The Columbus journal., 1908-08-05
SYNOPSIS.

and who accompanied Dudley on tn
ferry boat trip into the city. The re
is noted and commented on by passen
! gers on the ferry. They see q man wit
| snake eyes, which sends a thrill through
4 Dudley. Wilton pOstpones an explanation
| of the strange errand Dudley is to per
! form. but occurrences cause him t
; know 1t is one Of no ordinary meaning
Wilton leaves Giles in their room. viii
/ instruction to await his return. Hardl.
| has he gone than Giles Is startled by
| cry Of Help" Dudley is summoned t
| the morgue and there finds the deaa
body of his friend. Henry Wilton. An,
thus Wilton dies without ever explainin;
perform in San Francisco. In order L
| discover the secret mission his friend hat
| entrusted to him. Dudley. continues hi
| disguise and permits himself to be know
| as Henry Wilton. Dudley. mistaken 10
Wilton. Is employed by Knapp to assis
In a stock brokerage deal. Giles Dude!
finds himself closeted in a room will
Of him. He can learn nothing about tn
/, mysterious boy further than that 1t il
Tim Terrill and Darby Meeker who ar
after him. He is told that ..Dicky" Nah
is a traitor. playing both hands in TIL.
game. Giles finds himself locked in {
room Dudley gets his first knowledge o.
Decker, who is Knapp's enemy on thu
Board Dudley visits the home Of KNAPP
and is stricken by the beauty of Luella
his daughter. He learns the note wa:
forgery. He is provided with four guards
Brown. Barkhouse, Fitzhugh and Porter
money as all expenses will be paid. the
hire OF the guards being paid by one
Richmond" The body of Henry Wilton
is committed to the vault. Dudley re-
ton in company with Policeman Corson
CHAPTER xIv.-continued.
The four men within the room sa
luted me gravely and with Mother
Borton's direction in mind had nc
hesitation in calling each by his name
! was pleased to see that they were 70
bust, vigorous fellows, and soon made
my dispositions. Brown and Bark
house were to attend me during day
light and Fitzhugh and Porter were to
guard together at night. And. so much
settled, l FASTENED to the Office.
No sign of Doddridge Knapp dis
turbed the morning, and at the noon
hour l returned to the room in the
house of mystery that was still my
only fixed abode
All was apparently as I had left it
except that letter lay on the table.
Il must get a new lock-" was my
comment, as I broke the seal. This
place is getting too public when every
messenger has key" I was certain
that had locked the door when Cor
son and had come out on the even.
ing before.
The letter was from my unknown
employer, and read:
Richmond has paid the men. Be
ready for a move at any moment.
Leave your address il you sleep else.
where"
And now came three or four days of
rest and quiet after the merry life l
had been leading since my arrival in
San Francisco.
In the interval l improved my time
by getting better acquainted with the
city. Emboldened by my body-guard.
I slept for two nights in Henry's room.
and with one to watch outside the
door, one lying on a mattress just in.
side, and a new lock and bolt, I was
free from disturbance.
Just as I had formed a wild idea of
looking up Doddridge Knapp In his
home, I came to the office In the
morning to find the door into Room 16
wide open and the farther door ajar.
Come in. Wilton" said the voice
of the King of the Street: and en-.
tered his room to find him busted over
his papers. as though nothing had &C.
CURED since had last met him.
The market has had something OF
q vacation" ventured. as he failed to
speak.
Il have been out of town." he said
shortly. What have you done?"
Nothing"
He gave . grunt of assent.
You didn't expect me to buy up the
market. did you?"
The yellow-gray mustache went up.
and the wolf-fangs cleaned from be-
meath.
Il reckon 1t wouldn't have been q
very profitable speculation" he replied.
Then he leaned back in his chair
and looked meditatively at the wall.
Have you heard anything more of
Decker" he asked.
I've heard enC Ugh to satisfy me
that he's the man who got the Omega
stock"
What other deal is he in?" asked
the King of the Street.
Il don't know"
The King of the Street smiled indul-
gently.
We'll. you've got something to learn
yet. Ill give you till next week to
find the answer to that question"
Twas convinced from his air that he
had information on both these points
himself, and was merely trying my
knowledge.
IInot be back before next wednes-
day." he concluded.
Going away again." asked in sur
prise.
I'm OF to Virginia City," he re-
piled after considering for a little.
I'm not sure about Omega, after all
and there's another one want to look
into. You needn't mention my going.
When l come back we'll have a cam.
paign that will raise the roof of every
Board in town. No orders till then
unless I telegraph you. That's ALL"
The King of the Street seemed
Straightforward enough in his state
;sent II plsus, and it did not occur to
me TO distrust him while I was in lis
presence. Yet, once more in my Of
fee. with the locked door between, l
began to doubt, and tried to find some
hidden meaning in each word and
look.