Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-15
Kidn aped.

LorlgInnll

1 WY ivy just SuCu II 10Y
rs kldnapcrs would like to get hold
of. His parents lived In terror of kid
napcrs and had given Willie instruc-
tions never TO 20 willingly with any
one who might invite him.
| you may go for awhile" she said,
"but first let me put on your belt"
Il don't want It on. It's too heavy"
But the mother insisted and put n
broad leather belt ON her boy with
peculiar massive buckle. Then, Civ
Ing him Kiss. she let him so.
Now, 1t happened that what the par
ents had so long dreaded occurred at
this very time. Pete Dugan and Gen
tleman Mike. who had not been long
out of jail, had seen the boy aud upon
| investigation discovered that his par
cnts were well 10 do. The men were
''laying' for him this very afternoon.
| They approached him. Each took n
hand and between them hurried him
away. Willie cried and resisted, but
the few who passed did not suspect
what was going on, and the kidnap-
crs soon got him Into n carriage and
| drove him to house In n quiet street.
putting him in room upstairs. Later,
he was given something to eat and
placed on dirty bed, where still cry
Ing, he fell asleep.
"Now, Pete" said Mike, "you watch
the night, and I'll spell you tomor-
| row."
"All right. Mike, but you'd better
keep n sharp eye out. We may be
| tracked"
RATS! There's no danger of that
yet"
Mike departed, and Pete threw him.
self Oh carpet covered lounge. An
hour passed, and he was falling into
doze when he started up. He heard
Willie say:
I'm Willie Ashe. live at 1o3 Cen
Ter street"
"The kids tailiin' In his Sleep" he
muttcrcd and lay down again, but not
| for long.
'You won't get any plumber from
me- said the boy again. I'm an imp
o Satan. I'll keep you in purgatory
for thousand years"
Pete, who had been brought up n
Catholic. shuddcrcd and crossed him.
self. He got up and looked at the boy,
who was sound asleep
Half an hour passed. The watcher
was again DOING when he was star
tied by very different, voice from
Wlllie's, mans rough voice:
Come. git in thcre'
Then there was a clnng and n turn
Ing of bolts such as he had often heard
| In prison.
a cold sweat started out all over
the kldnapcr. That voice never could
have come from II boy five years OH.
sat on the lounge shivering. All was
quiet. The hoy slept on, and after
awhile Pete lay down. but not to sleep.
He was appalled,. He lay trying to
think out some cause for what he had
last heard, waiting for another voice.
When II came II was different from the
rest and far louder than anything that
had been said:
"Policc! policcw
Pete jumped up. made dash for the
window and was about TO jump down
twenty feet TO the roof of n ncighbor-
ing building when, recovering some
fling of his cquanimity. he paused.
Willie's voice followed the cry for the
police:
Say, you're poached on. One O. the
gangs told. He gets thousand"
This information interested Pete in
tensely. He could not understand It,
coming from his captive. What was
meant by one of the gang? No one
| was Interested but himself and Gen
tleman Mike. He wondered If Mike.
had turned traitor.
The next heard of these strange
voices. some of which had come from
the sleeping child. others from he
knew not where finished the llidnaper.
He heard distant cnl, This way"
then nearer. Here, herc-where are
you going?" then plainly a sound he
knew only too well, The rapping of q
policemans club on curb. All this
was followed by the sound Of heavy
boots climbing stairs. Pete ran again
to the window. jumped to the roof be-
low and gained the street by means of
q water pipe.
Willie was awakened early the next
morning by the sun shining in his
eyes. He sat up and looked abOnt him.
He didn't know where he was. He got
up opened the door and went down
pair of stairs TO the street. Wandering
awhile he was picked up by police
man and taken to n station. All sta
lions had been notified that Willie
Ashe was missing, and telephone
message soon summoned his father TO
come and identify 'hc child. In ten
, minutes Willie was In his fathers and
mother'E embrace Then the father
took OH Willie's belt and examined the
bulky buckle.
"Bully. he shouted. Its run down.
Worked all right Captain" turning to
| the man ut the desk. 1--WE made won