The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-02-28

an see as the silver is we'll polished
mp, cos Their gents is petickler.'
All very fine, but I'd like that song
better if it 'ad a little more toon
about it."
Well. wot price this fer moosic
eh?" Hammond took five ~sovereigns
from his pocket and jjngled them on
the table.
-"Lor', Nosey, that's a perfec' h0ro.
torio. An wOt timeIl yer be comm
Our guests will arrive when Their
good people of this serlubriOus alley
are 'ayin' a game of shut-eye, an in
horder not ter disturb their by-by we
will approach the castle by Their back
avernoo.'
An theren be no trouble?"
Not a smell on it: an there's more
sinners waitin' fer yer pervided as all
goes right, SO fill up Their wine celler,
get some decent grub in, an keep
mum ter the %naybors."
After inspecting the dilapidated
apartment facetiOusly alluded to by
Mr.. Hammond as the attic suite"
that gentleman, with many instruc-
tions to his maternal aunt. staggered
up the alley again with an exaggerated
air Of importance, followed by the adj
miring gaze of the female inhabitants.
The back entrance to HoOker's Alley
was reached through a narrow and
poorly lighted entry debOuching into
a quiet street of somewhat respecta-
BILE appearance. Late that night, long
after the neighbors of Mrs. Crochet
had been denied the attractions OF the
public hostelries and had retired to
their more or less comfortable
touches, three men alighted from a
f~ourwheeled cab and made their way
up the narrow entry, bearing in their
midst the inanimate figure of a man.
The back door Of No. IA was open
in readiness for them, NJ Mrs.
Crochet herself was waiting to vel
come her guests. Hammond took the
%insensible man in his arms and car
ried him up to the room prepared for
him, a proceeding which filled his aun
with fear n apprehension.
1T amt murder, Nosey, is it,"
"Oh, o me-: can't see a
man as as been knocked silly by a
h%acksident 'ithout shouting murder.
Now jest make yerself scarce in ther
lower regions, whilst me an my pals
forks bizness." < %.
Having disposed of his burden and
Mrs. Crotchett at the same time,
Hammond returned to the apartment
termed by courtesy the best parlor,'
where he rejoined Montagu Winton
and Percy Twist.
well, gents all, I've made Il
friend as comferble as possible, an
yer 'umble'n now perceed ter do like
wise. He's a sleepin' like a baby after
a dose O. cinder tea, IN is good fer a
few hours, an then We'll send i'm orr
again"
What are we going to do with
him." asked Twist.
"We must keep him here until we
can get clear away. The man is dang
erous. How he got On our track l
don't know. but he and Joe Drawn
and some boy they have picked up
have been logging us all the way from
London. and it has taken all our time
to keep clear. I have met the mar
often in Richmond, and if he sees me
! my game is up"
In that case we must keep him
here, Winton. But how did you get
him by HIMSELF"
Il got word that Joe Drawn and the
boy left the motor a at Manchester
10y
And no! it did amoose me; me an
Winton seed our guest a %chivvying
our moty-car like a wild Injun. When
! we turns a n in a quiet lane
down we gets sudden with a long
rope. Mr.. Winton gets benin q tree
on one side, an me on Their other. Up
up goes our rope. Ketched i'm right
under ther chin, an e does a back
somersault inter the ditch an is moty
turned turtle arr a mile away. Oh, it
did amoose mel"
WELL" answered Twist, II can tell
you something which you may not
is not safe for u.s."
How Is that?"
We'll, Joe Drawn Is here, for one
thing. l saw him down on the land
ing-stage to-day, and l know that ev-
cry boat Is being watched. For anoth-
er thing, a man has been logging my
footsteps ever since l left Euston. l
did not realize 1t until l had been
some days in Manchester"
"And do you think you have been
watched coming here?"
mo; l shook him off to-day. l tool
the ferry across to Birkenhead, the
man following. walked to New Fer
ry. where there was a solitary rowing
boat. l gave a man a sovereign to
row me across to Garston, and, as the
mar couldn't follow, l lost him."
What about May Brent?'
ooh, she Is still in Manchester. Go
and bring some whisky up, Ham
mond."
AS Hammond departed on his err
rand Twist leaned forward to Winton.
Now that Hammond is away I have
something to tell you. Mary Brent is
living under the protection Of Judith
Ballara."
The dancer?"