t I
s
BLINDFOLDED
A Mystery Story
of San Francisco
BY
KARLE ASHLEY WAI.COTT
(Copyrlcht l0, the Ilobb'-Mrrrlll Vi.)
8YN0PSIS.
OIIps Durtn.y arrived In Kun VrnnelMeo
() Join lil.s friend nnd riiMtunt relative
liuiiiy Wlljon, whom )n wiiii to ushInI
In nn Important and myRtcrlniiM tiiHk, and
who nucotnpnnled Dudley on the
ierry Doat trip into tin? eity. mo re
murknble rraeinhlrincR of the two men
H noted nnd commented on by pasHen
Ker on the f.rry. They nee a man with
Himk! cynHj which xvnrix a thrill throiiKh
DuUley. Wilton postponcH nn explanation
of the 8trnno errand Dudley Is to per
form, but oeenrroncoK cause hhn to
- know It Ih one of no ordinary meaning.
Dudley la emmnonocl to the morgue and
there llndn the dead body of his friend,
Henry Wilton. And tliu Wilton dies
without ever xplatnlnf; to Dudley the
MUMlIng work ho wax to perform In San
KrnnclKco. In order to dineover the bo
cret mission Ids friend had entrusted to
Mm, Dudloy continues his disguise and
poriults hlmcclf to be known as Henry
Wilton. He learnt) that there Is u hoy
whom he Is charged with secreting nnd
protecting Dudley, mistaken for Wil
ton, Ik employed by Knapp to assist
In n stock brokerage, ileal. Giles Dudley
. tlndx. himself closeted In a room with
Mother Morton who makes a eonlldant
of him. Ho can learn nothing about the
mysterious boy further than that it Is
Tim Terrlll nnd Darby Meeker who are
after him. Dudley visits the homo of
3Cunpp and to stricken by the beauty of
l.uellu. bin daughter. Slumming tour
through Chinatown Is planned. The trip
to Chinatown. Olios Dudley learns that
the party Is being shadowed by Terrlll.
T.tiolta hurt Dudley are cut off from
tho rest of the party and Imprison
ed In a hallway behind an Iron-bound
door. Throe fhineao rutllans approach the
Imprisoned couple. A battle ensues. One
is knocked down. Olios begliiH firing. Tim
Ton-Ill Is noon In the mob. A newly form
oil mob is cheeked by shots from Olios'
T'lvolver. Policeman Corson breaks down
the door with nn nx and the couple is
rwriiftd, l,uolIn thanks Olios Dudley foi
m lug her life. Knapp appears at. the
"like with no traces of the. previous
night's debauch. Following his Instruc
tions Dudley bus a notable day In the
rftoek Hxehunge, .selling Crown Diamond
and In ylng Omega, tho object being to
i rush Decker, Knapp's hated rival. Dud
lv dlneovcrs that he loves 1-uelln Knapp.
Mother Borton tells (Mies Dudley thai
"they've discovered where 'the boy' Is."
Tho mysterious unknown woman employ
er of Dudley meets him by appointment
with "the boy" who Is turned over to
Dudley with bin guards and they drive
with him to the ferry boat to take a train
otit of tho city. Dudley and his faithful
guards convoy "tho boy" by train to the
-village of IJvormore, as per tho written
instructions. Tho party Is followed. Soon
after tho party Is quartered in tho hotel
a special train arrives In Livermore. The
"ans." including Darby Meeker and Tim
Terrlll, lay siege to tho hotel and en
deavor to capture "tho boy," who comes
forward to Reo the light. "Tricked
nirnln," cries Tim Ten:lll. when ho sees
- the yonhgslor's face,.- "it's the wrong
bov." Dudley andyTeriill meet In battle
of mnn to man. Dudley Is knocked un
conscious by Terr!H's assistant and
awakes to find himself In a hotel room
Tinder earn of his guards. Tho hotel Is
guarded by Ten-Ill's men who are In
structed to kill tho llrst man who tries to
eenpo. Dudley gives tho note to the onc
oyod mnn. The boy Is left behind and
Dudloy and his remaining guards make
their cscapo by horseback and by steal
ing a. locomotive. Doddridge Knapp nnd
Decker meet faee to face on the stock
exchange. Decker Is defeated. Dudley
and Knapp prevent a coup to control the
directors and declare Knapp's stock In
valid. Mother Horton Is nun-tally wound
ed nnd dies before she can tell Dudley
the secret of his strange mission.
