The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-10-25


notes, and I found that had lost the
train. The next would be the night
express; so I strolled into billiard
room. A man is just as safe with a
! fortune in his pocket as if penniless,
| 80 that he is wise enough to hold his
tongue. There was some clever play
going on, and I stood watching the
| players till some one challenged Inc
| to have a game. If have one special
vanity, it is my science with the cue:
I accepted and as I Iid so a strange
feeling, which had been growing upon
me- took a sudden turn which startled
me.
MY challenger was the man whom
I had noticed at the bankers. There
was nothing strange in the fact Of his
being in the room, one of his favorite
resorts, but I was possessed by the
vague shadow of single idea. had
read somewhere Of a man being fol-
lowed and plundered in train, and
somehow I associated the story with
the man before me. 1t was the first
time had ever paid him any particular
attention, but gave him full observa-
tion now. The more looked at him
the less I liked him. He was hand
some, gentlemanly,, with a fair form
and elegant figure, full Of suppleness
and strength. His manner was silgu-
larry unassuming, his face frank and
genial, but by looking closely at him
you could see something sinister-look-.
ing in the depth and softness of his
eyes.
"T never liked 4 stranger to be affa-
BILE and prepossessing. and my friend
was the very pink of afiability and
grace.
"We played for an hour with alter
mating success; he was an amusing
companion, we'll informed, and had
travelled, but I still having some time
to spare, went to see friend in the
Temple.
when, at the expiration Of some
thirty or forty minutes, emerged into
Fleet street, almost the first person on
whom my gaze fell was my late an
tagonist at billiards.
II thought there was something more
than a mere coincidence in this second
meeting since we stood together at the
bankers. He was.in cigar shop op-
posite.
"Not hundred yards from the Tenn
pie gate stood a man whom I recog-
nized with a very welcome feeling. 1t
was George Vixen, the detective.
"He was fashionab!y dressed, and
looked an aristocrat of the first water.
I went up and greeted him as 1 should
an old familiar, held out my hand and
said:
"'Step into the hotel Office. I have
something to say
"He shook hands in the most natural
way possible. I took his arm, and
we entered the door of an adjacent
hotel.
II told him my suspicion. told him
of the sum in my possession, and of
the journey I had to perform by rail.
81 saw that. watching through the
glass of the door, he was taking men,
tai photograph of two men.
"'They mean business said Vixen,
quietly, but 1 shall be with you. We
must part at the door, or they will see
we have scented the game
"'And you,' I said, how will you
act?
~ he said. shall travel to Liver
pool by the night express.
"He left me. I had no fear now
knowing him to be a clever and de-
termined fellow.
Taking a casual glance across the
road, I saw my man with his COM
panion. 1t was quite evident that they
were tracking me, though I lost sight
of them before reaching st. Pauls.
Il stroled along the churchyard.
wandered nearly to Islington, then
went through the city again before
I made for the station; my acquaint-
ance of the billiard room did not come
in sight, thou gh l kept we'll on the
alert.
Il took my ticket. lingering almost
to tine moment Of starting before I en-
tered the carriage, but my man did not
appear. TWO men were in the COM
partment with me. 1 could not see
the face of one, and the other was a
stranger.
The bell rang. The guard had just
time to put bewildered old gentleman
by my side, and we were off.
The man whose face 1 had not seen
| turned toward me.
II could scarcely repress an exclG-
nation. There was no mistaking that
frank, genial countenance, nor the iurk-
ing devi! in those eyes. whose softness
was so sinister.
He had met me then at last! Vixen
had broken his promise! and l was left
to travel that perilous journey alone,
| with the man who had followed me so
skilfully-another who might be his
confederate, and an old gentleman,
who, after grumbling out his indigna-
ton against all railway servants and
locomotive travelling in general, was
fast asleep in the corner.
THAT the intentions of my billiard
player We're bad was manifest by the
fact of his having assumed a false
mustache and beard. They added to
the beauty of his face, but left to his
eyes that sleepy, cruel glitter that is
characteristic of the Asatic.
He spoke to me. remarked the