Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-03-29

\ ta1neQ IOr the last LWenLy-IOur# hours.
We'll walk, y" Lanyard suggested
'.If you don't mind-part of the way al
least; it'll eat up. time, and a bit Of ex
ercise will do us both good" -@$E
The girl assented quietly.
! The drum of their heels on fast-dry
ing sidewalks struck sharp echoes
from the silence Of that drowsy quar-
ter, lonely clamor that rendered il
impossible to ignore their apparent
solitude-as impossible as it was fol-
Lanyard to ignore the fact that they
were followed.
The shadow dogging them on the far
side of the street, some fifty yards be-
hind, was as noiseless as any cat; but
for this circumstance Lanyard would
have been slow to believe it was con
cerned with him, so confident had he
felt, till that moment, Of having given
the Pack the clip.
And from this he diagnosed still an
other symptom OF the Packs incurable
stupidity! -
Supremacy on the alert, he had dis
covered the pursuit before they left
the block of the restaurant. Dissem-
bling, partly to avoid alarming the
girl, partly to trick the follower into a
feeling of greater security, he turned
this way and that, round several cor
ners, until quite convinced that the
shadow was dedicated to himself eek
clusively, then promptly revised his
prior purpose and, instead Of site king
to darker backways, struck out direct
ly for the broad, well-lighted, and live
ly Boulevard Sebastopol.
Crossing this without another back
ward glance, he turned north, seeking
some cafe whose arrangements suited
his designs; and, presently, though not
before their tramp had brought them
almost to the line of the Grand boule-
wards, found one to his taste, a. cheer
full and well-lighted establishment stu
ated upon a corner, with entrances
from both Streets A hedge of forlorn
fir trees knee-deep in wooden tubs
guarded - collection of round, metal
tables and 5pindle-shanked chairs, Of
which few were occupied. Inside, Wis
IDLE through the wide plate-glass win
dows, perhaps a dozen patrons sat
round half as many tables-no, more
idling over dominoes and gossip
steady.paced ~ burghers with their
wives, men in small ways of business
in the neighborhood. rs
Entering to this company, Lanyard
selected square, handicapped table
against the back wall, entrenched him.
self with the girl upon the plush-up.
holstered seat behind it, ordered COT.
fee and writing materials, and proceed.
ed to light cigarette with the non.
chalance of one to whom time is Of no
consequence.
What IS it," the girl asked guard
eddy, as the waiter scurried off to exc
cute his commands. you've not
stopped in here for nothing!" ..,.
r. 'True-but lower, pleased" he
begged III we speak English loud
enough to be heard it will attract at.
tention. The trouble is, we're followed.
But as yet our faithful shadow doesn't
know we know it-unless he's more in
telligent than he seems. Consequent
ly, if don't misjudge him, he'll take
a table outside, the better to keep an
eye on us, as soon as he sees we're ap-
parently settled for some time. More
than that, I've got a note to writ and
not merely as subterfuge. This Eel
low must be shaken off, and as long as
we stick together that can't very well
be DONE" s.as. "a sss !.
E. He interrupted himself while the
waiter served them, then sugared his
coffee, arranged the ink bottle and pa
per to his satisfaction, and bent over
his pen. !. 81.
"Come Closer" he requested" If
you were interested in what I'm writ