The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-07-17

a DsRsssS4s ss,s@s

ialAe "a RHnf stretched ahAg IN tho
dlsiAnrs "a fislt ahd icn = coatused
mass o. bpiidinEs enmitE TO the
~atSts edge ca ,hv na, a forest ~
mAsts. ships swinging H. the stream
and The sifeAkcd. yellow gray green
~A,rr 81 the bay taking a cold iiEhi
from tho setting sun ~ " h~irugglci
through the sisps ~ fog that nu,
ore above the serra,cd skyline Of
the city-,hcsc were my nTs, imprcs-
sions af san Francisco
Tie Wind blew fresh and chill from
the west with the damp and salt OF
the Pacific heavy upon Il. aA |
breasted IL from tho forward deck OF
the ferry steamer. III Captain. As |
drank in the air and was silent with
admiration OF the beautiful panorama
that was spread before me, my com.
panion touched me on the arm.
Come into my cabin" he said
You'll be one OF those fellows who
can't come 70 San Francisco without
catching his death OF cold. and then
lays II on to the climate instead OF
his own lack Of common ense. Come.
I cant spare you. now I've got you
here at last. | wouldn't lose you for
a million dollars"
TN come for half the money" |
returned, as he tool me by the arm
and led me into the close cabin.
My companion. | should explain.
was Henry Wilton. the son Of my
fathers cousin. who had the advan.
tages OF n few years OF residence In
California. and sported all the airs
Of a pioneer. We had been close
friends through boyhood and youth.
and II was on his offer Of employment
that | had come to the city by the
Golden Gate.
What a resemblance" | heard a
woman eXclaim. as we entered the
cabin. They must be twins"
There, Henry ! whispered with
a laugh: you see we are discovered"
Though our relationship was not
close VIC had been cast in the mold
OF some common ancestor. We were
so nearly alike In form and feature as
to perplex all but our intimate ac.
Quain:ances, and we had made the
resemblance the occasion of many
tricks In our boyhood days.
Henry had heard the exclamation
as well as /. To my surprise. 1t ap.
peared to bring him annoyance or ap.
|prchension rather than amusement.
II had forgotten that 1t would make
us conspicuous" he said. more to
himself than to me, ] thought; and
he glanced through the cabin as
though he locked for some peril.
We were used to that long ago"
| said, as we found a seat. rs the
business ready for me? You wrote
that you thought it would be In hand
by the time l got here"
We can't talk about it here" he
said in Il low tone. There is plenty
OF work to be done. It's not hard, but,
as | wrote you, 1t needs a man of
pluck and discretion. It's delicate
business. you understand, and dan
gerous II you can't keep your head.
But the danger won't be yours. I've
got that end Of It,"
"Of course you're not trying to do
anything against the law" | said.
"Oh, it has nothing to do with the
law" he replied with an odd smile.
In fact, it's a little matter in which
we are-well, you might say-outside
the law"
gave a gasp at this distressing
suggestion, and Henry chuckled as he
saw the CONSERVATION written on my
face. Then he rose and said:
Come, the boat is getting in"
But l want to know l began.
"Oh, bother your 'want-to.knows.'
It's not against the Jaw just outside
It, you understand. I'll tell you more
OF it when we get to my room. Give
me that valise. Come along now"
And as the boat entered the slip we
found ourselves at the front of the
pressing crowd that is always surging
in and out of San Francisco by the
gateway of the Market Street ferry.
As we pushed our way through the
clamoring hack-drivers and hotel.run-
ners who blocked the entrance to the
city, l was reused by a sudden thrill
Of the instinct of danger that warns
one when he meets the eye of a
snake. 1t was gone in an instant, but
] had time to trace erect to cause.
The warning came this time from
the eyes of a man. a 1.-the, keen-faced
man who flashed a look of triumphant
malice on us as he disappeared in the
waiting-room Of the ferry-shed. But
the keen face and the basilisk glance
were burned into my mind in that
moment as deeply as though Il had
known then what evil was behind
them.
My companion swore softly to him.
self.
What's the matter?' l asked.
Don't look around" he said. 1--WE
are watched"
THE snake-eyed man."
Rid you see him. too" His man.
ner was careless, but his lone was
troubled. II thought ! had given him