Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-04-12


'sWe have no objection. Mr.. jc-es, @
give you our confidence, if you VII he
equally liberal with us. We We're hunt
ing for Captain Sercon5e."
"Ah!'' says Jones, making a note TIL
der the stars. Then it is lucky | met
you, gentlemen, for am doing the
same,
began to see.
"NIr. Hood said Sheppard, with a
polite gesture of his hand, twas guild
ing your
Mr.. Hood had an idea,' responded
Jones sourly.
"Ah, Mr.. Hoods ideas are very valu-
able. said Sheppard quickly. "Pray
treasure them.''
II think, Mr. Sergeant" interrupts
ed, being at length come to myself,
"that we have been both badly deceiv-
ed, and if were you should go
home''
Jones hesitated think he had had
enough Of it, Wherever Sercombe was,
it was certain to me that he was very
far from the place into which Hood
had decoyed the police.
ST give you the same advice, sir" re-
piled Jones, 'and with your permits
sion T will accompany you."
Il wish for no better escort than SO
jealous an officer" / answered, with
some bitterness.
Jones spoke word with Hood, and.
that done, we retraced our steps
through the forest in mutual and i'm
FILTERED silence
I think there was little conversation
between us on our journey back. The
sergeant used us very curtly, as if he
would imply that we were defendants
upon our trial. But one thing he did
say, and that, as Sheppard remarked
afterward, without giving US the Gus
tomary warning.
Il should like to ask you, Mr.. Great
orex," he said, what you want with
Captain Sercombe?'
81 want good DEAL" l answered
bluntly. Il want to warn him that he
is wanted on fatuous charge by a
very obstinate and blind eyed officer
81 don't think he needs that warning,
sir" said Jones after a pause and
somewhat dryly.
Besides, you forget, Ned" put in
Sheppard, "that he owes me E20."
"Ah' said the sergeant in tone
which implied that he was not to be
startled by anything that Sercombe
owed.
"And now,' said, in my turn, you
will perhaps be good enough to tell me
how you came to find us?'
.Mr. Hood heard you," he answered,
civilly enough this time.
TT was good Of Mr.. Hood-very
sharp of Mr.. Hood" I returned, "and
| take leave to thank Mr.. Hood and to
wish that he had discovered us little
sooner. Maybe you and would have
been spared a useless tramp"
If we slept soundly that night it was
owing more to the labors of the expe-
dition than to any peace of mind or
satisfaction of spirit. We were thor
oughly out of tune with ourselves, and
for the next two days our tempers
gomery looked sour and morose, but,
to give him his due, he was all the
more set on pursuing the adventure to
an end; and it was in this manner that
we spent the last day before the cul-
mination of this strange and tragic
history.
The first event in that continuous
chain that drew US henceforward
fortnight to the dreadful close fell
that evening and when we were the
least expecting so odd turn to the af-
fair. We had spent the night hunting
Sercombe, aud SO, too, had Jones. We
were now to find him. It was some
time after o'clock of a very black and
ominous day that I spied him from the
windows of my library crossing the
drawbridge and passing under the
archway of the guardroom. At 5 Shep-
pard pointed out to me the face of a
man looking from the bushes, and just
upon that comes in Montgomery with
the tidings that a police officer was in
waiting by the gates.
'sWhat the deuce does he want?" I
growled. ssI'll let them know better
than to trespass on my grounds"
II thought l knew the face" SAID
Sheppard. Lets settle him. 1t means
that we're watched"
We hurried out, but the picket was
gone. Perhaps he had his orders, or 1t
might be that he had already exceeded
them.
Six o'clock, as say, had struck, and
it must have been twenty minutes lat
er when Sercombe came up the drive.
ran down the stairway to meet him,
with the one thought in my head that
he had escaped the police by few
minutes. l wanted to warn him of his
danger. / have never to this day be-
lieved that Sercombe had any hand in
Williams death nor that he was privy
to it. In fact, l am quite certain that
neither he nor Hood knew anything
about the assassination and that they
xvnra a0raIIv startled with ourselves