The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-02-11
Manufacturing Company.I


Kitty" she told her chum. 81 thinl
those men are planning some new dev
iltry."
, IL heard Mr.. Weisner talking abou
interference with his business" sale
Kitty. "He said that If any outsider.
came skulking around the coal mines
they'd better look out-that there was
trouble enough there already without
bringing In any more from outside"
They'll talk in the library" said
Dorothy. "lf we slip I'm there now and
go into the little alcove. we can curl VI
in that big settee. If they find us we
can pretend to be asleep"
They put their plan into execution
and, as they expected, they soon heard
| the voices Of the members Of the syn
dlcate-the survivors Of the original
| fifteen. Stone spoke first
"Weisner-you needn't worry" he
said. IL saw Iarnigan just now-met
him as he came from the station. He's
taken his mother and his brother down
to the country. He explained to me
that he wanted them to be where il
was safe and quiet, because he had to
go down to Pennsylvania
"And you'll keep him away, | sup
pose," said Weisncr, with sneer
"Me-I don't trust you or your arrange
ments, Stonel You've had plenty of
chances at these Larnigans, and you've
messed up every one of them! Let
him come, say II I've got ways OF talk.
ing care Of him If he turns upv'
The two girls couldn't hear all of the
conversation. 1t was Weisner's voice,
heavy and powerful, that was most
plainly audible; Stone, from more
highly developed sense of caution,
pitched his tone low, so that only an
occasional word that he uttered was
clear and distinct. And so the two
girls did not realize that Tom would
be I'm peril even before he left New
York; they thought that for him the
danger would begin to be acute when
he reached the coal fields. AS soon as
they could they stole out and managed
to get away unobserved.
Suppose we went DOWN." suggested
Dorothy. Down TO Pennsylvania
don't believe Tom realizes the dangers
he will face down there-and we might
save his lifel I'm sure we could be Of
some use"
I'm willing" said Kitty, eagerly.
Tom, meanwhile, had gone unsus-
pectingly toward his fat. He meant
to accept Stones invitation. Stone
could, he knew, give him valuable in
formation as to conditions I'm the
coal fields, and he had offered TO do so.
He did not see the spy who lurked In
the lower hallway Of his apartment
house; 1t was with the utmost uncon-
Germ that he inserted his key I'm the
door. He stopped for moment, hold
ing the door open with his foot. and
bent down to stroke cat that had
rubbed against his leg. The cat, he
guessed, must belong to his neighbors.
Then he Strengthened up, and pushed
the door open But just then mouse
ran across the doorsill; the cat sprang
after It, In hot pursuit. Instantly there
was a binding fash; deafening roar,
and n great explosion hurled Tom half
way down the stairs. He was bruised
and shaken. but he was not seriously
hurt: no bones were broken. And. even
as he picked himself up the spy, hear
ing the explosion, ran off to report that
he had walked into the trap.
Stone was appalled, and astonished
when Tom came. as he had promised
to do But he was able to conceal his
astonishment and his dismay.
"You must spend the night" he told
Tom. "You can get an early morning
train-you might as well have one
more night of comfort. I'm afraid
you'll find II pretty rough down In
the coal fields. The hotels are poor,
and everything Is upset and disor-
ganized by the strike. so that It Will
be even worse than usual"
Tom agreed. and Stone, after Tom
had retired. sent for Dunn.
Hes fooled us again." he said. bit
terly. "I don't know how-and | don't
care! But-lve arranged last chance
for youl He's In this apartment,
asleep! You can get through the win
dow-and this time take no chances-
suppose I'm caught-it's murder
you're asking me to dor gasped Dunn.
growing pale.
you've done IL beforehand / still
have the proofs" said Stone. fercely.
(which would you rather do-bave me
hand those proofs TO the prosecutor.
with the certainty that you'll be con-
victed, or take the chance that you
won't be caught? Who Is going TO
catch your There's no one 70 give the
alarm except myselfr
Dunn hesitated. But he knew that
Stone held the whip hand.
I'll do It." said Dunn, gloomily.
"All right" said Stone. There's the
wey you can get In"
And st once he went downstairs and
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