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Show llBLINDFOLDlff I ' BY EARLE ASHLEY WALCOTT Copyright, 1906, by Tb Bobbs-Merrlll Company. fear was not Intended for a pleasant greeting. - "There's a Utile dinner of a few friends going on ,up ataira." I aald politely. "Won't you Join ua?" Meeker scowled a moment with evident surpriae. "No, I won't," he growled. "But It is a sad case for a man to dine alone." I said smoothly. "You will be very welcome." "No. sir." aald he, looking furtively at my men drawing near, between him and the doors. "But I Insist." I said politely. Then I added In a lower tone meant for him alone: "Resist, you hound, and I'll have you carried up by your four legs." His face was working with fear and passion. He looked at the blocked way with the eye of a baited animal. "I'll be damned flrat!" he cried. And seising a chair he whirled around, daahed it through a wlndtfw. and leaped through the Jagged panes before I could spring forward to stop him. "Round in front, men!" I cried, motioning mo-tioning my follower to sally through the door. "Bring him back!" And an instant in-stant later I leaped through the window after the flying enemy. There was a fall of six feet and as I landed on a pile of broken glasa, a bit shaken, with the rain beating on my head, it was a few seconds before I recovered my wits. When I looked, no one was In sight. I heard the men running on the porch of the hotel, so the enemv was not to be sought that way. I set off full speed for the other corner, fifty yards away, half suspecting an ambuah. But at the turn I atopped. The rain-soaked street was empty for a block before me. Far down the next block a plodding figure fig-ure under an umbrella bent to the gusts of the wind and tried to ward off the driving spray of the storm. But Darby Meeker had disappeared as though the earth had swaJlowed him up. "Where Is he?" cried Porter, the first of my men to reach my side. I shrugged my shoulders. "I haven't seen him. "He didn't come our way that I'll swear." panted Fltzhugh. "He was out of sight before I got my feet," aald I. "They must have a hiding place close by." "He must have Jumped the fence here," said Wilson pointing to a cottage Just beyond the hotel's back yard. "I'll see about It." And he vaulted the pickets and looked about the place. He was back in a minute with a shake of the head. "Well, It's no great matter," I said. "We can get along without another guest for the afternoon. Now get under cover boys or you'll be soaked through." The landlord met us with an air half anxious, half angry. -- (To Be Continued.) CHAPTER. XXIII. A Piece of Strategy. A few idlers were on the platform of the , station we approached with much apparent unconcern,' our hands In our overcoat pockets where the weapons lay. "Where 'a the train!" I asked, looking look-ing at the bare' track.. "Yonder," grunted a native, point-. point-. ing his thumb lazily up the road where the engine lav by. the watering tank, slaking its thirst. MVell, .iust let me and Lockhart walk ahead," said Fitzhugh gruffly, as we started along the track. "I should not have the first idea what we was here for if you was to be knocked over." Fitzhugh could not be much more in the dark on this point than I, but I let him have his way. If some one was to be shot, I was ready to resign my claim to the distinction in favor of the first comer. There were perhaps a score of people about the car. . "There's Abrams." said Lockhart. "There's no danger, then," said Fitzhugh Fitz-hugh with a grin. "See, he's beckoning to us." , We hastened forward eagerly. "What is itt" I asked. "There 'a no one here," said Abrams, with a puzzled look. "Well, this ear didn't come alone," I returned. "Have you asked the engineer!" en-gineer!" "Yes." f'And the fireman!" "Yes." "And they say" . . "That it's against the rules to talk." "Nonsense; I'll see them myself." And I went forward to the engine. The engineer was as close-mouthed as though words were going at a dollar apiece and the market bounding upward. up-ward. He declined dinner, could not be induced to come and take a drink, and n'Xtfeat could, be got out of him was tf H he was going back to Niles, where In vould stop until he got orders from XJ superintendent. Vhen I tried to question the fireman, the engineer recovered his tongue, and had so many orders to be attended to that mr words were lost in a rattle or coal and elang of iron. And the engine having drunk Its fill, changed Its labored breathing to a Waalng and swishing of steam that sent the hot vapor far on both sides, and then gathering gather-ing speed, puffed its swift way back the road by which it had come, leaving the car deserted on a siding. . ... "Here's a go!" cried Fitshugh. "A regular regu-lar pussier! "Guess it's none of the gang, after all. said Lockhart. ViaWAbrama shook his head. 