BLINDFOLDED
A Mystery Story
of San Francisco
BY
EARLE ASHLEY WALCOTT
(Copyright IWt, the Hobtfs Merrill Co.)
SYNOPSIS.
I Olios Dudley arrived In San Francisco
So join hit friend and distant relative
lenry Wilton, whom ho was to assist
nn an Important and mysterious task,
and who accompanied Dudley on the
;orry boat trip Into the city. Tho rc
tnarlcablc resemblance of tho two men
Is noted and commented on by passen
gers on tho ferry. Thoy seo a man rlth
pnake uvea, which Bends a thrill through
Dudley. Wilton postpones an explanation
ipt tho strange errand Dudley la to per
form, but occurrences cause him to
know It Is one of no ordinary meaning.
iWllton leaves Giles In their room, with
instruction to await his return and shoot
tiny one who tries to enter. Outsldo there
Is heard shouts and curses and tho noise
of a quarrel. Henry rushes In and at
Jils request the roommates quickly ex
change clothes, and ho hurries out again.
Jlardly has he gone than Giles is
htartled by a cry of "Help," and ho runs
put to find Borno one being assaulted by
ji half dozen men. He summons a police
man but they are unable to find any
Jtraco of a crime. Giles returnH to his
room and hunts for somo evidence that
night explain his strange mission. Ho
finds a map which ho endeavors to dc
'olphcr. Dudley is summoned to the
morgue and there finds tho dead body of
Ms rrlend, Honry Wilton. And thus wilt
on dies without ever explaining to Dud
ley the puzzling work ho was to perform
.In San Francisco. In order to discover
tho secret mission his friend had antrust
ed to him Dudley continues his disguise
and pormlts himself to bo known as
Henry Wilton. Dudley, mistaken for
Wilton, Is employed by Knapp to assist
In a stock brokerage deaf. "Dicky"
takos tho supposed Wilton to Mother
Borton's. Mother Borton discovers that
ho is not Wilton. The lights are turned
but and a free for all fight follows. Giles
Dudley finds himself closoted In a room
With Mother Borton who makes a con
fidant of him.
CHAPTER VII. (Continued.)
"My name is Dudley Giles Dudley."
"Where Is Wilton?"
"Dead."
"Dead? Did you kill him?" The
lalf-klndly look disappeared from her
eyes and the hard lines settled into
an expression of malevolent repulslve
ness. "He was my best friend," I said sad
ly; and then I described the leading
events of the tragedy I had witnessed.
Tho old woman listened closely, and
With hardly the movement of a muscle,
'.to the tale I told.
"And you think he left his job to
you?" she.said with a sneer.
"I have taken It up as well as I
can. To be frank with you, Mrs. Bor
ton, I know nothing about his job.
-I'm going along on blind chance, and
(trying to keep a whole skin."
The old woman looked at me in
.amazement.
"Poor boy!" she exclaimed half
pityingly, half-admlringly. "You put
fyour hands to a job you know nothing
'about, when Henry Wilton couldn't
icarry it with all his wits about him."
"I didn't do it," said I sullenly. "It
ihas done itself. Everybody insists
that I'm Wilton. If I'm to have my
'throat slit for him I might as well
jtry to do his work. I wish to Heaven
jl knew what it was, though."
Mother Borton leaned bar head on
iher htuid, and gazed r rr thought
fully for a full minute.
"Young man," said she impressive
ly, "tako my advice. There's a train
for the East in the mornin'. Just git
on board, and never you stop short of
Chicago."
. "I'm not running away," said I bit
terly. "I've got a score to settle with
(the man who killed Henry Wilton.
IWhen that score is settled, I'll go to
'Chicago or anywhere else. Until that's
done, I stay where I can settlo it."
Mother Borton caught up tho candle
nnd moved it back and forth before
ray face. In her eyes there was a
gleam 'of savage pleasure,
"By God, ho's in earnest!" she said
to herself, with a atrango laugh. "Tell
ro again of the man you saw in the
alloy."
I described Doddridge Knapp.
"And you are going to get even with
him? sho said with a chuckle that
had no mirth in It.
"Yos," said I ihortly.
"Why, if you should touch him the
people of the city would tear you to
pieces."
