The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-02-27

I aftlIneT a NtTE Id-EITVTEd| u 49,
Young man. came UP to my rooms ala
asked me TO accompany him in a car
which was waiting at the door. A
II Greek friend had come To see hlln
upon business. he said, and as he could
speak nothing but his own tongue, the
services of an interpreter were mas
pensable. He ave me 10 understand
that his house was some little distance
off in kensingtOn. and he seemed tc
be in a great hurry. busting me rap
idly into the cab, when we had de-
scended to the street.
Il say into a cal, but | soon be-
came doubtful as TO whether It was
not a carriage in which | found my
self. 1t was certainly more roomy
than the ordinary f~our-Wheeled dis
grace to London. and the fittings,
though frayed. Were Of rich quallty.
Mr. Lattincr seated hlmsel1 opposite
to me and we started off through
Charing Cross and up the Shaftesbury
avenue. We had come out upon OK
ford street and | had Venturcd some
remark as to this being a roundabout
way to Kensington. when my words
were arrested by the extraordinary
conduc of my companion.
He began by drawing a most for
misunderstanding bludgeon loaded With
lead from his pocket. and switching it
backward and forward several times,
as il to test its weight and strength.
i ntIl ne placed II without d Nbiu upon
the seat beside him. Having done this
he drew IN the windows on each side,
md I found to my establishment h a
they We're covered with paper so as to
prevent my seeing through them.
u am Sorrv to cut off your view.
Mr.. Melas,' said he. The fact is that
| have no intention that OF ShOuld see
What the place is to which we are driv-
ing. 1t might possibly be ~inconven-
lent to me if you could find your way
there again
LAS YOU can imagine / was utterly
taken aback by such an address. My
companion was a powerful. broad
shouldered young fellow, and. apart
from the weapon. / should not have
had the slightest chance in a struggle
With him.
This is very extraordinary on
duct. Mr.. Latimer, | stammered. You
must be aware that what you are do
ing is quite illegal
1T is somewhat Of Il liberty, no
doubt said he. but We'll make it UP
to you. | must warn you, however,
Mr.. Melas, that if at any time tonight
you attempt to raise an alarm or do
anything which is against my interests,
you viii find it d very serious thing. /
beg you to remember that no one
knows where You are, and that,
whether you are in this carriage or in
my house, you are equally in my
power
His words were quiet, but he had
a rasDing way of saying them which
was very menacing. / sat in silence
wondering what on earth could be his
reason for kidnapping me in this ex-
t~raordinaTy fashion. Whatever il
might be. it was perfectly clear that
there was no possible use in my re-
sisting. and that / could only wait
to see might befall me.
For nearly two hours we drove
without my having the least clue as
to where we We're going. Sometimes
the rattle Of the stones old of a
paved causcWay, and at others our
smooth, silent course suggested as
phalt; but, save bV this variation in
sound, there was nothing at all
which could in the not way help
me to form a guess as to where we
We're. The paper over each window
was impenetrable to light. and a blue
curtain was drawn across the glass
work in front. 1t was a uuarter-DaSt
seven when we left Pail Mall, and,
my watch showed me that it waS
ten minutes to nine when we at last
came to u standstill. NV companion
let down the window. and / caught
q glimpse Of q low. arched doorway
with q lamp burning above it. As
was hurried from the carriage it
swung oDen. and | found myself in
side the house, with u vague impress
"t'i - q 1d"i df!d trees Oh eatIl Sl0c
Of me as | entered. Whether these
were private grounds, however. or
bona-fde country was more than
could possibly venture to say.
There was a colored gas-lamp in
side which was turned 50 low that
| could see little save that the hall
was of some size and hung with pic
lures. In the dim light | could make
out that the person who had opened
the door was q small mean-looking
middle-aeed man with rounded
shoulders: AS he turned towards US
the CLINT Of the light showed me that
he was wearing glasses,
is this Mr.. Mclas, Harold said
he.
YES
"'Well done, well done. No i'll will.
MI. Melas, ! hope but We could not
get on without you. ii Nou deal fair
with us You'll not regTet it. but if
You try any tricks, God held you,' He
spoke in a nervous, jerky fashion, and
with little giggling laughs in between.
but somehow he impressed me with
fear more than the other.
What do YOU want with me?' I
ask ed.
"tOnly to ask a few questions of
q Greek gentleman who is visiting us.
and TO let US nave h But
say no more than YOU are told to say.
oT-here came the nervous gigsling
idSdlI-you Hdu DeLleT never nave
been born
"As he spoke he opened a door
and showed the way into a room
which appeared to be very richlv
furnished. but again the only light
was afforded by d single lamp half
turned down. The chamber was Ger
tainly large, and the way in which
my feet sank into the carpet as |
stepped across it told me of its rich
ness. | caught plilnpses of velvet
chairs. q high White marble mantel-
piece, II what seemed to be a suit
OF japanese ar1npr at one side Of il.
There was q chair just under the
lamp. and the elderly man motioned
that | should sit in it. The Younger
had left us, but he suddenly return
ed through another door. leading
With him a gentleman clad in some
sort of loose dressinS-soWn who
moved slowly towards us. AS he
came into the circle Of dim light
which enabled me to see him more
clearly | was thrilled with horror al
his Appearance. He Was deadly pale
and terribly emaciated, with the pro-
frrl6ino hriIIio II oxcc nf n ~ ~ 11-boco