Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-12-28

of the darkness as 1 struck match
and lit the gas. 1t was evidently the
council room of the enemy.
This is illigant," said the police
man, looking around with approval;
but your man isn't here, I'd say"
well, it looks as though there
might be something here of interest"
l replied, Selling eagerly upon the
papers that lay scattered about upon
the desk Look in the other room
while run through these"
A rude diagram on the topmost
paper caught my eye. 1t represented
2 road branching thrice. On the third
branch was a cross, and then at in
tervals four crosses, as II to mark
some features of the landscape I'm
derneath was written:
From B-follow IL m. Take third
roads or g."
The paper bore date of that day, and
l guessed that it meant to show the
way to the supposed hiding-place Of
the boy.
Then, as l looked again, the words
and lines touched cord of memory
Something l had seen or known be-
for was vaguely suggested. | CROPPED
in the obscurity for g moment, vainly
reaching for the phantom that danced
just beyond the grasp of my mental
fingers.
There was no time to lose in spec
ulating, and / turned to the work that
pressed before us But as / thrust
the papers into my pocket to resume
the search for Barkhouse, the elusive
memory flashed on me. The diagram
of the enemy recalled the single slip
of paper / had found in the pocket of
Henry Wiltons coat on the fatal night
of my arrival. l had kept it always
with me, for it was the sole memoran-
dun left by him of the business that
had brought him to his death
brought it out and placed it side by
side with the map | had before me.
The resemblance was less close than
l had thought, yet all the main fea-
lures were the same. There was the
road branching thrice; a cross in both
marked the junction of the third road
as though it gave sign of a building or
some natural landmark; and the other
features we're indicated in the same
order. No-there was a difference In
this point; there were five crosses on
the third road in the enemy's diagram,
while there were but four in mine.
In the matter OF description the
enemy had the advantage, slight as 1t
was.
Third road--cockeyed barn-iron
cow" and the confused tumble of
drunken letters and figures that Hen.
ry had written-I could make nothing
OF these. From B-follow IA m.
Take third roads or 5"-this was at
least half-intelligible
Then 1t came to me like a blow
was this the mysterious key" that the
Unknown had demanded of me In her
letter of this morning? l was reused
from my reverie of fears by confused
shouts from down the hall, and sprang
hastily to the door, with the thought
that the forces OF the enemy were
upon us.
Here he is! they've found him."
cried an excited voice.
Yes, sirl here he comes!"
1t was truly the stalwart guard; but
two days had made a sad change in
him. With head bound in bloody
rag, and face of waxy yellow hue, he
staggered Imply out of one of the rear
rooms between Corson and Owens.
Barkhouse was soon propped up ON
the lounge in the guardroom. and with
few sips OF whisky and fresh band
age began to look like a more hopeful
case.
low. we must set out OF here"
I'D. Take turns by twos In helping
Barkhouss.a We had better not risk
! staElna .hssA." III.