CHAPTER XXVII. Continued.
Tn tho matter of description the
enemy had the advantage, slight as it
was.
"Third road cockeyed burn Iron
cow,", and the confused jumble of
drunken letters and figures' that Hen
ry had written I could make nothing
of these. "From B follow t m.
Take third rond 3 or " this was at
leant half-lntclligiblc.
Then it came to mo like a. blow
was this tho mysterious "key" that tho
Unknown had demanded of me in her
letter of this morning? J was roused
from my reverie of fears by confused
shouts from down the hall, and sprang
hastily to the door, with the thought
titut the forces or the enemy wore
upon us.
"Here he is! they've found him,"
i ned an excited voice.
"Yes, air! horo ho comes!"
It was truly the stalwart guard; but
'wo days had made a sad change in
him. With head bound in a bloody
lag, and face of ji waxy yellow hue, ho
staggered limply out of one of tho rear
rooms between Corson and Owens.
Harkhouso was soon propped up on
ho lounge in tho guardroom, and with
a few sips of whisky and a fresh band
age began to look like a more hopeful
(IIS1,
'Now, we must get out of horo," 1
sit Id "Take turns by twos in helping
HurkhotiHe. We had bettor not risk
raying horo."
night, nam uorsou; "and now
well Just take those three beauties
Hlong to tho station,"
Tho men sworo at this, but ns tholr
hands wore bound behind them, aipl
' oreon walked with his club In one
hand and his pistol In tho othor, thoy
'ok up tho march at .command nnd
tho rot of tiM slowly followed.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Chase in the Storm.
When we reached tho entrance to
our quartern on Montgomery street
the rnin had once more begun to fall,
gently now, but tho gusts of damp
wind from tho south promised moro
nnd worso to follow.
"A message for you, Mr. Wilton,"
said a voice suddenly from the vecess
of the doorway.
"Give It to me," I said.
A slip of paper wns thrust into my
hand, and I passed up the stairs.
"I'll wait for you," said the mes
senger, and at tho first gas jet that
burned at the head of the stairs I
stopped to read tho address.
It was In tho hand of tho Unknown,
and my fatigue nnd Indifference wore
gone in a moment. I trembled as I
toro open tho envelope nnd read:
".Follow the. bearer of this note nt
12: HO. Come alone and armed. It Is
Important."
There wtts no signature.
If it meant anything It meant that
I was to meet the Unknown, nnd per
haps to search the heart of the mys
tery. I had been, heavy with fatlguo
and drowsy with want of sleep, but at
this thought the energies of life wore
once more fresh within me.
The men had waited a minute for
me as I read the note.
"(Jo to your rooms nnd get aomo
rest, "1 said. "1 am called away. Trent
will be In charge, and 1 will send word
to him if 1 need any of you."
They looked at mo In blank protest.
"You're not going alone, sir?" cried
Owens In a tone of alarm.
"Oh, no. Hut I shall not need u
guard." 1 hoped heartily that I did
not.
The men shook their heads doubt
fully, and I continued:
."Corson will be down from the Cou-
tral station in Ifi or 20-minutes. Just
toll him I've been sent for and to
come to-morrow If he can make it in
his way."
And bidding them good night I ran
hastily down the stairs before any
of the men could framo his protest
into words.
"Are you ready, sir?" asked the mes
senger.
"It is close on hulf-past twelve," I
answered. "Where is she?"
"It's not far away," said my guide
evasively.
I understood the danger of speech
and did not press for an answer.
We plunge1, down Montgomery
street In tho teeth of tho wind that
dashed the spray in our faces at one
moment, lulled an instant the better to
deceive the unwary and then leaped at
us from behind corners with the 1m
pcMious rush of some great animal
that turned to vapor as it reached us.
Tho street was dark except for tho
newspaper olllces, which glowed
bright with lights on both sides of the
way, busy with the only signs of life
that the storm and the midnight hour
had left.
With tho lighted buildings behind
us we turned down California street.
Half-way down the block, In front of
the Merchants' Exchange, stood a
hack. At the sight my heart beat fast
and my breath came quick.
