Part 13 (1/2)

”Fifteen dollars,” he said

”Twenty,” breathed Mr Heatherblooly

The man put his hand in his pocket and counted out thein those sanificant accents about ould happen if the other made a move in the next two or three minutes, then vanished frohfare now, but shot into a side street Would the pawnbroker hide the fraht thus seek to get into their good graces and revenge himself at the same time

Mr Heatherbloom turned from dark byway to dark byway He knew there was a possibility that hetaken; but ould he attain by so doing, hoould that profit hiet back to New York at once, and as speedily as possible!

The shi+ning face of a street clock that a short time before he had looked at, admonished him there were no mo purpose--to verify or disprove a certain wild theory--which would take him where, lead to what? No s, he saw a star, bright, beautiful Soht as frostily clear as her eyes! A taxi passed; he hailed it

”How much to Jersey City?” he asked in feverish tones

The e, but Mr Heatherblooo! I've a train to catch”

”You don't want to land us in the police court, do you?” asked the chauffeur

Mr Heatherbloom devoutly hoped not

CHAPTER XI

MISCALCULATIONS

Two days later, on a bright afternoon, a young e of a sea-wall called the Battery It was not _the_ Battery, co maritime traffic of the continent'sanother harbor, or estuary, landlocked save for an entrance about a reat, but a little, city; hardlytown; before hie placidly plied the ; nevertheless the young man appeared out of harmony with it His face wore a feverish flush; his eyes had a restless glea in unconventional fashi+on As the train had slackened at a siding on the outskirts he had quietly, and unperceived, slipped off the back platform of the rear car; then made his way by devious and little frequented side streets to the sea-front

There, his eager gaze scanned the craft,in the open, or motionless at the distant wharfs An expression of acute disappointment passed over his features; his eyes did not find what they sought Had that ? Had he but run into a new kind of ”pocket” here, all to no purpose?

Mr Heatherbloohed at hiainst the parapet a newsboy close at hand called out:

”All about the mysterious abduction! One of the miscreants traced to this city! Superintendent of police warned of his probable arrival!”

The lad looked at Mr Heatherblooaze with unflinching stolidness

”What abduction?” he asked

”Beautiful New York heiress”

The voice passed on; the fugitive was once hts

If they had been wild, turbulent before, ere they now? His hands closed; at the moment he did not being him here had been false--false!

Another voice--this ti swiftly to his feet but the person, an old darky, did not appear very formidable

”Got a match, boss?” he inquired lance shot into the good-humored, open look of the other; that person's manner betrayed no ulterior motive Perhaps he had not yet heard the newsboy; did not know--Mechanically the young man answered that he did not possess the article required, but the intruder still lingered; he had accosted the other partly because of a desire for desultory conversation Mr

Heatherbloom, after a moment's careful scrutiny, showed a disposition to be accoard; he even took the initiative--suddenly, asking question after question about this boat and that Her nao consisted? The other replied willingly Like h he could not read or write, he ise in harbor-front knowledge, knew all the floating tra craft