The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-09-08
CHAPTER XXI.
The Mans Shadow.

The Mans Shadow.
In the dim and empty street of
Portsea that we visited once before,
a meeting was held again tonight.
There was the same secrecy, the same
caution, the same mystery over all
that went on. The elderly man had
made his way there when he left his
reluctant guest to settle down in his
new quarters as best he could. He
was without his beard now, and only
his pocket could have told what had
become Of it. He looked younger
without it by twenty years.
There was the same series of pro-
ceedings that had marked the former
meeting, only they were half through
by the time the last arrival entered
the room. He sat in silence till he
was called upon by the chief. Then
he arose in his place with an air Of
secret exultation which was evident.
The chief regarded him with cold
ness. He was too enterprising, too
confident, to have anything but sus-
picion from a man whose place he
might we'll fill some day. 1t was in a
tone of marked repression that he was
called upon to give in his report to the
society.
"You have succeeded in your under
taking?"
Il have found the man specified
at the haunt I had marked him in be-
fore; I have kept him under my knowl-
edge, knowing he was the ultimate
card to play"
The chief frowned somberly. He
had not forgotten, any more than the
speaker, that he had waved aside this
instrument in favor of Baron Taxona
and Countess Ilka. both of whom had
failed. If the trump card lay in the
hand Of his adversary, he must needs
play up to It: but woe betide the en-
emy If he took the trick.
"You have secured him."
II brought him down in the train
ment in the house where I live''
He came willingly?"
mot in the least" Again there was
that Pickering, cynical gleam that only
courtesy could call a smile. 1t was a
good deal more disagreeable than an
other mans frown.
THAT is unfortunate. It is the will
Inc hot
repression had not left the voice of
the chief
Your pardon, my president. I have
not always found it so. It is the tool
that is held in the firm hand that does
the lasting work"
They were both thinking of the two
unsuccessful tools Of the president,
and he knew it as we'll as the other
man. He frowned again, more SON.
berly, and his hand went across his
mouth with a relentless movement.
"You are sure he will not fail you?
Any tool may break in the hand, and it
is the hand that gets the worst hurt
My president, he will not fail me;
I have a collar too strong round his
neck
"a collar Of gold?'
NO, my president, a hempen collar,
and the hangman holds the other end -
The chief bent his head as If con-
vinced reluctantly, but the other went
on
youth is our best friend. The
crimes that 1t commits play into our
hands with strong purpose to the very
end of life. Hot blood, hot passions,
unrestraint-we have to thank them
for half our handling of the society's
tools. If this boy had not given me
the upper hand over him by his indis.
cretions of youth and violence, could
not bend him to my purpose-I should
say the purpose of the society-now."
1T is we'll" The chief cut across
speech remorselessly. "The society
does not speak when it can act. We
hold you excused from moralizing. Tie
keys are in your hands now; you must
open the door,
There was only the flash of a mo.
ment in the deep-set eye of the other,
but he mentally chalked up another
number in the score that was set
against the chief. t'As you will" he
said, bowling submissive1y; II have but
to hear. The youth knows what his
work is to be, and he will do 1t to
save his neck"
Has he seen the other?"
Not yet. But showed him pho.
tograph. He was overcome with
amazement, and protested at first that
I was imposing on him must have
been taken from himself, without his
knowledge" = =
us the likeness, then, so absolute? ?"
,"'Absolute, allowing for the mere
difference Of social station and train.