As we nearetl the hack my guide
gave a short, suppressed whistle, and
passing before me, flung open the
door to the vehicle and motioned me
to enter. I had gone too fur to re
treat, and stepped into the hack. In
stead of following, the guide closed the
door gently; I heard him mount the
seat with tins driver, and in a mo
ment we were in motion.
Was 1 alone? 1 had expected to find
tho Unknown, but the dark interior
gave no sign of a companion. A slight
movement, made mo certain that somo
one sat in the father corner of tho
carriage. Tho situation became a lit
tie embarrassing. Was it my place to
speak llrst? 1 wondered. At last I
could endure the silence no longor.
"Quite an unpleasant evening," 1 re
marked politely.
There was a rustle of movement,
the sound oi! a short gasp, and a soft,
mournful voice broke on my ear.
"Mr. Dudley can you forgive me?"
The astonishment I felt to hear my
own name once more tho niiino that
Heemed now to belong to a former
state of existence was swallowed up
as the magnetic tones carried their
revelation to my mind. I was stricken
dumb for a moment at the discovery
thoy had brought. Then I gasped:
"Mrs. Knapp!"
"Yes, Mrs. Knapp," she said with a
mournful laugh. "Did you never sus
pcU?"
1 was lost In wonder and confusion,
and even yet could not understand.
"What brings you out In this
storm?" I nBked, completely mystllleil.
"I thought I waB to moot another per
son."
"Indeed ?" said Mrs. Knapp, with a
spark of animation. "Well, I am tho
other person."
"You!" I exclaimed at last. "Are
you tho protector of tho hoy? Tho
employer " Then I .'topped, tho tnn
glo In mind beginning to straighten
out.
"1 am sho," said Mm. Knapp gently.
"Then," I cried, "who Is ho? what
In ho? what Is tho whole dreadful nlfair
about? and what"
Mrs. Knapp interrupted mo.
"Flint tell me what ban feccono
fit Henry Wlltln?" alio said with sor
row In iter voice.
Tho dreadful sceno in the alley
unshod boforo my mind.
"Ho is dead."
"Dead! And how?"
"Murderod."
"I feared so I was certain, or ho
would havo lot mo know. You havo
much to tell me. Hut first, did ho
leaVo no papers in your hands?"
I brought out tho slip that bore the
blind diagram nnd the blinder do
sciiptlon that accompanied It. Noth
ing could be in ado of It In tho dark
ness, so 1 described It as well as I
could.
"Wo arc on tho right track," said
Mrs. Knnpp. "Oh, why didn't. I have
that yesterday? Hut here we are at
the wharf."
My guide waB before us, and we.
followed him down tho pier, struggling
against the gusts.
"Do wo cross the bay?" I asked, as
Mrs. Knapp clung to my arm. "It's
not safo for you In a small boat."
"There's a tug waiting for us," Mrs.
Knnpp explained.
A moment lutcr wo saw Its lights,
and tho fire of its engine room shot
a cheerful glow into tho storm. The
littlo vessel swung uneasily at Its
berth as wo made our way aboard,
and with shouts of men and clang of
bells it was soon tossing on the dark
waters of tho bay.
Tho cabin of the tug was iltted with
a shelf-table, and over it swung a
lamp of brass that gave a dim light
to the little room. Mrs. Knapp seated
herself here, spread out the paper I
had given her and studied the diagram
and tho jumble of letters with anxious
attention.
"It is the same," she said at last;
"in part, at least."
"The same as what?" 1 asked.
"As the one I got word of to-night,
you know," she replied.
"Hut," she continued, "this gives a
different place. I was to go to tho
cross-road here" indicating the mark
at the last branch.
"I'm glad to hear that," said I, tak
ing out the diagram I had found In
the citadel of the enemy. "This seems
to point to a different place, too, and
I really hopo that tho gentleman who
drew this map Is a good way off from
the truth."
"Where did you get this?" ex
claimed Mrs. Knapp.
I described tho circumstances in as
few words as I could command.
"They are ahead of us," she said
in alarm.
"They havo started first, I suppose,"
was my suggestion.
And they have the right road."
"Then our only hopo is. that thoy
may not know the right place."
"God grant it," said Mrs. Knapp.
She was silent for a few minutes,
and I saw that her eyes were filled
with tears.
Thon she said, "Now tell mo about
Henry Wilton how he dlod and
when."