"I shall not touch him. I'm no as
sassin!" I exclaimed indignantly. "Tho
law shall take him, and I'll see him
hanged as high as Haman."
Mother Borton gave a low, gurgling
laugh.
; "Tho law! oh, my liver the law!
How young you. are, my boy! Oh, bo,
oh ho!" And again she absorbed her
mirthless laugh, and gave me an evil
grin. Then she became grurs again,
and laid a claw on my sleeve. "Take
my tdvlce now, and git on tho train."
"i,U I!" I roturncd stoutly.
"I'm doing It for your own good,"
oho Bald, with as near an approach to
a coaxing tone as she could command.
It wns long since she had used her
voice for such a purpose and it grated.
"For my sake I'd like to sec you go
on and wlpo out tho whole raft of
'em. But 1 know what'll happen to
ye, honey. I've took a fancy to yo.
I don't know why. But there's a look
on your face that carries me back for
forty 'years, and don't try It, dearie."
Thero were actually tears in tho
creature's eyes, and her hard, wicked
face softened, and becamo almost
tender nnd womanly.
"I can't give up," I said. "Tho work
is put on me. But can't you help mo?
I bellevo you want to. I trust you.
Tell mo what to do where I stand.
I'm all In the dark, but I must do my
work."
It was the best appeal I could have
made.
"You're right," she said. "I'm an
old fool, and you'vo got the real sand.
You're the first one except Henry Wil
ton that's trusted me In forty years,
and you won't bo sorry for it,- my boy.
You owe me one, now. Where would
you have boon to-night if I hadn't
had the light doused on yo?"
"Oh, that was your doing, was It?
I thought my time had come."
"Oh, I was sure you'd know what to
do. It was your best chance."
"Then will you help me now?"
Tho old crone considered, and hor
face grew sharp and cunning in its
look.
"What can I do?" v
"Tell me, in God's name, whore I
stand. What is this dreadful mystery?
Who is this boy? Why Is he hidden
and why do these people want to
know where he Is? Who is behind mo
and who threatens me with death?"
I burst out with these question pas
sionately, almost frantically. This was
the first time I had had chance to de
mand them of another human being.
Mother Borton gave me a leer.
"I wish I could tell you, my dear,
but I don't know."
"You mean you dare not tell mo,"
I said boldly. "You have done me a
great service, but If I am to save ray-
self from the dangers that surround
me I must know more. Can't you see
that?"
"YeB," sho nodded. "You'ra in a
hard row of stumps, young man."
"And you can help me."
"Well, I will," she said, suddenly
softening again. "I took a shine to
you when you came in, an' I says to
myself, 'I'll save that young fellow,'
an I done it. And I'll do more. Mr.
Wilton was a flno gentleman, an' I'd
do something, if I could, to get even
with those murdcrln' gutter-pickers
that laid him out on a slab."
She hesitated and looked around
at the shadows thrown by tho flick
ering candle.
"Well?" I said impatiently. "Who
is the boy, and whore is he?"
"Never you mind that young, fel
low. Let me toll you what I know.
Then maybe we'll have time to go
Into things I don't know."
It was of no use to urge her. I
bowed my assent to her terms.
"I'll name no names," she said.
"My throat can bo cut as quick as
yours, and maybe quicker."
"Tho ones that has the boy means
all right. They're rich. The ones as
Is looking for tho boy is all wrong.
They'll be rich if thoy gits hlra."
"How?"
"Why, I don't know," said Mother
Borton. "I'm tollln' you what Henry
Wilton told me."
This was maddening. I began to
suspect that sho knew nothing aftor
all.
"Do you know whore he Is?" I asked,
taking the questioning into my own
hands.
"No" sullenly.
"Who Ib protecting hlra?"
"I don't know."
"Who is trying to get hlra?"
"Its that snake-eyed Tom Torrill
that'B leading the hunt, along with
Darby Meeker; but they ain't doing it
for themselves."
"Is Doddridge Knapp bohind them?"
The old woman looked at ma sud
denly In wild-eyed alarm.
"S-s-h!" sho whispered. "Don't
narao no names."
"And is this all you know?" I askod
in disappointment.
