The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-20
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY A. VESSELS COZ

"How9" said Alec with Scotch
brevity:
"a lame gardener was set upon at
Prior's Tarrant, and released Oh his
assailants finding that they had mis-
taken him for me. And at night they
got on the roof and tried to suffocate
me by letting a brazier Of charcoal
down into the CRATE and plugging the
chimney. Luckily I awoke, and man
time"
"But surely, you raised an alarm and
off the roof and escape so quickly as
that,' exclaimed Alec, half incredul-
GUS.
Again the duke shook his head:
~ raised no alarm, and they did get
leaving no trace he replied, "There
are reasons, Alec, why I could not have
appeared against them had they been
caught-the same reasons whySI can't
ccnfide more fully in you.'
"You must have done something
very bad-murder at least said For
syth, gravely.
"on the contrary, I have done moth.
ing at ALL" Beaumanoir retorted. 1T
being prosecuted"
VWell, what about the third at
tempt9W
ut happened this afternoon. as I
was on my way to your uncle's A
carriage knocked me down and very
nearly crumpled me. But that may have
been an accident
HDid you take stock of the driver
and the people in the ~carriagea' :.
Beaumanoir wal obliged to admit
that he had not. In his d~isheveled
state he had been only anxious to be
| cleaned down and have his wrist at
tended to, and it was not till after the
carriage had driven rapidly away that
he had connected the incident with
the other attempts.
Forsyth said nothing for the mo-
the mantelpiece; and it was not until
they had smoked in silence for awhile
that he blurted out suddenly:
HThis can't be allowed to go on. 1t
makes everything impossible. Have
you any reason to think that the people
who are pursuing you will do Sc indie.
fnitely-until they have settled you2'
Beaumanoir considered before reply,
ing, as tho the point had not occurred
to him before.
uNo,D he said, with a laugh
few hours that I haven It thought much
about any sort Of future. I cannot be
sure, but I believe if I could pull thru
till the end Of next week-say, for an
other fortnight-that the danger would
pass.o
FORSYTH sat and ruminated, blowing
blue smokerings; and then, after twt
or three minutes of silence, a fain
noise sounded in the room. The duke
pitch, heard it first, and turned a pal
Of wideopen eyes on the door. Forsyth
gaze followed, and they both saw tn
handle Of the door move. The doc
itself, being locked and d~oublebolted
Of course refused to yield to the gentl
pressure from without.
Forsyth laid his finger to his lips 70
silence. and motioned Beaumanoir t
retire into the. bedroom, which com
: ~municated by means Of folding door
with the sittingroom. When the duk
! stole to the outer door, and having frs
, quietly drawn the bolts he quickly uI
locked it and flung it open, to be cor
fronted by an understood little mar
) who shrank back from his threatenin
: attitude.
{ "Who the deuce are %you--and wha
do you want, disturbing me at thi
I time Of nightg'' Forsyth demande
: fercely.
ncThese are Mr.. Crofton's chamber
amt they, sir9,' bleated the intrude
HNo; they are not. There's no on
8 Of that name in the house that ] kno,
off, replied Forsyth, partially mollife
by his mild manner, and who'll
Y so when the little man proceede
: to apologize for his mistake, e,
planning that he was from a chemist
. in the Strand with some medicine fl
the gentleman, but that he must hay
e come to the wrong house.
Holding up q bottle as evidence {
his bona fdes, he retreated downstair
, excusing himself to the last; b,
before going he had manage
u to snatch a comprehensive glant
round the room. Forsyth waite
ON the landing until his steps died ava,
and then went back into his room,b a
ring the door as before.