The Monticellonian., 1915-09-30

1 cident, he knocked the letter from my | hand
 T beg your pardon" he apologized, quickly stooping and picking the mis- | sive up
 Though he managed to read the ad- dress. he maintained his eomposure and handed the letter back to me. l started to go out, when Elaine called to me.
 Excuse me just moment, MT. Del Mar?" she queried. accompanying me out on the porch. Already a saddle horse had been brought around for me.
 Perhaps you'd better put a special | delivery stamp on it, too, Walter" she added, walking along with me. And be very careful"
 'I will, promised, as I rode quick ly of.
 Del Mar, alone, seized the opportun- ity to go over quietly to the telephone. It was the work of only moment to call up his bungalow where the emis- sary who had placed the submarine bell was waiting for orders. Quick ly Del Mar whispered his instructions, which the man took, and hung up the receiver.
 q hope you'll pardon me- said Elaine, entering just as Del Mar left the telephone "Mr. Jameson was go- ing into town and I had a number of little things l wanted him to do. Won't you sit down?'
 They chatted for a few moments, but Del Mar did not stay very long. He excused himself shortly and Elaine bade him good-by at the door as he walked off, apparently, down the road 1 had taken.
 
 Del Mars emissary hurried from the bungalow and almost ran down the road until he came to a spot where two men were hiding.
 Jameson is coming with letter which the Dodge girl has written to the Secret Service" he cried, pointing excitedly up the road. You've got to get it, see?" I was cantering along nicely down the road by the shore, when suddenly, from behind some rocks and bushes. three men leaped out at me. One of them seized the horses bride, while the other two quickly dragged me out of the saddle It was very unexpected. but l had time enough to draw my gun and fire of in f h Q arm, and he staggered back the blood squirting all over the road But before I could fire at the others, they knocked the gun from my hand. | Frightened the horse turned and bolt ed. riderless. Together. they dragged me off the road and into the thicket, where 1 was tied and gagged and laid on the ground, while one of them bound up the wounded arm of the man l had hit. It was not long before one of them be- gan searching me.
 "Aha!" he growled, pulling the let ter from my pocket and looking at it with satisfaction. Here it is
 He tore the letter open, throwing the envelope on the ground, and read it.
 There, confound you" he muttered. "The governmental never get that. Come on, men. Bring him this way. Hurry up,"
 He showed the letter into his pocket and led the way through the under | brush while the others half dragged, half pushed me along. We had not gone very far before one of the three men, who appeared to be the leader, paused
 Take him to the hang-out," he or dered grufIiy. "Ill have to report to the chief"
 He disappeared down toward the shore of the harbor while the others prodded me along.
 
 Down near the Dodge dock. along the shore, walked man wearing a broad -brimmed hat and plain suit of duck His prim collar and tie com ported we'll with his smoked glasses Instinctively one would have called him professor though whether na- turalist. geologist, or plain "bugolo- gist," one would have had difficulty in determining.
 He seemed, as a matter of fact. to be a naturalist, for he was engrossed in picking up specimens. But he was not so much engrossed as to fail to hear the approach of footsteps down the gravel walk from Dodge hall to the dock. He looked up in time to see Del Mar coming, and quietly con- cealed himself in the shrubbery up on the shore.
 On the dock. Del Mar stood for some minutes. waiting Finally. along the shore came another figure. It was the emissary to whom Del Mar had tele- phoned and who had searched me. The naturalist drew back into his hid ing place. peeping out keenly at the two men.
 "Wel?" demanded Del Mar What uck?"
 We've got him" returned the man with brief satisfaction. Here's the letter she was sending to the Secret Service''
 Del Mar seized the note which the man handed to him and read it eager ly Good" he exclaimed That would have put an end to the whole ~-~-S>~~->.~S~~o~~.~~~~-- ~~~--.o~o-o-~S.-.>.~so.~.-- bits of characterization hangs an amusing story.
 When Doctor Tuekerman was in