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Show IblindfoldIdI1 J I BY EARLE : ASHLEY WALCOTT Copyright. 1906. by The Bobbs-MerrlU Company. Come with one in hack to courtyard of ! the Palace hotel at 7:40." Mother Borton ' face changed not a whit at the reading, but at the end . she nodded. "She knows," the said. "What does It mean?" 1 asked. "What Is to happen?" "Don't go, dearie you won't go, will you?" "fes.' I said' 'I must go." "Oh' she walled; "you may be killed. You may never come back." "Nonsense." ssld I. "In broad daylight, day-light, at the Palace hotel? I'm much more likely to be killed before I get home ton.'ght." Her earnestness Impressed me, but my resolution was not shaken. Mother Borton Bor-ton rested her head on the table In despair de-spair at my obstinacy. "Well, If you will, you will." she said at last; "and an old woman's warnings are nothing to you. But if you will put your head In the traps, I'll do my best to make it safe after you get It there. You Jlst sit still, honey." And she took the candle and went to a corner where ahe seated herself at a stand. Her shadow grew very large, and her straggling locks sent streamers of blackness black-ness dancing on the grimy celling. The weird figure, thrown into bold relief by the candle-lighted wall beyond it while all else -was In obscurity, gave an uncanny un-canny feeling that turned half to dread as I looked upon her. What secret did she hold? What was the danger she feared? Mother Borton appeared to have some difficulty in arranging her words to her liking. She seemed to be writing, but the pen did not flow smoothly. At last she was done, and sealing her work In an envelope, she brought the flickering light once more to the table. "Take that," ahe said, thrusting the envelope Into my hand. "If you find a one-eyed man when you git Into trouble, give him that letter I've writ ye. and ft may do ye some good. It's the best I can do fer ye. You'd better go now and git some sleep. You may need it." r thanked Mother Borton and pressed her hand, and she held the candle as I tiptoed down the stairs. Joined my waiting wait-ing guards, and went out into the night. The fresh, cool air of the early morning hours was grateful after the close and tainted atmosphere of the den we had left, but I had other things to think of than the pleasure of once more filling my lungs. "where are Barkhouse and Phillips?" I asked, as we turned our faces toward the west. Porter gave a low whistle, and. as this failed to bring an answer, followed it with one louder and more prolonged. We listened, but no response came. "We'd better get out of here." said Wilson. "There's no telling what may happen when they hear that whistle." "Hist! What's that?" ssld Porter, drawing me back Into a doorway. ' (To Be Continued.) ; CnAPTEEXXL At the Bidding of the Unknown. The -windows of Borton shone cheer-xully, cheer-xully, although it was past midnight. At our cautious approach a signal was given, and with the answering word a man appeared from the obscurity. "'i U right' said Barkhouse. There's a dozen men in' the barroom. &nd I'm not sure there ain't some of the hounds amongst them. But you're - to go in the aide door, and right up stairs." . , "Two of you may keep at the foot of the stairs, just inside the dcor," I said. "You. may stand watch outside, Barkhouse. " There was sound of rude song, and the clink of glass and bottle in the bar and dining-room, as I passed through the aide hall. But the door was closed, and I saw nothing of the late revelers. In the upper hallway Mtther Borton stood by an open door, silhouetted dark and threatening against the dim flickering! flick-ering! that came from the candle in the room behind her. I had but opened my mouth to give her word of greeting when she raised a warning elaw, ana then seizing me, drew me swiftly into the room and closed and locked the door. 'How air ye, dearie!" she said, sur-eying sur-eying me with some apparent pride. 