I told the tale as It had happoncd,
and as I toltl it 1 read In tho face he
fore me the varying emotions of alarm,
horror and grief that wore stirred by
Its incidents. Hut one thing I could
not tell her. Tho wolf-faco I had seen
in tho lantern flash in tho alloy 1
could not name nor describe to the
wifo of Doddridge Knapp.
Mrs. Knnpp bowed hot head In deep,
gloomy thought.
"I feared it, yet ito would not listen
to my warnings," she murmured. "Ho
would work his own way." Thon sho
looked me suddenly straight in tho
face.
"And why did you lake his place,
IiIh name? Why did you try to do his
work when you hud seen tho drondful
ond to which It had brought him?"
I confessed that U was half through
tho Insistence of Dotectlvo Coogan
that I was Henry Wilton, half through
tho course of events that seoniod to
maku It tho easiest road to reach tho
vengeance that I had vowed to bring
tho murderer of. my frlontl,
"You nro hunt on avenging him?'
asked Mrs. Knnpp thoughtfully.
"I havo promised It,"
"I havo marveled at you," utUd Mrs.
Knapp after a pause. "I marvel t
you yet. You have carried off your
part well."
"Not woll enough. It seems, to do
celvo you," I said, n little bitterly.
"You should not have oxpected to
deceivo mo," said Mrs,. Knapp. "Hut
you can Imagine the shock 1 had when
I saw that it was not Henry Wilton
who had come among us that llrst
night when I called you front Mr.
Knapp's rqom."
"You certainly succeeded in eon
coaling any surprise you may havo
felt," I said. "You are a hotter actor
than I."
Mrs. Knapp smiled.
"It was more than surprise It was
consternation," sho said. "I hnd been
anxious at receiving no word from
Henry, l suppouo you got my notes.
And when I saw you I was torn with
doubts, wondering whether anything
had happened to Honry."
"I didn't suppose t was quite so poot
an impostor," I said apologetically
with u quulnt at the word. "Though l
did get some hint of It," I added, with
a painful recollection of the candid
statement of opinion I had received
from tho daughter of tho house.
"Oh, you did very woll," said Mrs.
Knapp kludly, "hut no one could havo
been successful In that house. Luella
was quite outraged over it. but I
managed to quiet her."
"1 hope Miss Knopp has not re
tained the. unfavorable Impressions of
or " 1 stammered In much confus
ion. Mrs. Knapp gave me a keen glance.
"You know she has not," she said.
"Weil," continued Mrs. Knapp,
"when I saw you and guessed that
something had happened to Henry
Wilton, and found that you know littlo
of what was going on, 1 changed tho
plan of campaign. I did not know that
you wore ono to be trusted, but I snw
that you could be used to keep tho
others on a false scent, for you de
ceived overybody but us."
"I would have spoken when I found
you for what, you are," said Mrs.
Kuapp, "but I thought until the Liver
more ti ll) that, you could serve me best
as you were doing."
"it was blind work," I said.
"It was blind onough for you, not
for mo. I wns deceived in one tiling,
however; I thought that you had no
papers nothing from Henry that
could help or hurt. The llrst night
you came to us I had Henry's room
thoroughly searched."
"Oh, I was Indebted to you for that
attention," I exclaimed. "I gave our
friends of tho othor house the credit,"
Mrs. Kuapp smiled again.
"I thought it necessary. It was tho
chance that you did not sleep there
that night that kept this paper out o(
my hands weeks ago."
"I have always kept it "with mo," I
said.
(TO Hl'2 CONT1NUKD.)
seen at carthage" "museum.
Fine Specimens of Sarcophagi Wers
Found by Rev. P. Dellattre.
Among the ino3t recent finds which
havo been maile at Carthage by tho
Itov. P. Doluttro are a number of
sarcophagi which present a groat In
terest. In many of those, says tho
Sclentlllc American, the top cover is
sculptured In relief with a figure of
life size, carved out of inarblo and
pnlnted In many colors. Ono very line
specimen was found In the necropolis
at a depth of 25 feet. On the covor
Is a figure of a woman executed in tho
Greek Btyle, with a long garment
reaching tho ankles and a veil cover
ing the head. Great technical skill
is shown in treating tho different tis
sues. Tho flesh parts nro woll pol
ished, and the eyes are painted, glv
Ing u llfollko aspect. The hair is
gilded. Inside tho sarcophagus wcro
found the remains of tho person, with
somo bronzo objects. A second sar
cophagus was that of a person sup
posed to be a priest. Tho sculptured
figure has abundant hair and a cur
ling beard. It wears a long robe with
short sleeve. Here also tho oyos are
painted, and are very expressive.
