Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1919-06-12
CHAPTER IV-continued.

ing Jacqueline to the clerks desk
alone, she had gone to side entrance
and ! had Joined her there and left
The hotel with her in that fashion.
I gathered from what he had said
that the possession of Jacqqeline was
vitally important both to Leroux and
to Tom Carson and that they had en-
deavored to kidnap her and hold her
till the man Louis arrged to advise
Them. SE
"How much do you< know?" hissed
Eimon at me.
'Teroux," I said, "Pm not going to
tell you anything. Yon will remember
that was employed by Mr.. Carson"
by -!" he swore, "ain't I as
good as Carson? What are you going
TO do with herr"
you'd better 60 back to the Office
and wait, unless you want TO spoil the
game by letting her see you," ] said.
'T don't know whether Toms run
ming straight or not" he said huskny;
but let me ten you, young man. it'll
pay you to keep in with me, and If
you've got any price name It'll"
He shook his heavy fist over mel
believe the clerks thought he was 60
ing to strike me, for they came hur-
yying toward us. But saw Jacque-
Hne approaching, and, without another
z word, Leroux turned away.
Jacqueline caught sight of his re
aae III ,fsf ss.y;sss wfftdsHeu
1 thought I saw shadow Of fear In
them. Then the memory was efaced
andtshe was smiling again. z
/ instructed the store to call a mes
senger and have the suitcase taken at
once to the baggage room in the Grand
Central station. .,. '
-Now Jacqueline, I'm going to take
you to lunch said. "And afterward
We will start for home"
Outside the store looked carefully
around and espied Leroux almost i'm
mediately. lighting cigar in the door
way Of shop. hit upon rather
daring plan to escape him.
CarSon's offices were in large mod
ern building, with many elevators and
entrances. I walked toward it with
Jacqueline, being satisfied that Leroux
vas following us; entered about
twenty-five yards before him, and
ascended to the elevator, getting off,
however, on the floor above that on
which the offices were.
was satisfied that LerouX would
follow me a minute later, under the
impression that we had gone to Car
sons office, and so, after waiting q
minute or two, took JacQueline down
In another elevator, and we escaped
through the front entrance and jumped
into a taxicab.
was satisfied that I had thrown
Leroux Off the scent but took the
precaution to stop at a gunsmith's
shop and purchase pair Of automatic
pistols and hundred cartridges.
But I was very uneasy until we
found ourselves In the train. At last
everything was accomplished-our bag
gage upon the seats beside us and our
berths secured. And then, at the very
moment when the wheels began to re-
yolve, Leroux stepped down from a
neighboring train. AS he passed our
window he espied us.
He started and glared, and then he
came racing back toward us, shaking
his fists and yelling vile explosives.
He tried to swing himself aboard in
his fury, despite the fact that the doors
we're all shut. A porter pushed hin,
back, and the last l saw Of him ne
was still pursuing US, screaming with
r8ge.
knew that he would follow on the
4rxt train, reaching Quebec about five
sbe following afternoon. That gave. us
are hours grace.
turned toward Jacquellne, fearful
That she had recognized the man and
realized the situation. But she was
Nlillng happily at my side, and I was
ernfident then that, by virtue of that
SINE mental inhibition, she had nei-
tker seen nor heard the fellow.
New York was slipping away. All
my old life was slipping away like
this-and evil following US. I slipped
Une of the automatics out Of my suit
case into my pocket and iwOre that
would guard JncQuellne fior, any
hao.w Of harm.