The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1908-05-20
CHAPTER ..
a DANGEROUS Errand.

A Dangerous Errand.
A city of hills with a fringe OF
houses GROWING the lower heights;
half-mountains rising bare In the
background and becoming real noun
tains as they stretched away In the
distance to right and left; a confused
mass of buildings coming to the
waters edge on the fiat; a forest OF
masts, ships swinging in the stream,
and the streaked, yellow. gray-green
water of the bay taking cold light
from the setting sun as 1t struggled
through the wisps of fog that nut
tered above the serrated skyline OF
the city-these were my first impress
sions of San Francisco.
The wind blew fresh and chill from
the west with the damp and salt OF
the Pacific heavy upon it, as l
breasted ii from the forward deck OF
the ferry steamer, Ell Captain. AS
drank in the air and was silent win
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 VINO
can't come to San Francisco without
catching his death of cold. and then
laws it on to the climate instead OF
his own lack of common sense. Come.
| can't spare you, now I've got you
here at last ! wouldn't lose you Tor
a million dollars.
I'll come for half the money. l
returned. as he took me by the arm
and led me into the close cabin.
Ny companion, should explain,
was Henry Wilton. the son OF my
fathers cousin, who had the advan'
tages of a few years of residence IN
California. and sported all the airs
of a pioneer. We had been close
friends through boyhood and youth,
and 1t was on his offer of employment
that I had come to the city by the
Golden Gate.
what q resemblance" I heard a
woman exclaim, as We entered the
cabin. They must be twins.
There, Henry" l whispered with
a laugh; you see We are discovered.
Though our relationship was mol
close we had been cast in the moio
of some common ancestor. We were
so nearly alike in form and feature as
to perplex all but our intimate &C
auaintances. and we had made the
resemblance the occasion OF many
tricks In our boyhOod days.
Henry had heard the exclamation
as well as l.. To my surprise. it ap
reared to bring him annoyance or ap
prchension rather than amusement.
Il had forgotten that it would make
us conspicuous he said, more 10
himself than to me, l thought; anc
he glanced through the cabin as
though he looked for some peril.
I'VE were used to that long ago.
I said. as we found seat. is the
business ready for me? You wrote
that YOU thought it would be in hand
by the time / got here"
We can't talk about it here, hi
said in a low tone. There is plenty
of work to be done. It's not hard. but
as | wrote you. it needs man O
pluck and discretion. It's delicate
business, YOU understand, and dan
serous if You can't keep your head
But the danger won't be yours. Iv'
got that end of il.
of course you're not trying to d.
ANYTHING against the law" said.
oh. it has nothing to do with thu
law" he replied with an odd smile
In fact, it's little matter in which
We are-well, you might say-outsid'
the law"
gave a gasp at this distressin,
suggestion. and Henry chuckled as h
saw the CONSERVATION written on m.
face. Then he rose and said:
Come, the boat is getting in.
But | want to know" began.
.'Oh. bother your 'want-to-knows
It's not against the law just outsid
if Won understand. I'll tell you NOR
of il when We get to my room. Civ
me that valise. Come along now.
And as the boat entered the slip W
found ourselves at the front OF tn
pressing crowd that is always surgin
in and out of San Francisco by IN
gateway of the Market Street ferry
As we pushed our way through tn
clamoring hack-drivers and hOtei-ruE
ners who blocked the entrance to tn
CITY. | was reused by a sudden Thrill
of the instinct of danger that warn
one when he meets the eye OF
snake. 1t was gone in an instant. bu
1 had time to trace effect to cause
The warning came this time froT
the eyes of a man, 1.-the, keen-face
man who flashed look of triumphan
malice on us as he disappeared in tn
waitinS-room of the ferry-shed. Blu
the keen face and the basilisk glanc
were burned into my mind in tina
moment as deeply as though Ia
known then what evil was benin
them.
Ny companion swore softly to hin
self
What's the natter" I asked
Don't look around" he said. Nv
are watched"
The snake-eyed man."
Did you see him. too?' His ma,
ner was careless. but his tone wa
troubled Il thought l had given hil
the slip,' he continued. We'll, there
no help for it now.
Are We to hunt for a hiding-place?
asked dOubtfully.
oh, no; not now. I was going I
take you direct to my room. No