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

the cover OF udfkneSS, II we hight NOT
actually wreSt from its abominable
holders the gold and jewels OF the
treasure At 10 o'clock we three We're
gathered within the shelter OF the deep
thicket before the Woodman. Mont
gomery had taken up his position there
by light, but reported that there had
been no movement in the inn.
Within our coigh of vantage we rest
ed, peeping through the interstices of
the foliage upon the Wo0dman. The
windows cleaned with light but be
yond that there was no mark Of life.
Half an hour went by in this way.
and then sound of voices rose from
the inn, and presently there emerged
from the doorway two men. who stood
in conversation for Il few minutes he
fore the house 1t was too dark to
make them out distinctly, but one |
set down as Hood. After time they
separated, Hood, as l supposed him TO
be, returning into the inn and his com
panion walking down the road away
from us. If we We're to effect anything
this man must be followed. and ]
whispered as much to the others. deter
mining to take the duty on myself.
Slipping through the copse. therefore
| struck downward through the fringe
of wood that bordered the road. My
progress was naturally slower than
that of the man | was tracking. and
soon l was surprised to lose the sound
of his feet But Il moments reflection
convinced me that he had turned off
the roadway and was proceeding, like
myself, through the forest. This con
viction became certainty little later
| when. pausing to resolve upon my iii
| rectiOn. | heard the noise of breaking
sticks ahead of me and brushing
among the foliage. Guided by these
sounds. l shifted my path and went
forward. | imagine now that the man
| must have heard me just as | had
news of him in the wood and that he
knew he was being followed. At the
time | thought myself undiscovered,
| for | moved with slight noise. Yet
what happened was this: | suddenly
| ceased once more to get tidings of him.
IIduStu tlIlti w dItSl, but tHC dAi'
| for we were now winding into the bot
| TOM was stagnant with silence. save
| for the purling stream in the distance.
Slowly and cautiously l pushed on and
I came out into more open space,
where l stood silent, waiting again.
must have remained there. still and at
tentive to all the tiny raptures of the
nocturnal quietude, for more than half
| an hour. But | heard nothing of my
| man. and so in some disgust resolved
| to abandon the pursuit. Retracing my
| steps, | climbed up to the road and re-
| joined my companions in the thicket.
l found Sheppard in what for him was
! a bad temper.
Our sport is being spoiled he said
| impatiently, and to my questions add
! ed, Jones"
What is he about:" | asked
apparently on the same errand as
| ourselves he observed
| | considered Wed better go back"
l said THE less Jones sees of us the
better, and, besides, he'll do our work
| for us"
| | think we all welcomed the sugges-
ton, for we We're all nightly weary of
the game, but we retreated to the cas-
tie in some chagrin. Sheppard pulled
at his pipe for some time in silence.
"Well, what do you think Of it?'' he
Quered after time
l shook my head Il felt better this
afternoon.
$50 did l." he returned.
You're not going to give up?" asked
Montgomery.
We both laughed Not yet" l said.
There's plenty of time for despair"
We'll. we'n consider the position to-
morrow" said Sheppard y&wning
With which we got to bed, and l for
one slept like the graveyard dead.
| rode into Raymond next morning
with Montgomery, taking the road
upon the south side of the valley, away
from the Woodman. upon which Shop
pard promised to keep his eyes. 1 was
anxious to discover what progress
Jones had made in his Investigations.
aud. moreover. l felt slightly uneasy
| rs to our own posture III the AFFAIR.
Had the law got wind of us: And
were we connected in Jones mind with
/ the mysterious transactions of the
iwent?
AS luck had it, we did not find Jones,
who had returned to Raymond very
early in the morning, but Ald been
hastily summoned back into the Gwent
after breakfast. He had, my inform
ant imagined, crossed us, but ac-
counted for not meeting him by the