The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-06


 ment was too late. Something de scended crashing upon my head, and I pitched forward into unconsciousness.
 It must be lay there practically l dead for some time I had no knowl- edge of being approached or handled, and yet every pocket was rif7ed, the pistol jerked from my hand and my coat ripped from my body. Like so much carrion the fellows had flung me back against the wall so as to make room for the swinging open of the door Little by little, silently, compre hending now what had occurred and warned by the sound of voices not far away. I changed posture slightly. straightening out eramped and aching limbs and so turning my head as to en- able me to see along the passage, where a ray of light streamed.
 I lay twenty feet from the entrance to this habitation underground, thrust into the black shadow behind the door, which stood partially ajar. My posi- ion precluded any possibility Of learn Ing what was beyond that wooden bar Mer, but could plainly view the entire north portion of the interior, although the only light radiated from flicker ing candle. One edge of the table came within my vision, a man sitting beside It. his back turned toward me. He was smoking a short stemmed pipe and contented himself with a growling, indistinct utterance when addressed. Opposite, however, was a man of different type slender and active, his hair very dark and inclined to curl a rather long face, slightly olive hued, 1vith a small mustache waxed at the ends. His black, spar king eyes attracted me first, and then his long, shapely hands. These grasped sheet of paper, and no- ticed others, including several unopen- ed envelopes, lying before him on the table. He laughed bit unpleasantly, a TOW of white teeth visible beneath the dark mustache.
 'fIt's just as I thought, Herman,''6 he said genially. 4The fellow is a to take his disappearance seriously''
 'sBut some one knows he come here'
 "Only the two who sent him, and they'll never dare tell, and the woman She is safe enough. Nigger Pete drove them out here, and we can close his mouth easily energh It's been easy, Herman, and now with these two settled it leaves me clear field"
 Maybe so-yes. But vat you think it all mean? I would know how eet vas dey come.'
 The younger man shuhled the pa pers restlessly, his eyes on the face of the other
 CT confess there are some details missing, Herman, 7 he said slowly, %but, in the main, it is clear enough. take it this man NeaJe is a rascal. He went north to ind the heir, dis covered that he was either dead or had disappeared; ran into some scamp between them, determined to cop the | coin. That's my guess. Then they picked up this penniless soldier, who, by the way, resembles the missing son a bit, and sent him down here to play the part"
 .teVell, maybe so. But vat about the girl, hey2
 ''Some one they picked off the streets. He's told to do 1t in this letter. They thought it best to prove their man mar ried and so had to procure a woman. We won't have any trouble with her.''
 seVat you do to be sure P
 Turn her loose in New Orleans with a few dollars carelessly. 'sAlI she knows about the affair can't hurt us if she does squeal. There are plenty of ways to shut her mouth. I'll know better how to handle her case right when see her. Broussard is q long time~at his job"
 Perhaps she fight heen-hey?''
 '"The worse for her-that creole is wildcat But I wish he would hurry, so we can get through the Gut on the flood time; that boat draws more wa ter than is comfortable in this la goon"
 You need not worry" said the Ger man, p1acidly looking at his watch. ''I take eet through safe. She good sea boat, an where come in I can go out Ach, 'tis the fellow come noww