Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-24

asked. What is that thing that yol
have In your hand2"
1T is new collar and dog-chain.
| Walter explained. 1T suddenly occurred
to Venables just now that we had seer
nothing of Bruno all day. 1 have beer
whisting for him for half an hour. anC
though 1 am almost certain he is hiding
somewhere in the bracken on the com
mon. l can't get him to answer the call.
Probably afraid of a good thrashing fo
his work last night" Ravenspur muir
INJURED. But you must manage to ge
hold of him. Walter. 1t will never do FOL
big hound like that to be roaming about
the common. Those. dogs are all right
when they are well fed But IL the
beast gets really hungry 1 wouldn't an.
swer for the consequences. Whatever
else happens. or whatever is neglected
you must find Bruno. and that at once"
Walter and Nenables went off in the d.
rection of the common, and for the mex,
couple of hours sought everywhere fol-
the dog. 1t seemed to them they could
hear him every now and then. Presently
Venables caught sight of his lean. dark
brown side as he crouched behind a great
thicket Of gorse. Walter called softly
and held biscuit out in the direction OF
the bush. Then slowly. with his body
bent to the ground and his head hung
down, the great beast came and Walter
slipped the collar round his neck He
had hardly congratulated himself upon
MS SUCCESS WNeN a HOilOW SrOan close Dy
attracted his attention. He turned eager
ly to Venables
'Oh. yes. 1 heard It," the latter said
with smile. Cant you guess who it is ?
declare 1 had absolutely forgotten all
about him. Unless am greatly mistaken.
that Is our friend Stevens whom Perks
tied UP so neatly and artistically last
night"
1t was precisely as venables had said.
Stevens lay there grooming and shivering.
quite helpless and almost unable to move.
Even after his bonds were cut away 1t
was some time before he had strength to
rise. His teeth were chatterng with the
cold. although the day was quite a warm
one He was mass of cramps and
aches from head to feet. When once his
blood began to stir again he turned an
angry face in the direction of his rescuers.
"Oh. you need not laugh" he said. 1T
Is no laughing matter. I'll have the law
against you for this, see II don't"
We will talk about that presently"
said VenableS coolly. I'm the meantime,
and have something to eat. And you will
be wise IL you say nothing. or know moth
ing, of what happened last night. Your
accomplice. Silva. lies in bed at the point
of death, so you have nothing to fear
from him. If you had gone straight with
us you would not have fallen into this
sorry plight. Have you got any money!"
Il spent it all in coming down last
night" Stevens said
'Oh. WE'LL we II see you back to town
again. Walter replied Meanwhile, we
have other work to do. We will take you
to the house and see that you are properly
fed, and then you can kill time as best
you can for the evening. You can return
by the last train"
1t was dark before Stevens reached the
station with the few shillings in his
pocket necessary to get him back to Lon
don again. AS he stepped into a third
class carriage he did not realize that
Walter and Venables were taking their
places at the end of the train 1t was
just the same at Waterloo station, where
Stevens got out. and a moment later he
was being followed by the pair, who had
been Joined now by Dallas.
What is the game. gentlemen" the in
spector asked. Surely that man Is the