The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-11-27


reckon III slide out If no ono's look
In"
I've got some men on the. next
floor" I said. Il thought II would be
just as wen 10 have a few around In
case OF emergencies. I'll have two OF
them out and send Porter to recon
hotter"
who told you to sit your men to-
gether?"
"A little idea OF my own"
you've got some sense. after all
The reinforcements were soon ready
to take orders, and Porter returned to
bring word that no suspicious person
was in sight in the street.
Il reckon I'd 6est go, then" said
Mother Borton. Il don't want no knife
in me Jest yit, but II there's no one
to see me I'm all right"
pressed Mother Borton to take
two OF my men as escort, but she
sturdlly refused.
They'd know something was up II
| was TO 20 around that way. and ia
be bloody ghost as soon as they
could ketch me alone" she said.
We'll, good night-or is II mornin'?
And do take keer Of yourself, dearie.'
And, so saying Mother Borton mufied
herself up till it was hard to tell
whether she was man or woman. and
trudged away.
Whatever designs were brewing In
the night-meeting Of the conspirators,
they did not appear to concern my i'm
mediate peace of body. The two fol-
lowing days were spent in quiet In
spite OF WARNINGS, l began to believe
that no new plan OF action had been
determined on. and / bent my steps 10
the Office that had been furnished by
Doddridge Knapp. hardly expected
to meet the King of the Street. He
had. | supposed. returned TO the city.
but he had set Wednesday as the day
for resuming operations in the market.
and 1 did not think that he would be
found here on Monday.
The room was cold and cherries.
and the dingy hooks in law-calf APP
poared 20 gaze ar me in mute protest
! as looked about me.
The doors that separated me from
Doddridge Knapp's room were shut
and locked. What was behind them?
wondered. Was there anything in
Doddridge Knapps room that bore on
the mystery Of the hidden boy. or
would give the clue to the murier OF
/ Henry Wilton? II vengeance was TO
be mine: IL Doddridge Knapp was to
/ pay the penalty Of the gallows for the
death Of Henry Wilton, it must be by
the evidence that I should wrest from
| him and his tools. had just secured
the key that would fit the first door
had taken the impression Of the
| lock and had Il made without definite
/ purpose, but now l was ready 20 act
With a sinking heart but a clear
head put the key cautiously TO tho
lock and gently turned 1t. Tho key
fitted perfectly. and the bolt hew back
as It made the circle. I opened the
door into the middle room. The sec
ond door. as / expected. was closed.
Would the same key fit the second
lock. or must ] wait to have another
made? l advanced to the second door
and was about TO try the key when a
sound from behind It turned my blood
to water.
Beyond that door. from the room /
had supposed TO be empty, l heard a
groan.
stood as IL petriHed. and. in the
broad daylight that streamed in at the
window. with the noise and rush OF
Clay street ringing in my ears. felt
my hair rise as though / had come
on ghost. l listened a minute or
more, but heard nothing.
"Nonsense!" thought to myself; IT
was a trick q the imagination"
/ raised my hand once more TO the
lock. when the sound broke again,
louder, unmistakable. II was the voice
OF one in distress OF body or mind.
listened with all my ears. Then
there came through the door the low.
stern tones Of mans voice speak
ing earnestly, pieadingly. threatening.
| ly, but in a suppressed monotone.
Then the groan burst forth again,
and it was followed by sobs and
choked sounds, as OF one who protest.
ed. yet, strangely. the voice was the
same. There was one man. not two. II
was selfaccusation, selfexcuse. and
the sobs seemed TO come In answer TO
self-reproaches.
Then there was sound as Of a man
praying, and the prayer was broken
by sobs; a<d again thought there
were two men. And then there was
noise of a man moving about, and
a long smothered groan, as Of one in
agony Of spirit. Fearful that the door
might be flung open in my face. tip
toed back to my room, and silently
turned the key, as thoroughly mysti-
fed as ever had been in the strange
events that had crowded my
life since | had entered the city.
(To be continued I'm next issue.t