Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-08-09
CHAPTER XXI.
The Mans Shadow.

| P0rtsGa that we visited once before,
meeting was held again tonight
There was the same secrecy, the same
caution, the same mystery over all
that went on The elderly man had
made his way there when he left his
reluctant guest to settle down in his
new quarters as best he could. He
was without his beard now and only
his pocket could have told what had
become of it. He looked younger
without it by twenty years
There was the same series of pro
ceedlngs that had marked the former
meeting, only they were half through
by the time the last arrival entered
the room He sat in silence till he
was called upon by the chief. Then
he arose in his place with an air of
secret exutation which was evident
! The chief regarded him with cold
ness. He was too enterprising, too
confident, to have anything but sus-
picion from man whose place he
might well fill some day. 1t was in a
tone Of marked repression that he was
called upon to give in his report to the
| society.
You have succeeded in your under
taking""
81 have. | found the man specified
at the haunt ! had marked him in be
| fore; | have kept him under my lnowl-
edge, knowing he was the ultimate
card to play"
The chief frowned somberly, He
had not forgotten, any more than the
speaker, that he had waved aside this
instrument in favor of Baron Taxona
and Countess Eika, both of whom had
failed, If the trump card lay in the
hand of his adversary, he must needs
play up to it. but woe betide the en-
envy if he took the trick.
You have secured him."
81 brought him down in the train
with me tonight. He is at this mo-
ment in the house where l liye."
He came willingly?'
mot in the least" Again there was
that ficlering, cynical CLEAN that only
courtesy could call a smile. 1t was a
good deal more disagreeable than an
other mans frOWn.
THAT is unfortunate It is the will
ing tool that works best" The severe
repression had not left the voice of
the chief.
Your pardon, my president. | have
not always found it SO. 1t is the tool
that is held in the firm hand that does
the lasting work"
They were both thinking of the two
unsuccessful tools of the president
man He frowned again. more som
berly, and his hand went across his
mouth with relentless movement
you are sure he will not fail you?
Any tool may break IN the hand, and it
Is the hand that gets the worst hurt "
'My president, he will not fail me
II have collar too strong round his
neck"
"a collar of gold?"
mo, my president, a hempen collar
and the hangman holds the other end
The chief bent his head as if con
WINGED reluctantly, but the other went
on
youth is our best friend The
crimes that it commits play into oul
hands with strong purpose to the very
end of life. Hot blood, hot passions
unrestraint-we have to thank then
for half our handling Of the society's
tools. If this boy had not given me
the upper hand over him by his indis
cretions of youth and violence, coulG
not bend him to my purpose should
say the purpose of the society-now
1T is we'll" The. chief cut across
speech remorselessly. The society
does not speak when it can act. We
hold you excused from moralizinS Tn,
keys are in your hands now; you mus
open the door.
There was only the fash of a mo
ment in the deep-set eye of the other
but he mentally challled up another
number in the score that was Sc
against the chief. las you will h.
said, bowling submissively; Il have bu
to hear. The youth knows what hi
work is to be. and he will do it t.
save his neck"
HAS he seen the other?"
mot yet. But showed him a pho
tograph. He was overcome witt
amazement, and protested at first tina
I was imposing on hint must hay
been taken from himself, without hi
knowledge"
SIS the likeness, then, so absolute?
Absolute. allowing for the mer
difference of social station and train
, ing. This man has been soldier; h
has even the carriage, and the walk
and the ART is only when he speak
that one can detect the faintest differ
ence in inflection-the voices are ider
: tical. The accent, of course, has di
ferent modulation--one was trained a
a public school and in a good home
the other perhaps in Whitechapel Blu
only an expert could tell that, and n
one will dream of noticing. The decor
. ton will be complete and perfect"
ut is all extraordinary coincidence!
But fortunate for our purpose
: Have I permission to begin at once
J Time has been spent already. and Q,