Evening journal., 1907-09-23
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Kidnapped.
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fOriginal1

lOfl3iual.
Mamma" said Willie Asche, "can /
go out into the street 10 playT'
The mother pondered. Willie was a
very attractive boy, just such a boy
as kldnapers would like to get hold
Of. His parents lived in terror Of kid
napers and had given Willie instruc-
tons never to so willingly with any
one who might invite him.
"You may so for awhile,v she said,
"but first let me put on your belt"
Il don't want Il on. It's too heavy
But the mother insisted aud put a
broad leather belt on her boy with
peculiar massive buckle Then, CIV
Ing him kiss. she let him 60.
Now, II happened that what the par
ents had SO long dreaded occurred at
this very time. Pete Dugan and Cen
tleman Mike, who had not been long
out Of jail, had seen the boy and upon
investigation discovered that his par
ents We're wen 10 do. The men were
laying for him this very afternoon.
They approached him. Each took
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-
ers soon got him into a carriage and
drove him to house I'm a quiet street.
putting him in a room upstairs. Later
he was given something TO eat and
placed on a dirty bed. where, still cry
ing be fell asleep.
'Now. Pete" said Mike. "you watch
the night ana III spell you tomor-
row."
"All right, Mike. but you'd better
keep a sharp eve out We may be
tracked"
"Ratsl There's no danger OF that
yet"
Mike departed, and Pete threw him
self on a carpet covered lounge. An
hour passed, and he was falling into
doze when he started up. He heard
Willie say:
'rm Willie Ashe. live at 1O3 Cen.
ter street"
'SThe kids talkin' in his Sleep he
muttered 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. tn keep You in purgatory
for a thousand years"
Pete. who had been brought up a
Catholic. shuddered 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 a very different voice from
Willie's, a mans rough voice;
"Come. glt in therer'
Then there was a clang and n turn
ing Of bolts such as he had often heard
IN prison.
A cold sweat started out all over
the kidnaper. That voice never could
have come from a boy five years old
But where did n come fromf Pete
sat on the lounge shiverlng. All was
quiet The boy slept ON. and after
awhile Pete lay down. but not 20 sleep
He was appalled, He lay trying e
think out some cause for what he bad
last heard. waiting for another voice
When Il came It was different from the
rest and far louder than anything that
had been said.
'Policel Policew
Pete jumped up. made q dash for the
window and was about TO jump down
twenty feet to the roof OF a neighbor-
ING building when, recovering some
thing Of bis equanimity. he paused,
Willie's voice followed the cry for the
police:
"Say, you're ponched on. One O the
gangs told. He gets a 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 n 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 kidnaper
He heard a distant call, "rhis way.
then nearer, "Here. here-where are
you going?" then plainly a sound he
knew only too well. the rapping Of a
policeman's club on a 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
water pipe
Willie was awakened early the next
morning by the sun shining IN his
eyes. He sat up and looked about him.
He didn't know where he was. He got
up, opened the door and went down a
pair Of stairs 70 the street. Wandering
awhile he was picked up by a police
man and taken 70 a station. All sta
tions had been notified that Willie
Ashe was missing. and a telephone
message soon summoned his father TO
come and identify the child In ten
minutes Willie was In his fathers and
mothers embrace. Then the father
took on Wnlie's belt and examined the
bulky buckle.
@Bullyg he shouted. "Its run down.
Worked all right. Captain" turning to
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