The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-04-09

were now to find him. 1t was some
tine after o'clock of very black and
ominous day that spied him from the
windows of my library crossing tie
! drawbridse and passing under the
archway of the guardroom. At ) Shep-
pard pointed out to me the face of q
man looking from the bushes. and jus
upon that comes in Montgomery with
| the tidings that a police officer was in
waiting by the gates.
What the deuce does he WANT"
gr0wled. III let them know better
than to trespass on my grounds"
Il thought | 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, OF II
might be that lie had already exceeded
| them.
Six o'clock, as I say. had struck. and
it must have been twenty minutes lat
er when Sercombe came up the drive.
| ran down the stairway u L.e>t him,
| with the one thought il Il; head thai
he had escaped the police by few
| minutes. | wanted TO warn him OF his
| danger. | have never to this day be-
| lieyed that Sercombe had any hald in
Williams death nor that he was privy
| to it. In fact, | am quite certain that
neither he nor Hood knew anything
about the assassination and that they
were equally startled with ourselves
and perhaps quite as much put about.
The Greeks alone were responsible.
| As the man drew near ne l saw fol
the first time the change upon his face.
The color. which was always high. had
fallen sickly and presented either Il
CHASTITY green or pallid redness to the
eye. His great muStache was ragged
and blew in wiSps about his mouth.
His clothes, which he was Wont to
Wear in excellent ST. e and condition.
were dusty. torn and soiled. He had.
to my astonished eye, the air of a
drunken lunatic, and his suffered
oaths and his uncertain gait deepened
the impression on me. He came up to
the door and put out hand. as if CROP
ing for the bell; but, though stood by.
he did not seem to notice me.
"Sercombe" | called in amaZement
He passed his hand across his eyes
SIS that you. Mr.. GreatoreX? Excuse
me. sir; see badly. My eyes Get
me in, for Gods sake he concluded
almost in a whine.
l took his arm and assisted him into
the nearest room. when he sank into Ii
chair, breathing his exhaustion.
I'll tell you what. Mr.. GreatoreX,
he said presently, staring about him
"you're 4 good sOrt-if that's news
But what price would you put upon
Hood now"
The man was plainly beyond himself
with fatigue or pain, or both, and so
l produced Il glass and some brandy
from the cupboard and poured out Il
dose. | seemed to see at bound the
color jump into his distempered face
1t swung back into his cheeks. and his
bloodshot eyes beamed on me.
Il feel better for that" he said gen
tally, land l could do with some food
too"
You shall have some directly" I
answered. 1t is preparing now. But
see here Captain SercOmbe, / must
warn you that you are i'll danger
Danger he echoed and appeared
to start in his chair. l could see that
the mans nerve was altogether broken
Yes; the police have a warrant out
for you. Something to do with VIII
liams, believe"
SercOmbe's head dropped on his knee
Il see it now" he muttered. THAT
was his game" He looked up at me
and curled his mustache with his fin
gers.
well, l fancy, Mr. Greatorex, that
I've come from greater danger than
that. | can't quite count the police.
Oh, no. And he laughed little.
They are outside keeping guard up
on the castle" explained, and | mov-
ell to the window and looked out Il
cannot think how you escaped them
What. Are you, too. in disgraceY
laughed SercOmbe in his old fashion:
then, more quietly: Il tell you, I'm not
afraid Of the police. What have |
done? l defy them to pin suspicion
on me. know to whom owe this, aud
make no bones about it. l don't forget.
| might have seen it cOming-perhaps
| debut that didn't trouble me-"
II should be wiser, Captain Ser
combe, if l knew where this led"
said |.
He pOndered. eying me. 'Sir, l will
tell you presently. If l may have that
food you spoke Of think l shall be in
better way to talk with you"