Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-04-05

treasure. At 10 o'clock we three We're
gathered within the shelter Of the deep
thicket before the Woodman. Mont
gomery had taken up bis position there
by light, but reported that there had
been no movement in the inn.
Within our coign Of vantage we rest
ed, peeping through the interstices OF
the foliage upon the Woodman. The
windows cleaned with light, but be-
yond that there was no mark of life.
Half an hour went by in this way,
and then sound of voices rose from
the inn, and presently there emerged
from the doorway two men, who stood
in conversation for few minutes be-
fore the house. It was too dark to
make them out distinctly, but one
set down as Hood. After time they
separated, Hood, as / supposed him to
be. returning into the inn and his COM
panion walking down the road away
from us. If we were to effect anything
this man must be followed, and |
whispered as much to the others, deter
mining to take the duty on myself.
Slipping through the copse, therefore,
/ struck downward through the fringe
Of wood that bordered the road. My
progress was naturally slower than
that of the man I was tracking, and
soon I was surprised to lose the sound
of his feet. But moments reflection
convinced me that he had turned of
the roadway and was proceeding, like
myself, through the forest This con-
viction became certainty little later,
when, pausing to resolve upon my di-
rection, / heard the noise of breaking
sticks ahead of me and brushing
among the foliage. Guided by these
sounds, shifted my path and went
forward. I imagine now that the man
must have heard me just as | had
news of him in the wood and that he
knew he was being followed. At the
time l thought myself undiscovered,
for I moved with slight noise. Yet
what happened was this: / suddenly
ceased once more to get tidings of him.
I paused and waited, but the valley
Gor we were now winding into the bot
ton) was stagnant with silence, save
for the purling stream in the distance.
Slowly and cautiously pushed on and
came out into a more open space,
where I stood silent, waiting again. /
must have remained there, still and at
tentive to all the tiny raptures of the
nocturnal quietude, for more than half
an hour But heard nothing of my
man, and so in some disgust resolved
to abandon the pursuit. Retracing my
steps, I climbed up to the road and re-
joined my companions in the thicket.
l found Sheppard in what for him was
a bad temper
"Our sport is being spoiled he said
impatiently, and to my questions add
ed, Jones'
"What is he about?' l asked.
apparently on the same errand as
ourselves he observed.
I considered. WED better go back"
l said. "The less Jones sees of US the
better, and, besides, he'll do our work
fer us y
/ think we all welcomed the sugges-
ton, for we were all nightly weary Of
the game, but we retreated to the cas-
tie in some chagrin. Sheppard pulled
at his pipe for some time in silence.
"WelI, what do you think of it," he
queried after a time.
shook my head Il felt better this
afternoon"
ssSO did >, he returned
you're not going to give upY asked
Montgomery
We both laughed. mot yet said.
There's plenty of time for despair"
"Well, wen consider the position to-
morrow" said Sheppard, yawning.
With which we got to bed, and for
one slept like the graveyard dead.
1 rode into Raymond next morning
with Montgomery, taking the road
upon the south side of the valley. away
from the Woodman, upon which Shep-
pard promised to keep his eyes. l was
anxious to discover what progress
Jones had made in his investigations,
and, moreover, felt slightly uneasy
as to our own posture in the affair.
Had the law got wind of US? And
were we connected in Jones' mind with
the mysterious transactions of the
Gwent?
AS luck had it, we did not find Jones,
who had returned to Raymond very
early in the morning, but had been
hastily summoned back into the Gwent
after breakfast. He had, my inform
ant imagined, crossed us, but I ac-
counted for not meeting him by the
new route we had taken. Therefore,
none the wiser for our excursion, we
turned the horses homeward and,
climbing the rise beyond the river,
clattered down into the forest.
We had ridden halfway to LlaneIlan
when Montgomery's mare fell lame,
and he dismounted to examine her
shoe. AS he was engaged for some
time in the occupation, pulled my nag
into the shade Of the big trees by the
wav and waited for him. Throwing