Mother Borton tried to remember
somo other point.
"I don't seo how it's going to keep
a knife from between my rib3," I com
plained. "You keep out of tho way of Tom
Torrill nnd his hounds, and you'll be
nil right, I reckon."
"Am I supposed to be tho head
man in this business?"
"Yes."
"Who nro my mon?"
"There's Wilson and Fltzhugh nnd
Portor nnd Brown," nnd she named
ten or a dozen more.
"And what is Dicky?"
"It's a smart mnn as can put his
finger on Dicky Nahl," said Mother
Borton spitefully.
"Nahl Is his name?"
"Yes. And I've seen him hobnob
with Henry Wilton, nnd I've seen him
thick as thieves with Tom Terrlll, and
which ho's thickest with tho dovll
himself couldn't tell. 1 call him Slip
pery Dicky."
"Why did he bring mo horo to
night?" "I hearn there's orders come to
change tho place the boy's plnco, you
know. You was to tell 'em whero the
new ono was to be, I reckon, but Tom
Terrlll. spoiled things. Ho's lightning,
is T6rh Terrlll. But I guess he got
It all out of Dicky, though whore
Dicky got it tho Lord only knows."
This was all thnt was to bo had
from Mother Borton. Either she
knew no moro, or she was sharp
enough to hide a knowledge that
might be dangerous, oven fatnl, to re
veal. She was willing to serve mo,
and I was forced to let It pass that
die know no more.
"Well, I'd better be going then,"
said I at last. "It's nearly 4 o'clock,
and everything seeniB to be quiet here
abouts I'll find my way to my room."
"You'll do no such thing," said
Mother Borton. "They've not given up
the chase yet. Your men have gone
home, I reckon, but I'll bet the saloon
that you'd have a surprise before you
got to tho corner."
"Not a pleasant prospect," said I
grimly.
"No. You must stay here. The
room next to this one Is just tho thing
for you. Seo?"
Sho drew mo Into the adjoining
room, shading the candle ns we passed
through the hail that no glenm might
fall where It would attract attention.
"You'll be safe here," she said.
"Now do as I say. Go to Bleep and git
somo rest. You nin't had much, I
guess, since you got to San Fran
cisco." The room was cheerless, but in the
circumstances the advice appeared
good. I was probably safer hero than
In the street, and I needed the rest.
"Good night," said my strango pro
tectress. "You needn't git up till
you git ready. This Is a beautiful
room beautiful. I call It our bridal
chamber, though wo don't get no
brides down here. There won't bo no
sun to bother your eyes in the morn
in', for that window don't open up
outside. So there can't nobody git
in unless he comes from inside the
house. There, git to bed. Look out
you don't set fire to nothing. And put
out the candle. Now good night.
dearie."
Mother Borton closed the door be
hind her, and loft me to the shadows.
Thero was nothing to be gained by
sitting up, and the candle was past its
final inch. I felt that I could not
sleep, but I would He down on the bed
and rest my tired limbs, that I might
refresh myself for the demands of tho
day. I kicked off my boots, put my
revolver under my hand and. lay down.
Heedless of Mother Borton's warn
Ing I left the candle to burn to the
socket, and watched tho flickering
shadows chase each other over walls
and celling, finally dropping off to
sleep.
CHAPTER VIII.
In Which I Meet a Few Surprises.
I awoke with the sense of threatened
danger strong in my mlud. For a
moment I was unable to recall whero
I was, or on what errand I had come.
Then memory returned in a flood, and
I sprang from the bed and peered
about me.
A dim light struggled In from the
darkened window, but no cause for
apprehension could be seen. I was tho
only creature that breathed tho air of
that bleak and dingy room.
I drew aside the curtain, and threw
up the window. It opened merely on
a light-well, and the blank walls be
yond gave back tho cheery reflection
of a patch of sunshine that fell at an
angle from above.
The fresher air that crept In from
the window cleared my mind, a dash
of water refreshed my body and I was
ready once moro to face whatevor
might befall.
I looked at my wntch. It was 8
o'clock, and I had slept four hours In
this place. Truly I had boon lmpru
dent after my adventure below, but
I had been right in trusting Mother
Borton. Then I began to realize that
I was outrageously hungry, and I re
membered that I .should bo at tho
oflco by 9 to receive tho commands
of Doddrldgo Knapp, should he choose
to send them.
