Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1908-04-11
CHAPTER /.
A DANGEROUS Errand.


A city of hills with a fringe OF
houses browning 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; 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 a cold light
from the setting sun as it struggled
through the wisps of fog that Hut
tered above the serrated skyline OF
the city-these were my first impress
trrns of San Francisco.
Tbe wind blew fresh and chill from
the west with the damp and salt OF
the Pacific heavy upon it, as
breasted it from the forward deck of
the ferry steamer, FL 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 to San Francisco without
catching his death of cold, and then
laws it on to che climate instead OF
his own lack Of common sense. Come,
l can't spare you, now I've got you
here at last l wouldn't lose you for
a million dollars"
I'll come for half the money"
returned, as he took me by the arm
and led me into the close cabin.
My companion, l 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 boyhoo1 and youth,
and it was on his offer OF employment
that | had come to the city by the
Golden Gate.
What resemblance! | 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 not
close we had been cast in the mold
of some common ancestor. We were
so nearly alike in form and feature as
10 perplex all but our intimate ac-
Quaintances, 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, it APP
reared to bring him annoyance or ap-
arehension rather than amusement.
- had forgotten that it would make
vs. conspicuous" he said, more to
himself than to me. l thought; and
he glanced through the cabin as
though he looked for some peril.
I'VE were used to that long ago,
said, as we found seat. rs 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, he
said in a low tone. There is plenty
Of work to be done. It's not hard but,
as [ wrote you it needs man of
MUCK and discretion. It's delicate
business. you understand, and dan
gerous if you can't keep your head.
But the danger won't be yours. I've
got that end of il"
''Of course you're not trying to do
anything against the law" | said.
oh. it has nothing to do with the
Nv" he replied with an odd smile.
Ii, fact, it's little matter in which
we are-well, you might say-outside
the law"
gave gasp at this distressing
suggestion, and Henry chucliled as he
saw the CONSERVATION written on my
face. Then he rose and said:
Come, the boat Is getting in.
"But | want to know" | began.
ooh, bother your 'want-to-knows.
It's not against the law just outside
it. you understand. I'll tell you more
of it when we get to my room. Give
ne that valise Come along now
Aud as the boat entered the slip VIC
found ourselves at the front Of the
pressing crowd that is always surginG
in and out of San Francisco by the
gatewa.' 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
& ~. was reused by sudden thrill
on the instinct of danger that warns
one when he meets the eye of ;
snake. 1t was gone in an instant, bu
had time to trace effect to cause
The warning came this time from
the eyes OF a man. 1.-THE, keen-facet
man who flashed look of triumphan
malice on us as he disappeared in thu
waiting room of the ferry-shed Blu
the keen face and the basilisk glance
were burned into my mind in tina
moment as deeply as though | hat
known then what evil was behint
them.
My companion swore softly to him
self
whats the natter" | asked