Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-04-19

as they did an hour or so ago. II you
have business, have business, but if
find any one hanging about the copses
/ win take my own way with him."
Jones started at my angry rejoinder,
and he appeared little embarrassed.
ssYou have your remedy, sir" he said,
but made no answer, merely moving
to the door Il will take your word for
it, sir" he repeated.
II have not given it, said.
"Well, SIR said Jones, 4 bid you
good evening"
/ knew well enough that the prospect
of that interminable search had made
him vince. 1t would be folly for him
to undertake it, and so he withdrew
with this slight discharge Of courtesies.
Sheppard met me with the news.
Montgomery had undertaken the job
Of guiding the captain through the gal
lery, and after that Sercombe was to
conduct him to the rendezvous on the
river. He had given Sheppard particu-
lars of the place, and it did not appear
as if we could miss it,, but time was
passing, and if anything was to be ac-
complished we must be away. Our
preparations were accordingly pushed
forward, nor were they very elaborate.
An encounter, maybe bloody one,
might be looked for Certainly we
could not afford to dispense with our
weapons, but beyond them there was
little to delay or incumber US.
Sheppard and got forth of the cas-
tie and reached the great gates just
after dark was fallen. As we passed
through thought perceived the black
shadow of man lowering among the
bushes near by, and put him down as
Jones.
At the foot of the gorge we turned,
and, following the road to the right for
quarter of mile, dipped quickly
with the bend of the brook eastward
and for the border of the farther coun-
ty. The first part of the way took US
through the outlying stretches of the
forest, but presently the woods Rugged
the margins upon either side, and be-
hind was open country, broken into
fields and pastures, with here and there
the shining windows of farmhouse or
cottage About this point it occurred
to Sheppard that we were being fol-
lowed.
81 saw man cross from that last
stile,v he declared, land I'll swear /
heard a rustIing in the bushes"
every well,' said I. IF Jones is
after us Jones will have a long tramp,
and the sooner we dispatch him on it
the better"
ssWhat will you do?" he asked.
"Sit tight said /, land keep mum.
Here's an excellent corner for silent
meditation and I dropped into a
black patch of brachen, whittier he fol-
lowed me.
We had been following a footpath
which wound through the coppice close
to the stream, and. little distance to
the left we sank into our hiding place
and waited Some five minutes after,
the footsteps of a man sounded softly
behind us, and he came into the plane
of sight Dark as it was made him
out for one of jones' men, and my
opinion was confirmed by the stealthy
manner in which he proceeded.
s'We'll let him pass" | whispered,
'sand then follow him. Rustic police
are no harm to us.
Five minutes later we emerged and
resumed our journey, diligently OPEN
ing our ears to the sounds Of the night,
but nothing was audible to alarm us,
and we reached at last spot where
the path ran down to the waters edge
between thick trees. Opposite, the dark
bulk of little jetty was just discern
ible and beyond that the lights of a
house.
This is the place." said Sheppard.
ssBut / see no signs of the others. Yet
they must have got here before us"
"Let us watt" suggested, and
meanwhile we are better in hiding"
We concealed ourselves among the
trees and passed ten minutes in some
anxiety. ssWas it possible asked
myself. "that Montgomery and Ser
combe had already encountered Hood
and his scoundrels, with tragic re
suit? Or, again, had Jones happened
suQUu llClll dllO ldhclA boC1COllAOCt L "a
haps even the captain had been dealing
treacherously with US all through"
But these speculations were scatter
ed at the approach of voices and a
noise Of oars in the water, which here
ran deep and wide, a mile from its
junction with the Ray. We listened
with increased excitement, but as yet
nothing was visible in the darkness.
The boat seemed to draw up at the
foot Of the path below US, and there
was the noise of two people landing.
ITS all right, whispered to Shep-
pard Here they are"
And I was on the point of Jumping
up when heard new sound oppo-
site, and figure rose and stood in
the pathway As we strained our eyes
jhtl|l3 ER