hOuse?"
Seems to be star in a class of his
own. Nobody knows what he's doing,
and certainly don't care" With that
he left us.
The light for which we watched
seemed about to fail us, and Fred was
beginning to show signs of disappoint-
ment.
Have patience, Fred" | exhorted.
81 don't think we shall be- disappoint-
ed-there it is now!"
A little light shone through the cell
lar windows, as though some one were
going into the cellar with candle.
But we had only second to watch
the little light. Suddenly there came
a binding flash of fire, and almost at
the same moment a deafening roar, as
though mammoth cannon had been
shot. We were thrown to the ground.
When We rose and looked over to
the frame house, we saw a mass of
ruins on fire. The neighbors came
rushing ont of their homes, and in
less than fiye minutes big crowd had
collected The police patrol arrived,
fire engines came; and where, fifteen
minutes ago, all had been quiet, every
thing now was commotion.
One Of the firemen claimed to hear
cries for help coming from beneath the
ruins. With their long hooks, he and
his companions pulled aside the burn
ing timber, and finally came to the
spot whence the cries issued. Fred
and | pressed forward and saw them
draw out the old German, his body
bleeding and burning. We explained
that we had claim, and were per-
mitted TO speak to him.
A doctor arrived and informed us
that the man could not live. He suf-
fered dreadfully, crying out loudly
enough to be heard above the noise
, of the crowd. In his anguish he
prayed in his mother-tongue. | knelt
beside him, and while the doctor
bathed the burnt parts of his body, |
asked
Where is the letter."
His eyes opened wide. Then, col
l.. L. l,o