The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-10-26
CHAPTER III.

Almost In front OF the house stood a
closed carriage with two fine horses,
but the coachman was looking UP anx-
iously toward the next building. The
sound Of the closing door drew the
mans attention, and. catching Gordon's
throw open the door Of the carriage.
Quick as a flash, Gordon saw he had
been mistaken for the man the car
rage awaited, and he determined to
make use Of the circumstance.
Don't get down." he called to the
man, taking chances. TITS very late al
ready. I'll open the door. Drive for all
slammed the carriage door behind him,
and in a second more the horses We're
flying down the street. A glance from
the back window showed an excited
group of HIS fellow-guests standing at
the open door Of the mansion he had
just left pointing toward his carriage
ana widely gesticulating. He surmised
that his host was already at the tele-
phone calling for his own private detec.
tive. .....
Gordon could scarcely believe his
sense that he a accomplished his mis-
sion and flight SO far, and yet he knew
his situation was most p~ecarious. Where
he was going he neither knew nor cared.
When he was sure he was far enough
from the house he would call to the
driver and give him directions, but first
he must make sure that the precious
paper was safely slowed away, In case
ne should be caught and searched. They
might be coming after him with motor
cycles in a minute or two.
Carefully rolling the paper into q tiny
compass, he slipped 1t into q hollow
gold case which was among the things
in the envelope the chief had given him.
There was q fine chain attached to the
case, and the whole looked innocently
Ike a gold pencil. The chain he slipped
about his neck, dropping the case down
inside his collar. That done he breathed
more freely. Only from his dead body
should they take that away. Then he
hastily put on the false eyebrows, mus
tache and goatee which had been pro-
vided for his disguise, and pulling on
a pair Of light gloves he felt more fit
to evade detection. .
He was just beginning to think what
he should say to the driver about tax
ing him to the station, for IL was i'm
portant that he get out Of the city at
once, when, glancing out of the window
to see what part of the city he was
being taken through, he became aware
Of an auto close beside the carriage
keeping pace with 1t, and two men
stretching their necks as IL to look into
the carriage window at him. He with
drew to the shadow instantly so that
they could not see him. but the one
quick glance he had had made him sure
that one Of his pursuers was the short
thick set man with the cruel Jaw who
had sat across from him at the dinner
table a few minutes before. II this were
so he a practically no chance at all
Of escape, for what was q carriage
against a swift moving car and what
was he against q whole city full Of
strangers n enemies? II he attempt
ed to drop from the carriage on the
other side and escape into the dark
ness he had but a chance OF 1000 at
not being seen, n he could not hope
to hide and get away in this unknown
part of he city. Yet he must take his
chance somehow. for the carriage must
sooner or later get somewhere and he
be obliged to face his pursuers.
To make matters worse, Just at the
instant when he had decided to jump at
the next dark place and was measuring
the distance with his eye. his hand
even being outstretched to grasp the
! door handle, q clustering, b%oisterous
motorcycle burst into full bloom just
where he intended to Jump, and the
man who rode 1t was in Uniform. He
| lodged back into he darkness of the
| carriage again that he might not be
| seen, and the motorcycle came 20 near
| that It's rider turned a white face and