Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-01-12

An Episode in Major srent's Past.
dence of her presence, for the intruder
S~killfully hiding his face turned I'm
~mediately ard leaped through an open
window, making Off in the shadows.
She was after him in Il second. but
when she reached the ground he had
disappeared. Then the throbbing of
just In time to discover a taxicab rae
ing away.
Her eyes now fell upon the car still
waiting In front OF the house opposite.
The driver was fooling with the mag
neto. She ran to him, g~esturing dra-
matically in the direction Of the fast
fading red lights.
Quick, please, follow that car. I'll
pay you any price. I'm Miss Darel"
The driver shifted into gear before
she was fairly inside. She swung her
swnylng body into the tonneau clos
ing the door with n bang, only to find
herself pinioned by n pair OF steel-cold
hands. Her cutlery was unheard save
by the mysterious n into whose
arms she had Unexpectedly fed.
Then again Pearl smelled chloro-
form, and she experienced the terrify-
ing sensation Of falling. ...
She never knew what exactly trans
pired during the next thirty minutes
or 80.
When her bewildered senses re-
turned she was lying among weeds In
an open lot somewhere in the sparsely
settled city outskirts.
The first object to strike Pearls
dazed eyes was the handkerchief
which had been used by the stranger
to reduce her to Il helpless condition.
Then she saw heavy footprints In the
mud.
Under ordinary circumstances, Pearl
might have gone Immediately to head
quarters and told her story. But the
events of that night had made her I'M
usually wary, arousing n keen personal
responsibility in following any clue
which might bring disclosures.
Accordingly she set out at once to
trace the movements Of the fleeing as
sailant which was not difficult in the
soft earth, aided by a brilliant, rising
moon.
Now followed n long interval Of
wandering through a district which be-
came more and more desolate. But
presently her perseverance was re-
warded. A little off in the distance.
on an elevation stood n dllapidated
frame shack belonging TO an aban-
doned stone quarry toward which two
men In guarded haste crawled up the
hillside. From behind an old tree
stump Pearl, craning her neck, saw
them enter and quickly close the door.
Smotherlng an exclamation she dart
ed In the direction Of the shack.
Ten minutes afterward she. herself,
was inside this now notorious haunt,
cropping against rough board walls.
The darkness seemed to be augment
ed by the very stiffness Of the place
but gradually she discerned a rickety
wooden stairway ending through an
open trap door in n loft.
She was starting to ascend when
through a crack in n rude partition
there cleaned n faint ray Of light.
Stepping hastily down, Pearl peeped.
The interior was not entirely within
her range but the scene she beheld
half startled her out Of her wits.
Seated about a bare table were a
number Of men Of distinguished for
elgn appearance. In the fitful illumi-
nation Of NJ oil lamp, their faces were
not recognizable although she was
sure that the object Of her search was
among them. She could rot see his
face, however. Whoever he was, he
was obviously their leader ard spokes-
man and a very superior person to
whom they paid a deep respect.
iilo nun was cAIOi tlHB Ills COLOElS
very earnestly.
Guarding her emotions lest they be-
tray her Pearl pressed closely against
the wall, stralning her ears at the
crack In the board. She grew tense.
Her c%ountenance registered blank
lmaZement.
His voice was musical, yet blunt
md virlle. "Messleurs, now Is the
time to strike when her golden vaults
ire full for America, treasurer OF the
IS totterlng to her downfall"
Pearl paled, every nerve in her body
A murmur ran through the assembly.
The speaker continued impressively:
Our combined armies outnumber hers