Mexico Missouri message., 1906-05-10
(copyrisht, b The cassell Publishing Coz
CHAPTRR XXI.-CoNTINuED.


reading-devouring would be more &C
curate word-the letter which had been
posted at Swampscott the night before.
Fearful Of attracting attention, Thomas
increased his pace, but precautions were
needless. The man was absorbed, COM
pletely oblivious to all his surroundings.
Even In the monetary glimpse he had
of him the reporter was startled into the
belief that the contents Of the letter had
utterly overwhelmed and dazed the
man who had received It, The paper
was crumpled fiercely between his
hands, and he was glaring at it with
scarcely the look Of sanity in his eyes.
Thomas slipped hastily into the next
booth. The brief vision which had Just
been granted him was certainly not cali
culated to lessen his idea OF the Inn
portAnce OF the document of which he
was in quest, or to shake his determine
tion to become possessed Of It,
But how2 4
This was a problem which might well
puzzle Mr.. Thomas. The greater the
Importance Of the letter the more care
fully would Its possessor guard it. II
he destroyed It, there was little hope
that so shrewd man as Stackhouse
would be satisfied with leaving it in
condition which would not preclude its
restoration II he carried It away with
him, under what possible pretense could
the reporter get it? He certainly could
not ask him for It; he was scarcely pre-
pared even in his present fever Of eager
ness to resort to violence. Were he so
inclined, how could he even hope for the
opportunity Of stealing It? Neyerthe-
less, Thomas compressed his lips and
waited patiently the unpredictable
course of events.
lie had not long to wait for a change
IN the situation. He heard Stackhouse
crushing the paper and murmuring I'M
distinguishable words below his breath.
Then again, he fancied. from the sounds,
that the man had risen to his feet and
was leaving the booth. A cautious recon
noitering assured the reporter that he
was correct in this surmiee Stackhouse
had passed to the bar, and he heard him
in no very steady voice asking for bran
dy. Where was the letter? Actuated by
an absurd hope, thereporter slipped into
the booth which stackhouse had just va
Gated A minutes search assured him
that stackhouse had not committed the
objectionable indiscretion Of leaving
even the remnants Of the document upon
the floor. Undoubtedly he had not torn
1t up, but bad replaced It bodily in his
pocket.
After drinking the brandy, Staekhouse
went out, and the reporter followed him
from the saloon. Thomas was not, how
ever, so absorbed in the actions OF his
intended victim that he was oblivioua
20 other things. It was quite obvious to
him that two Of the men who had been
iounging at the bar suddenly became
alert and lost all interest In the place
as soon as Stackhouse had left 1t. So
eager were they 70 get into the street
that they jostled Mr.. Thomas on their
way. They were ordinary looking men.
Nothing about them was calculated to
linger in the memory or to attract sec
ond glance. One Of them sauntered
over to the other side Of the street. The
othnr kept along just in front Of
Thomas.
The reporter frowned. These details
were no enigma to MIN. he recognized
ct once the precautionary measures OF
the police department These, then,
Wers Thomas staeIkhouse's constant
sompanions, and the reporter realized
that their presence mada his quest, Il
not more dangerous, az least vastly more
dihcnlt.
Still he went on. The detectives fol-
\
the detectives. Did stackhouse know Of
his double espionage7 There were no
evidences that he did or that ne cared
one way or the other. He went forward
at q good pace, his eyes always down.
ward 81 straight ahead What walk
he waa leading them! Apparently be
had forgotten that there were any means
Of conveyance about the city. Ignoring
alike horse caFs and cabs, ThoInton
Staekhonse went from the barrcom IN
Shawmut avenue to the Chelsea ferry,
at the foot Of Hanover street. The four
men, who were not all conscious OF theis
association Of Interest, passed upon the
ferry-boat together.
After the boet Was out IN the stream,
for the arst time Stachhonse's conduct
became suspicious He glanced abou,
him. and wandered from point to point,
apparently with two Obj ects n view. He
seemed TO be trying to set &c far as pos
sible from other people, and aa near az
possible TO the rail.
A dark suspicion entered the report.
er'a nina Was Thornton stackhouse
contemplating auicide9 Whether 81
not It was not at ali necessary for him
20 Interfere circumstance happily on.
abled him to watch the proceedings from
= salo distances, for the two detectives
doubtless imbped With the same stis.
piclon which had occurred to Thomas.
kept close upon the heels Of the unfor-
tunate man Evidently they had no il.
tontion ol permitting their prey TO es-