The Ordway new era., 1907-02-22
IooPyrisst 100. BY na''' Merrill Col
CHAPTER II.-continued.

GERS in the hope OF seeing some one
: traw Conversation on trains makes
short journeys. e"' "F
stIfly in my seat Dingonally across
the aisle sat the very chap ] had met
in the curloshop, He was Quleuy
reading popular magazine, ana DC
casIonally n smile liEhtened his hAT-
donic mouth. Funny that ! should
run across him twice In the same
evening! Men who are contemplating
suicide never smile in that fashion
He was smoking a small. we!l-coIoTed
meorschaum pipe with evident relish.
Somehow, when q man Clcnchcs his
teeth upon the mouthpIcce OF a re-
spectacle pipe. 1t seems impossible To
associate that man with crime. but
the fact that had seen him selecting
a pistol in a pawnshop rather neutral
lied the good opinion was willing TO
form. | have already expressed my
views upon the subject The sight OF
him rather worried me, though !
could not reason why. Whittier was
he bound? Had he finally taken one
of FrIard's pistols For a moment
was on the point ot speaking TO him,
n only to hear him tell more lies
about the ten Of hearts but / wisely
put aside the temptation. Besides,
It might be possible that he would
not be glad to see me. always avoid
the chance acquaintance. unless, OF
course. the said chance acquaintance
IS met under favorable circumstances
like the girl in MouquIn's, for in.
stance, After all. II was only an In.
cident. and. but for his picking up
that card. neyef should have remem.
bcred him.
Behind him sat a fellow with
countenanCe as red and round and
Complacent as an English butler's.-
red hair and small twinkllng eyes
Once he leaned over and spoke to my
chance acquaintance, who. without
turning his head. thrust a match over
his shoulder The man with the face
of a butler lighted the most villalnous
pipe | ever behcld. wondered II
they knew each other. But. closely
as | watched, saw no sign from
either. | turned my collar up and
snugglcd down. There was no need
of his seeing me.
Then my thought reverted to the
ten Of hearts again. My ten OF hearts,
The wrinkle OF chill ran up and
down my spine' My ten of hearts,
Hastily | took out the card and ex.
amined the back of II. 1t was an IN.
commonly handsome back. represent.
! ing Diana, the moon, and the midnight
| sky. A horrible supposition came TO
me: supposing they looked at the
back as well as at the face of the
card? And again, supposing | was
miles away from the requisite color
and design? was staggered. Here
was pretty fix! had never even
dreamed Of such 4 contingency. Hang
| 1t! ! now wished | had stuck to nv
original plan. and gone to the theater
Decidedly | was in for 1t; there was
no backing down at this late hour
unless | took the return train for Jer.
sey City; and | possessed too much
| stubbornness to surrender to any
such weakness. Either / should mass
the door committee. or | shouldn't; of
one thing was certain.
| "Blankshire," bawled the trainman.
then the train slowed down and finally
came to a stop.
NO turning back for me now. 7
picked up by suit case and got ont. On
the platform saw the curio.shon fol.
low again. Tramping on ahead, the
smell from his villainous pipe assailinp
my nostrils, was the man who had
asked Tor match. The former stood
undecided for moment, and durinn q
thls space OF time he caught sight .,
me. He became erect, gave me n srd
aen sardonic laugh, and swiftly dis.
appeared into the darkness. All this
was uncommonly disquieting: in vain
stared into the blackness that bad
swallowed him. What could ho ~
aoing here at Blankshire? d,dn,,
iike MS laugh at all; there was a,
once menace and a challenpo In =.
Amy baggage, sir?" asked ono -,
the station hands. Vi
No. But asked him to d,rect
to hotel. He did so. Nne
IL made my way down the s,ro..
me wind had veered around ana 80
coming In from the sea. pure onS "as
the storm clouds were brokan u o,
.cuaaing .'g like dark ships, and a., ~,
ZINES ZINES there were flashes Of rad,an,
I
Inc fashionable hotel was full q,
np,d poeaed through the drifts to tbs
unla-aionable hotel. Here ! found ~. -"
,,nodation. l dressed, somr 49,. ~
ausning' sometimes whistlinr s...a e'
n es Standing motionless IN ao,,s. %
ban! 1t was only lark. I,ha, uo.
y tne girl in Mouquin's: ho. sn' ssI1
. Ss..sr II would have been to spend sS. -.
1 0Y00tnR WITH h~- ekoAAQ I0e