I throw back tho bolt, but whon I
tried to Bwlng the door open It re
sisted my efforts. Tho key had boon
missing when I closed It, but a sliding
bolt had fastened It securely. Now I
saw thnt tho door wns locked.
Here was a utrnngo pordlcnmcnt. I
had heard nothing of tho nolco of tho
key beforo I lost myself In slumber.
Mother Borton must have turned It ns
an additional precaution ns I slept.
But how was I to get out? I hesitated
to make a nolso that could attract at
tention. It might bring somo ono loss
kindly disposed than my hostess of tho
night. But thoro was no other way.
I was trappod, nnd must take the risk
of summoning assistance.
I rapped on tho panol and llstoned.
No sound rowarded me. I rapped
again moro vigorously, but only si
lenco followed. The houso might
havo been tho gravo for nil the signs
of llfo It gavo back.
There wns something ominous about
it. To bo lockod, thus, In a dark room
of this houso In which I had already
boon attacked, was ei.ough to shako
my spirit and resolution for tho mo
ment. What luy without tho door, my
apprehension asked me. Was It part
of the plot to got tho secret It was
supposed I held? Had Mother Borton
boon murdered and the houso Bcizcd?
Or had Mother Borton plnyod mo
false and was I now a prisoner to my
own party for my enforced Imposture,
as one who know too much to bo left
at largo and too little to bo of uso?
On a second and calmer thought It
wns ovldently folly to bring my JallcrB
abotit my ear, If jailers thero were.
I abandoned my half-formed plan of
breaking down the door, and turned to
tho window and tho light-well. An
other window facod on tho same
space, not live feet away. If It wero
but opened 1 might swing mysolf ovor
and through It; but it wns closed, and
a curtain hid the unknown possibili
ties and dangers of tho intorior. A
dozen feet above was tho roof, with no
projection or foothold by wihch it
might be reached. Below, tho light
woll ended In a tinned floor, about four
feet from the window sill.
1 swung myself down, nnd with two
steps was trying tho other window. It
wns unlocked. I raised the snsh cau
tiously, but Us crenking protOBt
seemed to my excited ears to be loud
enough to wake any but. the dead. I
slopped and listened after each squeak
of the frame. Thero was no sign of
movement.
Then I piiBhed aside the curtain
cautiously, and looked within. Ths
room appeared absolutely bare. Gain
ing confidence at the sight, I threw
the curtain farther back, and with a
bound cl lined in, revolver in hand.
The room was, as I had' thought,
baro and desertod. There was a musty
smell about it, as though it had not
been opened for a long time, and dust
and desolation lay heavy upon It.
There was, however, nothing here
to linger for, and I hastened to try the
door. It was locked. I stooped to ex
amine tho fastening. It was of the
cheapest kind, attached to door and
casement by small screws. With a
good wrench It gavo way, and I found
mysolf in a dark side-hall between
two rooms. Three steps brought me
to the main hnll, and I recognized it
for the same through which I had felt
my way in the darkness of the night.
I took my stops cautlonsly down the
stairs, following the way that led to
the side entrance. Tho saloon and
rcstaurane room I was anxious to
evade, for thoro would doubtless be a
barkeeper and several loiterers about.
It could not ho avoided, howover. As
I neared the bottom of tho stairs I
saw that a door led from the hallwajr
to tho tnUjon, and that It was open.
(TO UK CONTINUED .
When Time's Flight Is Marked.
"One of the difficult things to real
ize," said tho mlddlo-nged man, "Is
that certain people have grown up.
They are the people you used to know
as children, whom you havo not
seen for a number of years, and who
then como again Into your llfo. I had
a case of just this sort the othor day,
and I haven't, yet overcomo the un
real feeling It guvo mo.