Among the remains are a massivo
gold ring with a portrait similar to
tho above, also threo other gold rings,
amulets, etc. Ono of tho most recent
finds was a sarcophagus with the
sculptured tiguro of a woman wearing
a long tunic or lino wool of u pinkish
hue, with a glided belt passing under
tho breast. The lower part of tho
body Is enveloped In what appears to
bo two great vultures' wings, accord
ing to tho Figyptlun style. Tho wholo
llguro boars traces of painting and
gliding. As to the remains, thoy nro
Imbedded in a resinous matter, as is.
often soon. M. Dolattre examined' tho
specimens carefully to observe tho
painting before they caiuo up to day
light, as tho colors faded almost at
once, nnd ho found tho color and glid
ing to bo quite brilliant both on the
flgurcH and on tho moldings or tho
sarcophagi. Those specimen!) form an
Important addition to the Carthago
museum.
DcyonJ Her Uudcratanulng.
It Ih ImpoHHlblo for any woman to
utidorritand how a tiiitu can have ho
much mono that ho doeau't kuow
whut to do with It.
i
AM
A MOTHER
How many Ainorloan women in
lonely homos to-day lonpr for thin
blcssinp to come into their lives, nnd
to bo able to ut tor thcfo words, but
becauso of some organic domnge
mont this happiness is denied them.
Every woman interested in this
Kubject should know that prepara
tion for healthy maternity is
accomplished by tho usb o
LYDIA CPINKHAM'S
VEGETABLE COMPOUND
Mrs. Mnggio CJilmor, of "West
Union, S. C,writes to Mrs. Pinldiam :
"I was greatly run-down in health
from a weakness peculiar to my sex,
when Lydla E. lMnlchnm h Veffotabla
Compound was recommended to mo. It
not only restored mo to perfect health,
but to my delight I urn a mother."
Mrs. Joseph ino IIall,of IJivrdst own,
Ivy., writes :
"1 was a very great sulTorer from
female troubles, and my physician fulled
to help inc. Lydla IS. Plnkhaui's Vego
tnblo Compound not only restored ma
to perfect health, but I am now a proud
mother."
FACTS FOR SICK WOMEN.
For- thirty years Lydiu E. Pink
ham's Vegetable ComiKUUid, mado
from roots and herbs, has boon tho
standard remedy for femalo ills,
and has jiositive ly cured t housands of
women who have been troubled with
displacements, iuilammation, ulcera
tion, ilbroid tumors, irregularitios,
periodic pains, backache, that bearing-down
feeling, llatuloney, indiges
tion, dizziness or nervous prostration.
Why don't you try it V
Mrs. Pliiklinm invites all sick
women to write her for ml vice.
Sho lias guided thousands to
health. Address, Lynn, Mass.
Big South African Industry.
Next to mining, th? greatest indus
try of South Africa is sugar growing.
The amount of money Invested in this
Is $7,300,000. Tho production of the
present year is estimated nt 40,000
tons, with a valuation of about 63 a
ton.
Lewis' Single Hinder the fuinoun
straight no cinr, always best, quality.
Your dealer or J-cwin' Factory, Peoria, 111.
Tho wind frequently turns an um
brella, but a borrower soldotu returns
it.
mn' V.1.0O nml 9:1.80 ahoo thmn uy
in hit mniiuinciurrr in wia wona. m
caitte lliojr hold their Altai, flt bitr,
ami mar lunger iiinu mujr outer
tfcoti itAII Price. lot Evrf,MirA aMI,
W.l.D.uUl It. 00 ul tS.OS OUI Eiaa
U iuUi4 tl tar ptlc. W. I. DtiUa ii.m t4
Xrtil Volar Xvrttti Utl JTlullM,
v'l'Mkn Nn Mllli.tl lulu. W. I. IWuiZlta
nAino ant piirn It Uinpi on twtluia. 8oU
t fry wlir. bhora ;iuilU from tactury I am
iwlaf Mm world. 'uiofiiefrt.
W. I.. DQUULAS. IH SMil It., RrwfctM. Mm.
H Vtw Couah Srrup. I'mU, Oowt Hv I
w s