Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31
coNTrNuED FROM PAGE TWO

for liberty or an explanation of the strange
Incarceration. -
opened. salver containing food and drink
was thrust in. 10 caught at the door t9
pull it wider open The gardeners strong
hand thrust him back
"You just be patient, boy, the man said.
"The young master will explain affairs to you
when he gets time
The visit with food was duplicated at
dusk, with the gardener grim, silent and
81 cafi't understand it." muttered Jo, with
knitted brows. "What do they lock me up
here for-they can't keep me here forever?'
And then his musings and suspicious spt s Mere Mas
Pressing closer to the iron bars. which
score of times that day he had tried to. force
apart, Jo listened and looked. and hoped
and dreaded.
The voices had died away entirely into 81
lence now. The perfume of flowers sweps.
the tobacco faint away. The garden seemed
deserted. Then
Rattle-click.
"Come QUIT" said familiar voice from the
hallway inside, as the door opened.
"Yes. Don't speak; step lightly; not that
way. 10 Morris, il you amt living ro-
sh-h! We're safe!"
1t was like treading on eggs full Of needle
points, following Nat and catching the infec.
tion of his bubbling-over excitement and
Nat had relocked the door of the room. As
he led 10 to the rear of the house he threw
bunch of keys he held into water barrel.
laughed, and said:
Now jump the rear fence"
Bewildered, 10 could not contain himself,
as. grInning and muttering, his companion
walked down the alleyway toward the next
street
NAT, what does all this mean? How did
you come to find mes"
Hist! Snuggle close! See him%
Nat grabbed 10, drew him to the, shadows
Of fence and pointed dramatically TO
hurrying man just crossing the street with a
carpet-bag in one hand.
Cyrus Meseryep gasped Jo
: Hes about leaving here, thinking you're
Dobs, the gardener, is drinking himself
blind. sure that you're in the store room. Ho
ho! 10, it does me good to fool them!''
=, Then, you, know something about them!
You know why they locked me up?' began
II know all about i'll NY head is splitting
with i'll" cried Nat. Come on. We won't
stay here to be caught. No danger, though,
unless we're seen. for old Dobbs will have
time finding his keys in the water barrel, and
the other one-that Meserve-intends taking
the train for Savannah"
Nat led the way down the street for sew
eral squares. On the steps of an unoccupied
house he sat down.
Pm, going to tell you the whole story"
he said
ana ne ou ihe visit to the Justices Of
fee; the fight the freight train; the dis
covery OF the constable; his adventure at the
circus his engagement as utility boy; his
visit to the Percival mansion in hope of
bndmg Jo-al this Nat ratified over rapidly.
But its details were slow torture to Jo,
who was terribly impatient to know of mat
ters more closely approaching his own per-
sonal interests.
Obedient to JOS startling mandate from
the window to watch those two men" Nat
DAVIS, quick-witted and intelligent. had acted
the part OF an expert shadow
Il got near enough to the summer house
"Meserve and Dobbs. Young master and
gardener, it was; and l soon knew their
names. Mostly the first thing thew smoke
about was the boy shut up in the store room"
Exactly"
"What did they sayg"
"Meserve was the oily fellow, very dieni-
fed and mysterious. 'Dobbs.' he says, You
do. says Dobbs-'about ready to die and so
crazy TO find his other nephew, Morris thai
he's given up this house, and is going hall
s01 way h% Wei vi soSe on wild
up the house. and leave you in charee W.
may may be gone @ ar m99nt5S-maybe 9 year Mr..
Preya has gone IN sas to savannah to visit
Dobbs,' says Meserve, that m bring b;,,
back in box, for he's too old to 20 wander
heir, shall do the right thing by you Don;t
doubt that answers Dobbs, 80 command ne
WELL, goes on Meserve, that boy locked
kind Of troubleS asks Dobbs. He pretends
to be John Morris SON. Now, we Know
John Morris is dead; and if he isn't. and his
son isn't, you and l aren't going to disturb
It, eh.' Not L. says Dobbs Good! ssys
Meserve. Then we understand each other
ani it means a liberal pension for You for
life"
Nat paused for breath at this stage of his
recital.
"Go on Nat" urged 10, anxiously,
"Well. they talked and smoked like two
cronies About all Meserve wanted was to
haye the old gardener keen Won lnctaJ -