Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-12-14
plume., nj thinking Of his $50 Win

It was surprising how much that
man., weary and desperate
though he a could accomplish. when
once ne reached the telegraph station.
and tent his messages flying on their
way. In less than three ninute after
his arrival he had extracted from the
station agen the fact that two people.
man and woman, answering the de-
scr1ptlon he gave. had bought tickets
Tor pittsburgh and taken the afternoon
train for that city. The agent had no.
tlcea tnern On account of their looking
as n n came from the city. He
especially noticed the purple plumes.
the like of which he had never seen
pefore. He had taken every minute
ne could get Oft from selling tickets
ana sending kilograms to watch the
lady through his little cobwebby win
DOW. Ihey didn't wear hats like that
in Milton.
In ten minutes n message was on
us way to a crony In Pittsburgh with
whom the thick set mai kept ia con-
slant for just such occasions as
the present, stirring him to
actloh, another message had winged its
mysterious way to Mr.. Holman giving
MN main facts in the case; while
a thlrd message. caught another crony
81 mics north of Pittsburgh and ord
cred MIN to board the evening express
at his OWN station, hunt up the parties
described, and shadow them to their
destination, IL possible getting in touch
with the Pittsburgh crony when he
reached the city.
n pursuer then ate a ham sandwich
WIN iloeral washings of liquid fire
VINE he waited replies to some OF his
and as 500 as he was salts,
ned that he had set justice in motion
ne ilred an automobile and HE'D hint
across country to catch a midnight ex-'
press to Pittsburgh. He had given
orders that his man and accompanying
lady should be held in Pittsburgh until
ms arrival. and he had no doubt but
SO sure was he that he was on he right
track, and h a his cronies would be
able and willing to follow his orders.
Ihere was some kind Of an .excur-
sion on at Pittsburgh. and the place
was crowded. The trainmen kept CALI
ing off specials. n crowds hurried out
OF the waiting room. only to be replaced
by other crowds, all eager. pushinr
talking, laughing. They were mostly
men, U a good many women and some
seemed to be of the number.
ana the noise n excitement worried
ner after her w exciting afternoon.
Cella longed to lay her down and sleep.
pul the seat was narrow, and hard, and
people We're pressing on every side.
That disagreeabfe man in the slouch
would stand too near. He was most
repuls1se looking, though he did not
seem to be aware of her presence
Gordon had a long wait before ha
finally secured the coveted state,
room and started back to her.
M Mnen suddenly face that no
startled him. 1t was the face Of a
private detective who was well known
about Washington, but whose head
quarters were in New York.
Until that instant. 1t had not oc-
CURED to him to fear watchers so far
south and west OF Pittsburgh. It was
not possible n the other bridegroom
would think to track him here. and.
as for the Holman contingent. thew
you'd not be- likely to make a public
disturbance about his disappearance,
lest they be found to have some con-
nection with the first theft Of govern
ment property. They could have
only through private means.
ana they must have been willy indeed
Il they had anticipated his moye
through Pittsburgh to washington
stu, 1T was the natural move for him
TO maket In order to get home as Quick
~ as possible and yet escape them.
n this man in the crowd was the
very one whom they would have been
likely to pick out for their work. He
was as slippery in his dealings as they
must be and no doubt was In league
with them. He knew the man and his
ways thoroughly, and had no mind to
fall into his hands.
Whether he had been seen nv tha
detecttve yet or not, he could NOT teu
put he suspected he had, by the way
the man stood around and avoided rec
him. There was not an n
slant to be lost. The fine state room
lnuSJM PH 11nfannr fo1s 80 80.
q dash for liberty. Liberty! All, East
Liberty! What queer things these
brains of ours are! He knew Pitta-
burgh just a little. He remembered
having caught a train at East Liberty
station once when he had no time
come down to the station to take It.
Fernaps ne might get the same train
at East Liberty. It was nearly tu,o
hours before it left.
swooping down upon the baggage.
~rnurlnured in the girls ear:
Can you hurry q little? We mnat
catch a right away"
h followed him closely through
The crowd, he STOPPING as lie to LOOK,
uoWn az " suit case, so that his
Of the mar whose recognition ha
feared, n In a moment more thew.
were out in the lighted blackness az
the streets. One glance backward
showed his supposed enemy stretchfnr
his neck above the crowd, as IL search-,
for some me-. as be walked h1,r-,
riedly toward the very doorway thew
had Just passed. Behind them shad.
the man in the SLOUGH hat. ana,
with q curious motion Of his hand sir-
nailed another like himself, the PITTS
.urgh' crony. who skulked in the dark
less outside. Instantly this man gave
signal and out of the Gloon
of the street "a carriage drew up at the
before h door. the cabman look
Ing eagerly for patronage,
Gordon put both suit cases in ona
hand taking Celia,s arm a. eentIv
he could in his haste hurried her
the carriage. It was the very
refuge he sought. He placed her inside
and gave the order for East Iiherfv
station. drawing along breath Of reiief
ct being safely out OF the station IA
did not see the shabby one who
mounted the box beside the driver ana
his directions in cultural whia-
pers. nor the man with the slouch hat
watched from the doorway and
followed them to a familiar haunt IN
The nearest car. He only feltshow rood
wa TO be by themselves once mors
where they could talk together Win
out Interruption.
But conversation was not easy under