Evening star., 1908-01-19

conditions were favorable. and it was Ge-
termined to do '.the job All that after
noon and evening the three men waited
around The corner where Brooks was ex-
pected to appear. Neil Barlow was on
hand with his yellow-wheeed carriage 10
carry the assaSsinS to place of safety.
Ahern and Harrison hid within the shad-
ow of big doorway. Presently Brooks
appeared. striding along at his usual fear
less gait One of those subconsciouS
flashes Of the brain which come to all. but
which can be explained by few. impressed
him with the belief that his life was in
danger. He knew that he had been shad-
owed. but he had not altered his daily
routine in the least.
AS he reached the corner of the street
he paused for moment. At that instant
Ahern rushed from his place of conceal
ment with a cooked revolver in his hand.
He aimed at the head of the unknowing
detective. His hand tremblcd bit as he
pulled the trigger and the ball instead or
going into the brain penetrated the back
of Brooks. He fell to the sidewalk AS
he did so Harrison joined his confederate
and. pulling out a blackjack began to
beat the wounded mar about the head
A mist spread over his eyes. but BY a
powerful effort he opened them and
glanced up at his assailant. A mask that
Harrison wore slipped down to the lower
part of his face, and Brooks beheld his
eyes-a pair of lazy eyes-which even the
excitement of the moment failed to rob
of their habitual Incidence. The next in
start the men, had rushed to the corner
and leaped into the carriage. The driver
whipped IN his horse and the vehicle
dashed away. As ii passed the PROSTATE
man he lifted his eyelids feeblv for
second time and noticed tha.- the carriage
wheels were painted bright yellow. The
next moment he fell back unconscious
but indelibly imprinted upon his memory
was the vision of pair of lazy eyes and
two yellow carriage wheels.
Brooks lowered between life and death
for many weeks. but naturally rugged
constitution spared him for his country.
When he left his bed his luxuriant black
hair was perfectly white-the lasting me-
mento of an awful experience. The au-
thorities offered big rewards and the un-
known offenders were bitterly denounced.
Brooks said nothing. but at ill times and
in all places he was haunted By the mem
ory of the lazy eyes and the yellow wagon
wheels. He grimly resolved that before
hes died he would see those eyes staring
at him from behind the grated cells of the
penitentiary.
For weeks after his recovery Brooks
haunted the business section of the city
In search of the carriage with yellow
whees. In that time he discovered many
vehicles painted that color. but not one
that impressed him as being the particular
wagon of which he in quest His
'superiors urged him to take a much
needed vacation. He agreed to drob his
Work-wlth a mental reservation And
that reservation was his dogged determi-
tion not to relax in his effort to discover
his assailants. He made several tri,s to
the seashore. but after short stays al
ways returned to the city to pick un the
scattered threads of his investigation
One day. to his delight, he discovered
a wagon that answered the description
SO vividly pictured on the retina of his
memory. 1t was an ordinary tumble
down public hack. but the yellow spokes
glistened In the sunlight and filed the
detectives mind with visions. of the man
he had sought so long. At the moment
he saw the hack the driver, a .ouriy, red
faced fellow. whipped up his spawned
nag. and with unpr.ntable words urged
it to greater speed A conveyance was
standing by the curb. Brooks jumped
In shouting 20 the cabby:
Keep that hack in sight il you want
to earn a double fare"
The instructions were carried out to the
letter. The street was crowded with
trucks. trolley cars and express wagons.
but the hack with the yellow wheels
threaded its way through them with un-
believable ease and swiftness Brooks
cab kept the first team in sight always.
Once or twice there was a blockade. and
the fear of losing his game almost re
duced the detective to the verge of ner-
yous prostration. But cabby invariably
caught up the trail and followed the hack
with the certainty and swiftness of the
hound that is pursuing the fox. The race
finally led them to the main street of
the city, and they went in a straight line
toward the river front. Within half a
block of the wharf the cab became in
extricably tied up in a mass of whole,
sale grocery trucks. The driver leaped
off his seat and opening the door of the
vehicle said:
I'm afraid we're stuck. sir: but If
you make haste you can overtake him."
Before the man had finished speaking
Brooks was out in the street.
Where is he?'
The driver pointed to a hack just on
the edge of the wharf.
There he is. sir