'Don't you fool yourself, he said. "They've landed, below here, and maybe they're in town, while we've got our mouths open, fly-catching around an GoTboy. Abrams," I said. "My opln- ,0"AndCwihaes to be done, thenr he asked anxiously. , "For the first thing, to visit the telegraph tele-graph office at once." ui The operator was just locking his little room in the station as we came P- "No, sir, no telegrams," he said; none for anybody." , .,.. "This is a new way of running trains, t said with a show of indifference,, nod-i nod-i Sing toward the empty car. "Oh, there was a party came up. sa d the agent; "a dozen fellows or more BIU said they took a fancy to get off a mile or more down here, and as they were an ugly-looking crew be dldn t say anything t0"VtterS.e what they can be doing up In this part of the country, I re- - lurried innocently. "I guess they know their business--anyway, it's none of mine. ' said the tgent. "Do you go in here. slrT Well, it Brill save you from a wetting. We had been walking toward the hotel, nd the chatty agent left us under Its eranda Just aa the light drops began to patter down In the dust of the road, and j-llm the outlines of the distant hills. ,ff "1 reckon that's the gang," said Fltz- vWftoli you bo," said Abrams. "I knew t was one of Tom Terrllls sneaky. 'rlrka " "Shall we take a look for 'em?" asked LoOhart. , . ; "There's no need," I replied. The home guard of our party received the news calmly. . Walnwright had established a modus Vivendi with his young charge, and I saw That he managed to get a word out of him now and then. I had to abandon the theory that the boy was dumb, but I suspected sus-pected that It was fear rather than dls-retlon dls-retlon that bridled his tongue. "Do you think the gang have got Into town?" asked one. , "Thev'll have wet Jackets If they are on . the foad," I returned, looking at the rain U"Hadn't we better And outr Inquired "Areyouln a hurry?" I asked In turn. "The landlord haa promised tOf aend up a good dinner in a few minutes. "But you see " . ... "Yea I see," I interrupted. "I see this that they are here, that there are a 1 dozen or more of them, and that they are i ready for any deviltry. What more can we 1 find out by roaming over the country? I Walnwright nodded bis agreement with ! ""And then." I continued, "they won't try to do anything until after dark not before the middle of the night, I should j nay or until the townspeople have gone i t0"You're right, sir." said Abrams. "A ! dark night and a clear field suits that ea"Wen.Bthere's the dinner." Bald T; "so vou can make yourselves easy. Porter, vou may keep an eye on the stairway, and Brown may watch from the windows. The rest of us will fall to." , j in the midst of the meal Porter came In. I "Darby Meeker's In the office below," he snnounced. ' "Very good." I said. "Just take Flti- hugh and Wllsoa with you, and ask Mr. Meeker to Join us." The men looked blank. Porter was the flrat to speak. "You don't mean ' , ' "I mean to bring him up here," I said blandlv, rising from the table. "I aup-poae. aup-poae. though, it's my place aa host to ' do the honors." ."No no," came In chorus from the men. "Come on. Porter Fitshugh Wilson," I said; and then added eharply. "ait down, the rest of you! We don't need a regiment to ask a man to dinner." The orHrs sank back into their seats, twfai tb' ree I had named followed me meklvk. vn the hall and stairs. I had never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Meeker face to face, but I doubted not that I should be able to pick him out. I was right. I knew him the moment I saw him. He waa tall and broad of shoulder, long of arm, shifty of eye, and his squsre Jsw was covered with a stubby red beard. HIa color heightened aa we walked Into the office and cut off the two doors of retreat. "An unexpected pleasure, I said, giving giv-ing him good day. , , Ilia hand ellpped to the side pocket of Ms sack coat, and then back again, and be made a remark In an undertone that I t |