The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-07-19
CHAPTER xxi.

CHAPTER XXI.
The night came on. fair and still, clear
and starlit; but there was no moon and
outside the immediate neighborhood Of the
main streets, the darkness was enough
to favor our hope of escaping notice with
out being so intense as to embarrass our
footsteps. Everything, in fact, seemed to
be en- cur side, and was full of buoy
ant condolences as put my revolver In
my pocket and, on the stroke Of midnight,
stole from my lodgings. looked up to-
ward the bank and dimly deserted three
or four mctionless figures, whom ! took
to be sentries guarding the treasure. The
street itself was almost deserted, but from
where stood / could see dhe Piazza
crowded with . throng of people, whose
shouts and songs told me that the Colo
nei's hospitality was, being fully appre-
ciated. There was dancing going ON to
the strains of the military band, and ev-
cry sign showed that our good citizens IN
tended, in familiar phrase, to MAKE
night Of It.
/ walked swiftly and silently down to
xhs jetty. Yes. the boat was all right
looked to her fires, and left her moored BY
enc rope ready to be launched into the
calm black sea in an instant. Then
strelled along, BY the harbor side. Here
I met q couple Of sentries. 1nnocentiy
/ entered into conversation with them,
condoling on their hard fate In being kept
on duty while pleasure was at the helm
In the Piazza. Gently deprecating such
excess Of caution, pointed out to them
the stationary lights Of The Sonsstress'
four or Eve miles out to sea, and with
respectful smile at the Coloners uneasi-
ness. left the seed had sown to grow II
prepared soil. l dared do no more. ano
had to trust for the rest to their natufai
inclination to the neglect OF duty.
When got back to the bottom o. LID
erty street, ensconced myself IN tne
shelter Of q little group Of trees which
stood at one side of the roadway. Just
across the road, which ran at right an
rles to the street, the wood began, and
quarter Of an hours walk through Its
shades would bring US to the jetty where
the boat lay. Ny trees made . perfect
screen. and here / stood awaiting events.
For some time nothing was audible put
an ever-increasing tumult OF Joviahty
frem the Piazza. But after about twenty
minutes I awoke to the fact that con-
slant dribble of men, singly or IN pairs
had begun to dow past me from the Fl
axza. down Liberty street, across the ROAD
behind me, and into the WOOD. some were
In uniform, others dressed In common
clothes; one or two recognized ~ mem
bers Of Johnny Cars missing band. The
strong contrast between the prevailing
rsvelry and the stealthy, cautious air OF
these passers-by would alone have sus-
rested that they were bent on business
putting tive and two together, had not
the least doubt that they were the Presi-
dent,s adherents making their way down
10 the waters edge to receive their chief.
So he was coming; the letter had done
its work Some fifty or more must have
come and gone before the stream ceased,
and reflected, with great satisfaction
that the Colonsl was likely to have his
hands very full In the next hour or two.
Half an hour sor 30 passed uneventful'
~; the bonfire still blazed; the songs and
dancing were still in full swing. It wa
close upon the fateful hour Of two, when
looking from my hiding place, I saw .
slight figure in black coming quickly and
fsarfully along the road.
recognized the Signorina at once, .,
I should recognize her any day among I
thousand, and as she paused nearly oppo
site where / was, gently called 'hel
name and showed myself for . moment
She ran to me at once.
ITS It all right7" she asked. breath
lessly.
I'VE shall see IN . moment" said !
"The attack ID coming Of; Il win besil
directly"
( But the attack was not the next thin,
~ saw. We had both rstreated again t
che frieadly shadow whence w could -
without being ssen. Hardly had No ~
elsd Ourselves than the Signorina whia
psrsd 10 me, pointing across tAs road +
the wood: +
WHATS that. JackT /
followed the line Of her finger en-
made out rev Of figures standing ND
&ionlsss and still on the very sdgs Of q
wood Il was too dark to distinguish In
Aividuals; but even ~ We looked the q
voicsd command:
MIND net q sound till I give Il
word"
The President!" exclaimed the Dil
norma, IN q loud whisper.
"Hush, or hs'll hear" said I. 'an
we're done"
Clearly nothing would happen from tbs
quarter till 1t was called forth BY even,
IN the opposite direction. The Signorin
was strongly agitated; shs elung to %
closely, and I saw with alarm that Il
very proximity Of the man she stood
such awe Of was too much for her csz
posurs. When had soothsl, and fes
half-frishtensd, her into stiffness, I agai
turned my eyes toward tie Piaan. II
FIRE had at last Aickered cut and the reve
seemed on The wans. Suddenly body ,
men appeared in close order, narchin
dswz tie street. toward the bank. W
stood perhaps . hundred yards from III
building, wAich was, in tn turn, about tn
hundred from the Piassa. Steadily the
came along; no sound reached a. fro
the wood.
This 10 getting Interesting" I sai,
~Thersn be trouble son."
Al near a. / could see, the Colonel
bead, for such It was no doubt, did n
number more than nve-and-twenty at Il
outside. Now they were at the bank.
could hardly see what happened, but thel
s>emeA IA Ia a uoOrn>rvfa psuaA v~ok> h,