Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-12-06

CHAPTER Xxx.


crew Of the nameless ship aboard her. We
had come without hindrance through the
crowded waters Of the Channel and, styl-
ing ourselves Norwegian whaler in bal
last had gained the difficult harbor with
out arousing suspicion. At the first,
Black had thought to leave me on the
steamer; but l gave him solemn word that
| would not seek to quit him, that l would
not in any way betray him while the truce
lasted, and that / would return. wherever
| was, to the tender in the harbor at the
end of a week.
| will not pause to tell you my own
thoughts when I set foot on shore again.
l could not help but carry my memory to
the last occasion when, with Roderick and
Mary, | had come to London in the very
hope Of getting tidings of this man who
now sat with me in a Kent Coast express.
Where were the others then-the girl
who had been as a sister to me, and the
man as n brother how far had the fear
Of my death made sad that childish face
which had known such little sadness in its
sixteen years of life? 1t was odd to think
that Mary might be then returned to Lon
don, and that !. whom perchance she
thought dead, was near to her, and yet,
in a sense, more cut Off from her than in
the grave itself
1t was after 10 o'clock that the ride
terminated, and, following Black and Os-
bart into closed carriage. I was driven
from the station. We drove for fifteen
minutes, staying at last before a house
in n narrow street, where we went up
stairs to a suite of rooms reserved for us.
After an excellent supper Osbart left us,
but Black took me TO a iouble-bedded
room, saying that lie could not let me out
of his sight
Boy, if you make one attempt to play
me false" said he, IN blow your brains
out"
On the next morning Black quilted the
house at an early hour after breakfast,
but he locked the door of the room upon
Osbart and myself. Not" as he said,
because I can't take your word, but be-
cause / don't want anyone fooling in
here lie returned in the evening at
o'clock, and found me as he had left me,
reading a novel
The following day was Thursday. l
shall always remember it, for / regard
it as one Of the most memorable days in
my life. Black went out as usual early
i'll the morning; his object being, as on
the preceding day, to find out, if he could,
what the Admiralty were doing in view of
the robbery of the Bellonic. We had been
left thus about the space of an hour when
there came telegram for the doctor, who
read it with Il fierce exclamation.
THE captain wants me urgently" said
be, and there's nothing to do but to leave
you here. You must put up with the in
dignity of being locked in. The man VINO
owns this house is one of u.s."
When he was gone | sat in the great
armchair, pulling it to the window, and
taking up my book. l could hear the hum
of town, the rumhling of buses, and the
subdued roar of London awake. l could
even see people in the houses at the other
side of the leads, and it occurred to me,
What If | open that easement and call
for help? | had given n pledge, it Is true;
but should a pledge bind under such con
ditions?
| was in the very throes of a mental
struggle when the strange event of the
day happened. / CHANGED to look up from
the book I had been trying to read, and
| saw remarkable object upon the leads
outside my window. 1t was the figure of
a man. looking into my room; and pres
emily. when he had given me innumerable
mods and winks, he took a knife from his
pocket. and opened the catch, stepping
into the chamber with the nimble foot of
a goat upon a crag path Then he drew
n chair up to mine, slapped me upon the
knee and said:
''In the name of the law !! l take you
by surprise; but business, Mr.. Mark
Strong In the first place l have wired
to your friend, Mr.. Roderick Stewart,
and | expect him from Portsmouth in a
couple of hours; in the second your other
friend the doctor, is under lock and key,
on the triiing charge of murder in the
NIidlands, to begin with. When we have
Captain Black. the little party will be
complete"
! looked at him. voiceless from the sur
prise of it, and he went on:
Il needn't tell you who l am: but
there's my card. We have six men in the
street outside, and another half dozen
watching the leads here. You will be
sensible enough to follow my instructions
absolutely. Black we know, leaves the
country tonight in his steamer The
probability is that ne will come to fetch
out Of the people downstairs-if he does.
you will go with him. Otherwise, he's
pretty sure to send someone for you. and.
Is You at the moment are our sole link be-
tween that unmitiSated scoundrel and his
arrest, | ask you to risk one step more,
and return nj any rate as far as the coast.
chat we may follow him for the last time"
l looked at his card, whereon was the
inscription. detective Inspector King.
Scotland Yard" and l said ut once:
Il shall not only 20 To the coast, but
to his tender. for I've given my word
What You may do in The meantime is not
my affair. l suppose he's made a sensa-
tion?'
Sensation! There isn't another sub
iect talked Of in any house in Europe
bu, read that; and its ten thousand in
my pocket. any way =
Acknowledgements King went as he
had come passing noise!eSSly over the
leads; but he left me newspaper, where
in there was column after column con
corning the robbery of the BeIouic A
last. The police We're on the trail of Cap
tain BLACK vet / saw at once that, lack
ING my help. he would elude them.
II was half past six when NJ last man
unlocked the door Of my room and entered
lie was one Of Blacks negroes.
'Sar VIII come quick" said he land
leave his luggage. The master waits"
Hc gave me no time for any explana-
tons. but took me by the arm. and. pass
Ing from the house by back door, he
went some way down narrow street
There cab waited for us. and we drove
away, but not before one. who stood on
the pavement. had made slight signal
GO me, and called another cab. In him
recognized Detective Inspector King. and
l knew 1hat we were followed.
CHAPTER MI.
We drove rapidly and took a train for
Tiinary. The journey was accomplished
in something under an hour: and when
we alighted and cot l1nnn TIM honl- nf