The Columbus journal., 1908-11-18

around. giving it comical suggestion
of man with q droop to his eye.
"And the iron cow" l asked.
Stupid! q pump. of course" re-
piled Mrs. Knapp. with another laugh.
Now see II there is lane here by
the barn"
A narrow roadway just wide enough
for a single wagon joined the main
road at the corner of the building.
Then drive up it quietly" was Mrs
Knapp's direction.
Just beyond the barn I made out the
figure of the pump in a conspicuous
place by the roadside and felt more
confident that we were on the right
road.
The driver swore in an undertone
as the hack lurched and groaned In
Doggy series of ruts, and q branch
whipped him in the face. was forced
to give a grunt myself. as another
slapped my sore arm and sent sharp
twinge of pain shooting from the
wound till it tingled in my toes. Dicky,
protected between us, chuckled soft
". reflected savagely that nothing
spoils a man for company like mis-
taken sense of humor.
Suddenly the horses stopped SO
short that we were almost pitched out
Mrs. Knapp raped on the carriage
door and l opened 1t.
Have you come to the bars? she
asked presently.
Il guess so. We've come against
something like fence"
We'll, then, she replied, when We
get through, take the road to the left
That will bring us to the house."
"You are certain"
THAT is what Henry wrote In the
cipher beneath the map. The house
must be only few hundred yards
away"
The bars were there, and lifted the
wet and soggy boards with an anxious
heart Were we, after all, so near the
hiding place? And what were We to
And?
On a sudden turn the house doomed
up before us and wild clamor of dogs
broke the stiffness of the night.
Il hope they are tied" said, with
a poor attempt to conceal my misgiv-
ings.
Wen have lively time In quar-
ter of a minute If they aren't" laughed
Dicky, as he followed me.
But the baying and barking came no
rearer, and 1 helped Mrs. Knapp out
Of the carriage. She looked at the
house closely.
This is the place" she said, in an
unmistakable tone of decision. I'VE
must be quick l wish something would
quiet those dogs; they will bring the
whole country out"
1t seemed an hour before We could
been three minutes before a voice
came from behind the door.
who's there?"
1T is L. NJ. X" said Mrs. Knapp;
then she added three words of gibber-
ish that I took to be the passwords
used to identify the friends of the boy.
At the words there was the sound
| of bolts shooting back and the heavy
door opened enough to admit us. AS
We passed in, it was closed once
more and the bolts shot home.
Before us stood a short, heavy-set
man, holding candle. His face, which
was stamped with much of the bull.
| dog look in it, was smooth shaver ex.
cept for a bristling brown mustache.
He looked inQuiringly at us.
rs he here-the boy?" cried Mrs.
Knapp. her voice choked with anx'
iety."
YES" said the man. DO We move
again."
AT once" said Mrs. Knapp. in her
tone of decision.
| 1T will take ten minutes to get
ready" said the man. Come this
way"
| Twas left standing alone by the door
in the darkness, with a burden lifted
! from my mind. We had come in time
The single slip of paper left by Henry
Wilton had been the means, through
a strange combination Of events, to
point the way to the unknown hiding
place of the boy.
In a few minutes the wavering light
of the candle reappeared. Mrs. Knapp
was carrying a bundle that took to
be the boy, and the man brought a
valise and blanket.
Its all right" said Mrs. Knapp
! "NO-I can carry him-I want to carry
him.
The man opened the door, then
closed and locked it as l helped Mrs
Knapp into the carriage.
Have you got him safe?" asked
Dicky incredulously. well, I'll have
to say that you know more than
thought you did" And the relief and
satisfaction in his tone were SO evi
dent that gladly repented of my sus
picions of the light-hearted Dicky.
Have you heard anything?" asked
him anxiously.
Il thought l heard a yell over here
through the woods. We had better
get out of here"
Don't wait a second, said the man
THE south road comes over this other
way. II you've heard anybody there
they will be here in five minutes. III
follow you on a horse"
With an Injunction to haste.
stepped after Mrs. Knapp into the car
riage, the door was shut, Dicky
mounted the seat, and we rolled down
| tho road nm tho return iOurpoy
| CTO BE CONTINUED