'YouVe safe and whole, ain't yet" - As the candle light fell on her face she seemed older and more like a bird of prey than ever. The nose and chin had taken a sharper cast, the lines of her face were deeper drawn with the marks of her evil life, and her breath waa strong with the strength of waterfront water-front whisky. But her eyes burned bright and keen in their sunken sockets, sock-ets, with the fire of her fevered brain behind them. "I am safe," I said, "though I had a close shave in Chinatown." "I heerd of it," said Mother Bqrton sourly. "I reckon it ain't much good . to sit up nights to tell you how to take , keer of yourself. -It's a wonder you ver gTowed up. Your mammy must 'a rsen mighty keerful about herdin' ye Vnder cover whenever it rained." i . Y"1 w" littlis t0 blame," I adinit-" adinit-" I ted, "but your warning was not thrown away. I thought I was well guarded." Mother Borton sniffed contemptuously. "I s 'pose you come down here alonet" "No." And I explained the disposition disposi-tion of my forces. "That's not so bad," she said. "They could git up here soon enough, I reckon, if there was a row.. But I guess you" didn 't think I sent for ye jest to tell ye you was a fool in Chinatown. China-town. " I admitted that I should have ex- pected to wait till morning for such a rryjiece of information. "Well," said Mother Borton, "that I . ain't it. Something's up. " "And what might it bet" I inquired. "The moon!" Mother Borton did not take this flippancy flip-pancy kindly." Her face grew darker and more evil as it was framed in the dancing shadows behind her. "You can git a knife in ye as easy as winking if I'll jest keep my mouth shut," she cried spitefully. "Yes," said I repentantly, putting my hand upon her arm. "But you are my very good' friend, and will tell me what I ought. to know."- The creature's face lighted at my tone and action, and her eyes melted with a new feeling. "That I will," she sid; "that I will, as ff you were my own boy." She seized my hsnd and held it as she spoke, and looked intently, almost lovingly, on my face. Elsewhere I could have shivered at the thought of her touch. Here, with the bent figure amid the gloomy shadows of the den in which we sat, with the atmosphere of danger heavy about us, I was moved by a glow of kindly feeling. "I was a-listening to 'em," she con- tinued in a low, earnest tone, glancing around fearfully as if she had the V-thought that some one else might be glistening in turn. "I was a-listening ' "and heerd what they says. "Who said!" I inquired. "The ones you knows on," she returned re-turned mysteriously. . I "Whst ones!" I persisted, though X I supposed she meant to indicate some of my energetic enemies. Mother Borton paid no attention to my question, and continued: "I kaowed they was a-talking about 3'ou, an' they says 4hey would cut jour liver out if they found ye there." "And where is there!" I asked with growing interest. ; "That's what I was listening to find out," said Mother Borton. "I couldn't hear much of what they says, but I hears enough to git an idee." "Well!" I said inquiringly as she hesitated. She bent forward and hissed rather than whispered: "They've found out where the boy is!" "Are you certain!" I asked in sudden sud-den alarm. "Pretty sure," she said, "pretty sure. Now you won't go near the place, will ye, dearie!" sue continued anxiously. "You forget that I haven't the first idea where the boy is hidden," I returned. re-turned. "Oh, Lord, yes! I reckon my mind's foing," grunted Mother Bortcu. "But 'm afeard of their knives for ye." "I wish I could give warning," said I, much disturbed by the informa-. informa-. tion. "The protector of the bov tught to know about this. I'm afraid 1 have done wrong." ? Mother Borton looked at me fixedlr. "Don't you worry, my dear. Shell know about it all right.'' Again the feeling stole over me that this woman knew more than sbe told. But I knew that it was useless to question ques-tion her directly. I considered a mo-:nent, mo-:nent, and then decided to trust her - with a secret which might surprise her into admitting her knowledge. "I suspect that sbe knows already. I got a note tonight," aaid I, drawing from iny pocket the envelope I had re-Xftivf re-Xftivf from the Unknown. ". Mi ir Borton seized it, looked for a mi'.nt at the firm, delicate hand of the address, and drew oat the sheet that it inclosed. "Bead it, dearie," she said, landing land-ing it back after a scruting. "I tan't tell anything but big print." ' I suspected that Mother Borton was trying to. deceive me, but I repeated the words of the note: "Bend six men to 8 o'clock boat. I |