The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-07

just as well to 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 git 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.
4 reckon I'd best go, then said
Mother Borton. Il don't want no knife !
in me jest ytt but If there's no one
to see me I'm all right"
l pressed Mother Borton to take
two of my men as escort, but she
sturdfly refused.
They'd know something was up If
l was to go oround that way. and I'd
be a bloody ghost as soon as they
could ketch me alone" she said.
Well, good night-or is it mornin'?
And do take keer of yourself. dearie."
And, so saying. Mother BortOn mufled
herself up till 1t was hard to tell
whether she was man or woman, and
truGged 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. 1 began to believe
that no new plan Of action had been
determined on, and l bent my steps TO
the Office that had been furnished by
Doddridge Knapp. l hardly expected
to meet the King of the Street. He
had, l supposed, returned to the city.
bat he had set Wednesday as the day
for resuming operations in the market,
and I did not think that he would be
found here on Monday.
The room was cold and cherries,
and the dingy books in law-calf ap-
peared to gaze at me in mute protest
as l looked about me.
The doors that separated me from
Doddridge Knapps room were shut
and locked. What was behind them? l
wondered. Was there anything in
/
the mystery of the hidden boy, or
would give the clue to the murder of
Henry Wilton? If vengeance was 10
be mine; if Doddridge Knapp was to
pay the penalty of the gallows for the
death of Henry Wilton. it must be by
the evidence that l should wrest from
him and his tools. / had just secured
l had taken the impression of the
lock and had it made without definite
purpose, but now 1 was ready to act.
With a sinking heart but a clear
head l put the key cautiously to the
lock and gently turned it. The key
fitted perfectly and the bolt few back
as it made the circle. l opened the
door into the middle room. The sec
ond door. as I expected, was closed.
Would the same key fit the second
lock, or must l wait to have another
made? I advanced to the second door
and was about to try the key when d
sound from behind it turned my blood
to water.
Beyond that door, from the room
had supposed to be empty, I heard a
groan.
l stood as If 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 l had come
on a ghost. I listened a minute OF
more, but heard nothing.
NONSENSE" l thought to myself; I'll
was a trick of the Imagination
l raised my hand once more to The
lock, when the sound broke again
louder, unmistakable. 1t was the voice
of one in distress of body or mind.
l listened with all my ears Their
there came through the door the low
stern tones of mans voice speak
ing earnestly, pleadingly, threatening
~, but in a suppressed monotone.
Then the groan burst forth again
and it was followed by sobs anC
choked sounds, as of one who protest
ed, yet, strangely, the voice was tn,
; same. There was one man, not two.
was self-accusation, self-excuse. ant
the sobs seemed to come in answer t.
self-reproaches.
Then there was sound as of a MAJ
praying. and the prayer was broker
by sobs; and again l thought Their
were two men. And then there wa
noise Of a man moving about, an
a long smothered groan. as of one II
l agony Of spirit. Fearful that the doc
might he fling omen I'm nv face 7 fir
toed back to my room, and silentl
turned the key, as thoroughly myst
/ fed as ever I had been in the strang
events that had crowded m
ife since l had entered the city
CHAPTER XVII.
In a Foreign Land.
The groans and prayers, if they cor
| tinued, could be heard no longe