The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-10-29

"Step quietly" cautioned my men.
as we neared the dark and forbidding
entrance. Keep close to the shadow
of the buildings. Our best chance Is
in a surprise"
There was no guard at the door that
stood open to the street, and we halted
a moment before 1t to make sure OF
our plans.
IT'S a bad hole" whispered CorsoE.
"A fine place for an ambush" l re
turned obviously.
We'll, there's no help for 1t" said
the policeman. Come on" And
drawing his club and revolver he stole
nciselessly up the stairs.
We were not two-thirds the way up
the fight before voice shot out Of
the darkness.
Who's there?"
There was no more need for silence,
and COrson and reached the landing |
Just as door opened that let the light |
stream from within. Two men had |
sprung to the doorway and another |
could be seen family outlined In the
dark hall.
The two men jumped back into the
room and tried to close the door, but l
was upon them before they could
swing it shut. Four Of my men had
followed me close, and with few
blows given and taken the two were
prisoners.
Tie them fast" l ordered, and
hastened to see how Corson Jared
| | met the worthy policeman in the
| hall, blown but exultant. Owens was
| following him, and between them they
halfdragged, half-carried the man
who had given the alarm.
Aren't there any more about"
asked. There were more than three
left in the gang"
"If there had been more of us, you'd
never have got in," growled one Of the
prisoners.
where's Barkhouse?" I asked.
Find him!" was the defiant reply.
We began the search, opening one
room after another. Some were sleep
ing rooms, some the meeting rooms
while the one we had first entered ap-
peared to be the guardroom.
Hello! What's this?" exclaimed
Corson, tapping an iron door, such as
closes a warehouse against fire.
ITS locked, sure enough said
Owens, after trial.
1T must be the place we are look
ing for" l said. Search those men
for keys"
The search was without result
Its a sledge we must get" said
Owens, starting to look about for one.
"Hould on" said Corson, Il was
near forgetting I've got a master'key
that fits most of these locks. It's
handy for closing up warehouse
when some clerk with his wits avian
dering forgits his job. So like enough
it's good at unlocking"
1t needed a little coaXing, but the
bolt at last slid back and the heavy
door swung open. The room was fur
nished with a large table, big desk
and dozen chairs, which sprang ou'
of the darkness as l struck mater
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"
We'll, it looks as though ther'
might be something here of interest,
I replied, seizing eagerly upon tn
papers that lay scattered about upo1
the desk. Look in the other room
while | run through these"
A rude diagram on the topmos
paper caught my eye. 1t represente
road branching thrice. On the thir
branch was a cross, and then at II
tervals four crosses, as if to mar
some features of the landscape. VI
derneath was written:
From B-follow 1R m. Take thir
roads or s."
The paper bore date of that day, an
| guessed that it meant to show tn
way to the supposed hiding-place
the boy.
Then, as | looked again, the wore
and lines touched a cord of memor
Something l had seen or known b
for was vaguely suggested. l grope
in the obscurity for moment, vain
reaching for the phantom that dance
just beyond the grasp OF my ment
fingers.
There was no time to lose in spe
er ulating, and l turned to the work tn
pressed before us. But as l thru
Dr. the papers into my pocket to resun
as the search for Barkhouse, the elusi'
memory flashed on me. The diagra
to of the enemy recalled the single 81
mt of paper had found in the pocket
ne Henry Wilton's coat on the fatal mig
of nv arrival. l had kept 1t alwa
oh with me, for it was the sole memora
a dunn left by him of the business tn
lst had brought him to his death.
brought it out and placed it side
nm side with the map | had before n
no The resemblance was less close TIL
| had thought, yet all the main fl
- lures were the same. There was t
- road branching thrice; a cross in bo
~ marked the junction of the third ro
,ia as though it gave sign of building
49, some natural landmark; and the 9th
features were indicated in the sal
order. No--there was difference
ID this point; there were five crosses
wv the third road in the enemy's diagra
ap- while there were but four in mine
We. (TO BE CoNTINUED)
h &