The Elbert County tribune., 1915-08-27

| cident, he knocked the letter from my
hand.
Il beg your pardon" he apologized.
! quickly STOPPING and picking the mis-
sive up.
Though he managed to read the ad-
dress, he maintained his composure
| and handed the letter back to me.
started to go out, when Elaine called
to me.
Excuse me Just a moment. Mr 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 1t, too. Walter" she
added. walking along with me. And
be very careful"
Il WILL" promised. as rode quick
ly off
Del Mar, alone, seized the opportun-
ity to go over quietly to the telephone
1t was the work OF only a moment to
call up his bungalow where the ennis
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
Il hope you'll pardon me-" said
Elaine, entering just as Del Mar left
the telephone. Mr.. Jameson was 60
ing into town and | had a number of
little things l wanted him to do. Won't
| you sit DOWN."
They chatted for a few moments,
hn nn1 Nor efa
| He excused himself shortly and Elaine
bade him good-by at the door as he
walked off. apparently. down the road
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 a 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?"
| 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
1t was very unexpected. but | had
time enough to draw my gun and fire
once l hit one of the men. too. In the
arm, and he staggered back, the blood
squirting all over the road
| But before could fire at the others,
| fha
| Frightened, the horse turned and bolt
| ed. riderless.
| Together. they dragged me off the
road and into the thicket, where | was
tied and gagged and laid on the
| ground, while one of them bound up
the wounded arm of the man had hit.
| 1t 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 mutterod
"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 gruffiy. "I'll have to repo-t 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 a man wearing
broad-brimmed hat and a plain suit of
duck His prim collar and tie COM
ported well with his smoked glasses
Instinctively one would have called
him professor" though whether ma
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.