The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-12-28
CHAPTER XIV.

And at last she lay down and slept.
CHAPTER XIV.
They were late coming into Wash
!ngton, for the special had peer side
tracked in the night for several express
trains, and The noisy crowd who bad
kept one another awake till after mid
aight made up by sleeping far into the
morning.
Three times did Gordon make the
tourney three cars front to see if his
companion of yesterday were awake
ma needed anything. but each time
,ound the curtains drawn and still.
ma each time he went slowly back
again to his seat in the crowded day
!oach.
1t was not until the white dome of the
Apital, and the tall needle of the monu-
nent, We're painted soft and vision-like
lgainst the sky, reminding one of the
pictures of the heavenly city in the
story OF Pilgrims Progress, and family
susgesting q new and visionary world,
mat he sought her again, and found her
FULLY ready, standing in the aisle while
the porter put up the berth out of the
way. Beneath the great brim Of her
purple hat, where the soft fronds of her
plumes trembied with the motion Of the
train, she lifted sweet eyes to him, as
1tAO ootI Esidd Nv lItSI1ltIIGu
TO see him. And then that ecstasy shot
through him again, as he realized, sud-
denly what it would be to have her
Tor his Nfe-companion, to feel her looks
OF gladness were all for him, and have
the right to take all fright away from
her.
They could only smile at each other
TOR good morning. for everybody was
standing up n being brushed, and
pushing here and there for suit cases
and lost umbrellas; and everybody
talked loudly, and laughed a great
deal. and told how late the train was.
Then at last they We're there, and could
get out and walk silently side by side
IN the noisy procession through the
station to the sidewalk.
what little things sometimes change
\ lifetime. and make for our safety or
u destruction! That very morning
three keen watchers were set to guard
that station at Washington to hunt out
the government spy who had stolen the
stolen message, and take him, message
and all, dead or alive. back to New
York; for b man who could testify
against the Holman Combination was
to be let live If there was such a
thing as getting him Que of the way.
But they never thought to watch the
Special which was supposed to carry
only delegates to the great convention.
ny pb'SibiS pG VII Liistt- 4IlEg
knew he was coming from Pittsburgh,
TOR they had been SO advised by tele-
gram the evening before by one of their
company who had seen him buying a
sleeper ticket for Washington, but they
felt safe about the Special, for they
had made inquiries and been told no
n but delegates could possibly come
on it. They had done their work thor
oughly. and were on hand with every
possible plan perfected for bagging
their anne. but they took the time
when the Pittsburgh Special was ex-
pected to arrive for eating a hearty
breakfast in the restaurant across the
street from the. station. Two of them
emerged from the restaurant in plenty
of time to meet the next Pittsburgh
train, just as Gordon. having placed the
lady in a closed carriage. was getting in
himself.
II the carriage had stood in any other
spot along the pavement in front of the
station, they never would have seen
him, but, as 1t was, they had a full view
of him: and because they were Wash
ington men, and experts In their line,
they recognized him at once, and knew
their plans had failed, and that only by
extreme measures could they hope to
prevent the delivery of the message
which would mean downfall and dis
aster to them and their schemes.
@-<1E ~ ShoS LlIS ooOIEoi
the carriage. he caught a vision OF his
two enemies pointing excitedly toward
him, and he knew that the blood
hounds were on the scent. His heart
beat wildly. His anxiety was divided
between the message and the lady.
What should he dot Drive at once to
the home OF his chief and deliver the
message, or leave the girl at his rooms.
phone for a faster conveyance and
trust TO getting to his chief ahead of
his purEuerS?
Don't let anything hinder you! Don't
let anything hinder you, Make 1t a
matter OF life and DEATH" rang the lit
tie ditty In his ears. andnew It seemed
as II he must go straight ahead with
the message. And yet--"a matter Of
life and death!. He could not, must
not, might not. take the lady with him
into danger. II he must be In danger
OF death he did not want to die having
exposed al innocent stranger to the
same.
Then there was another point to be
thought OF.
He had already told the driver to
9take him to his apartments, and to drive
- rapidly as possible. IT would not do
to stop him now and change the direc@
tons, for a pistol-shot could easily
reach him vet; and. coming from d
crowd. who would be suspected? His
e4emiea were standing on the threshold
~ y place where there were many OF
their kind to protect them, and none 81
his frtends knew ofsshis coIningsIt
the finish.
Celia was looking out with interest
SAtathe streets recognizing landmarks
With wonder. and did not notice Cor
" he strained his vision to note how
last the hOFsas prna s3ofn1t II tha