"Tho person In question wbb one
of my boyhood companions In tho lit
tle country town whero I wbb brought
up. I hadn't aeon him for a quarter
of a century, when ho walked Into my
office and introduced himself. Maybe
I wasn't glad to shake his hand
again! But it all scorned like a kind
of masquerade; it wasn't at all tho
right thing for him to bo so old, and
as for his being a trifle stout and
having a beard, why ,that was Blmply
ridiculous. Of course, he should have
appeared In the somewhat thread
bare coat and knee breeches In which
ho had alwayB been enshrined in my
memory. I havo had tho hardost sort
of work to get it into my hoad that
he Is tho fellow with whom I played
years ago. And I suppose ho has had
the same mental struggle over ine."
Women, becnuso thoy cat so much,
lens, only pay half rates In tho more,
old-fashioned of Sweden's hotels.
Sometimes u friend seems to bo In
need of everything you will stan)
for.
$100 Reward, $100.
The reader of thli ptptr will be plttMd ta ltra
that thert It t lout on dretdtd dlsetst tnst telnet)
hut boon Me to cure in til lu lUKtt, and tt It
Cturrh. lUll't Cturrti Curt it ttit only posture
care now known to tht medical fraternity. Catarrh
being a oonilttutlonal dlieate, require eonitlta
tlonl treatment. Haifa Catarrh Cure It taken la
ternalty, acting; directly upon the blood and mucous
iirfacei of the system, thereby destroying tht)
foundation of the disease, and Riving the patient
strength by building up the constitution and atiltt
ing nature In doing It work. Tho proprietor hart)
to iniirh faith in Its curntlrn powert that they offer
Ono Hundred Uollnr for any oao that It fall to
cure. Send for list of tcttlmoulatt.
Addrast K. J. OIIKNKV A CO., Toledo, O.
Bold Iit all Drugsltt. 73c.
Tako Hall's Family Tills for conttlpatton.
A Willing Tool.
"Slnco young Jim Do Pcystor, who
belongs to ono of our host families,
lost his money, ho hnu gono into the
social burglary business."
"Social burglary?"
"Yes; ho chaperons rich parvenus."
"How Is that burglary?"
"Ho helps them to break into so
ciety with a Jimmy."
Ask Your Grocer for "Our-Ple."
If your grocer ont, 0f tle few wto
have not "OUIMMH" Preparation in
Btock Hcnd 1uh name nnd 10 cent to
D Zcrta Food Co., Koclicster, N. Y., nnd
they will mail you u full size, two pio
nncknge free. Three kind, for making do
Iicioub lemon, chocolate nnd custard pies,
Llfo Is lenrnlng, Buffering, loving;
and tho greatest of thoso Is loving
Ellon Key.
Food 1
Products
Peerless
Dried Beef
Unlike the ordinary dried
beef that sold in bulW
Llbby's Peerless Dried leel
comes in a sealed glass jar
in which it is packed the
moment it is sliced into those
delicious thin wafers.
None of the rich natural
flavor or goedness escapes
or dries out It reaches yon
fresh and with all the nut
ment retained.
Llbby's Peerless Dried
Dee! is only one of a Great
airier of high-grade, ready
to serre, pure food products
that are prepared in Libby'l
Greil While Kilchei.
Just try a package of any
of these, such as Ox Tongue,
Vionna Sailoarta Ti'i-iLlr.-
Olives, etc., and see how
delightfully dif
ferent they are
from others
you have eaten.
Llbby, McNeill
Ubby, Chkift
SICK HEADACHE
Positively cured by
these Little Pills.
They alao relieve Dis
tress from Dyspepsia, In-
digcHtionandTooIIearty
Eating. A perfect rem
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Hen, Drowsiness, Bad
Tuste in the Mouth, Coat
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Side, TORPID LIVER.
They tegulato the liowela. Purely Vegetable.
SMALL PILL. SMALL DOSE. SMALL PRICE.
Genuine Must Bear
Fac-Simlle Signature
REFUSE SUISTITUTES.
lv99iSBSBBBBflBSWBSBSBSrari
BSBSBHviBnRBBSSSSBSSSilfiVtfSvSSB
CARTER'S
BIitti r
BBr
TlVER
H PIUS.
CARTERS
TiVin
I pjy.a.
WHMWS'under NEW LAW obUlatjc
nvMi7t2TviKrta ? JOHN W. MORRIS,
PENSIONS WMbtastoB, v. a .