Blindfolded Part 41

I thanked Mother Borton and pressed her hand, and she held the candle as I tiptoed down the stairs, joined my waiting 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?" said Porter, drawing me back into a doorway.

There were running steps on the block above us, and I thought a shadow darted from one side of the street to the other.

"There seem to be friends waiting for us," said I. "Just get a good grip of your clubs, boys, and keep your revolvers handy in case they think they have a call to stop us."

"Hold on," said Porter. "There's a gang of 'em there. I see a dozen of 'em, and if we're the ones they're after we had better cut for it."

"I believe you are right," said I, peering into the darkness. I could see a confused ma.s.s, but whether of men or boxes I could only guess.

"We'll go up here, and you can cut around the other way," said Porter.

"There's no need for you to risk it."

"There's no need for any one to risk it. We'll cut together."

"This way then," said Wilson. "I know this part of town better than you do. Run on your toes." And he darted past Borton's, and plunged into an alley that led toward the north. Porter and I followed, as quietly as possible, through the dark and noisome cut-off to Pacific Street.

Wilson turned toward the bay, and crossing the street at the next corner followed the main thoroughfare to Broadway.

"I guess we're all right now," he gasped, as we turned again to the west, "but we'd best keep to the middle of the street."

And a little later we were in sight of the house of mystery which fronted, forbidding and gloomy as ever, on Montgomery Street.

"Where's Barkhouse?" I asked of Trent, who was on guard.

"He hasn't come in, sir. Phillips got here a bit ago, and I think he has something to report."

As Phillips had been sent scouting with Barkhouse I thought it likely, and called him to my room.

"No, sir, I didn't see Bob for nigh on an hour before I came back. Not after we got to Borton's."

"I left him just outside the door," I said.

"Then you seen him after I did. I was following two fellows down to the Den, you know, and that was the last I seen of Bob."

I understood that the Den was one of the meeting-places of the enemy.

"Did you find anything there?"

"Not a thing. The two fellows went in, but they didn't come out. Another gang of three comes along and goes in, but none of 'em shows up again, and I reckoned they'd gone to bed; so I takes it as a hint and comes up here."

"I suppose it would have done no good to wait."

"You don't think Bob's been took, do you?"

I did feel uneasy over the absence of the stalwart scout, and but for the orders I had received for the morning I should have had my forces out to find him, or get a hostage in exchange. But as it was, I dissembled my fears and made some rea.s.suring reply.

At the earliest light of the morning I was once more astir, but half-refreshed by my short and broken rest, and made my dispositions for the day. I ordered Porter, Fitzhugh, Brown, Wilson, Lockhart and Abrams to wait for me at the Oakland Ferry. Trent, who was still weak from his wound, I put in charge of the home-guard, with Owens, Phillips and Larson as his companions, and gave instructions to look for Barkhouse, in case he did not return. Wainright I took with me, and hailing a hack drove to the Palace Hotel.

There was a rattle of wagons and a bustle of departing guests as we drove into the courtyard of the famous hostelry. The eight-o'clock boat was to carry the pa.s.sengers for the east-bound overland train, and the outgoing travelers were filling the place with noise and confusion.

I stepped out of the hack, and looked about me anxiously. Was I to meet the Unknown? or was I to take orders from some emissary of my hidden employer? No answering eye met mine as I searched the place with eager glance. Neither woman nor man of all the hurrying crowd had a thought for me.

The hotel carriages rattled away, and comparative quiet once more fell on the court. I looked impatiently about. Was there some mistake? Had the plans been changed? But as I glanced at the clock that ticked the seconds in the office of the hotel I saw that I had been early, and that it was even now but twenty minutes to the hour.

The minute-hand had not swept past the figure VIII when the door opened, there was a hurried step, and two women stood before me, leading a child between them. Both women were closely veiled, and the child was m.u.f.fled and swathed till its features could not be seen.

One of the women was young, the other older--perhaps middle-aged. Both were tall and well-made. I looked eagerly upon them, for one of them must be the Unknown, the hidden employer whose task had carried Henry Wilton to his death, who held my life in her hands, and who fought the desperate battle with the power and hatred of Doddridge Knapp.

I was conscious of some disappointment, I could not say why. But neither of the women filled the outline of the shadowy picture my fancy had drawn of the Unknown. Neither gave impression of the force and decision with which my fancy had endowed the woman who had challenged the resources and defied the vengeance of the Wolf. So much I took to my thoughts in the flash of an eye as they approached. It was to the younger that I turned as the more likely to have the spirit of contest, but it was the older who spoke.

"Here is your charge, Mr. Wilton," she said in a low, agitated voice. As she spoke, I felt the faint suggestion of the peculiar perfume that had greeted me from the brief letters of the Unknown.

"I am ready for orders," I said with a bow.

It was apparently a mere business matter between us. I had fancied somehow that there had been a bond of friends.h.i.+p, as much as of financial interest, between Henry Wilton and his employer, and felt the sense of disappointment once more.

"Your orders are in this envelope," said the Unknown, hurriedly thrusting a paper into my hand. "Drive for the boat, and read them on the way. You have no time to lose."

The younger woman placed the child in the hack.

"Climb in, Wainwright," said I, eying the youngster unfavorably. "Will he travel with us, ma'am? He's rather young."

"He'll go all right," said the elder woman with some agitation. "He knows that he must. But treat him carefully. Now good-by."

"Oakland Ferry, driver," I cried, as I stepped into the hack and slammed the door. And in a moment we were das.h.i.+ng out into New Montgomery Street, and with a turn were on Market Street, rolling over the rough cobbles toward the bay.

CHAPTER XXII

TRAILED

"Did you see him?" asked Wainwright, as the hack lurched into Market Street and straightened its course for the ferry.

"Who?"

"Tom Terrill. He was behind that big pillar near the arch there. I saw him just as the old lady spoke to you, but before I catches your eye, he cuts and runs."