Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31

ATi Natl"
mi The scene was the garden OF the
residence of Mr.. Arnold PerclvaI,
in Langford Terrace, New York
city; the time the evening succeeding Nat
Davis arrival in the great metropolis.
Action, variety and excitement had been
crowded into the experience of Nat during
the preceding twenty-four hours more engross-
ing and important than all his previous lie
had known, and the mention OF his name, In
accents betraying agitation if not fright, seem.
ed to start him upon still another line oil
adventure.
His apprenticeship to the circus profession
had become guaranteed TACT. :,
Two hours previous Nat had proudly at
| fixed his name to document agreeing TO ac-
company the North American Circus and Me-
naperie on its annual tour of the Southern
and Southwestern States. In the capacity OF
! general utility boy, at wages oil two dollars
week and keep.
Steamer at eleven, Macready docks was
the announcement of departure. be on hand
at nine to help get our truck aboard.
| And having an hour to spare, with very
vague hopes of it amounting to anything, Nat
had remembered Jo Morris and Langtord
"Pl try it, anyway. I'd like to see 10.
! lust to show him how Pm getting up IN the
word,'' soliloquized Nat.
And his shrewd perseverance in tramping
and questioning soon landed nim ID .ps , s.1es.
!
| No IL had its broken gate open, Its front
door closed its blinds closely drawn. There
was not sign of occupancy, about the place:
and, although Nat knocked and rang ana
| shouted, no one appeared III answer 10 DIS
rough summons.
"Haye to give it up, reckon. ii JOS been
here he's gone again. III write him a line
before / leave, send letter addressed here,
| and one to Newton, so III be sure not TO miss
him and tell him my prospects. Hi!"
Nat had walked around the dreary old ruin
OF a sudden, from barred window on the
man face pressed against the rusted iron
frame, as he heard the accents;
"It's ,yo!" exclaimed Nat in amssement.
30 is it you? Why, you amt locked IN,
assh-hn
Imuetuous Nat had sprung towards the win
dow. He was about to climb up, and seize
the bars and peer closer at the hgure there
voice spoke in warning tones:
"Hide; some one is coming Watch those
two men, and come back here
| Those two men were Cyrus Meserye and
! the gardener. They came along the graveled
path at that moment, smoking and talking
earnestly.
Morris saw them proceed towards vine
empowered summer house; also saw. Nat,
creeping to some bushes. disappear in the
same direction, and then the aroma of tobacco
and once in awhile the hum of words alone
told of the presence of the three figures now
invisible to the suspenseful captive
Yes. 10 was prisoner, and had been for
! comfortable enough; twice that day water
and food had been passed in to him, but the
uncertainty that oppressed his mind vain
fathoming for the cause of his detention,
made the hours leaden-winged, his thoughts
distracting ones.
When, under the pretense of conveying him
| to a more comfortable room in which to talk,
Meserve had suddenly thrust him in here
! and locked the door, his thrill Of dread had
| followed vain groupings in the dark and un-
needed cries for release.
| The door was an impossible barrier Of bolt
ed oak, the window was barred heavily and,
when daylight ended anxious hours Of wake
fulness, Jo found himself in a sort of stors
room.
He watched at the window. About ten
o'clock he saw the old gardener pass by. He
hailed the man. The gardener glanced at
him, shrugged his shoulders. shook his head
|