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14.
YT HAPPY
oa ne
DAYS 7
lasted till the sunlight, streaming through
he window into his face, awoke him, Ile
tpeane up and hurriedly dressed himself.
Down in the library he found the Sena-
tor awaiting him, ready to resume work
on thegreat speech he was preparing to de-
liver i in the Senate.
“ ‘don me, sir,” he said. ‘I overslept
m:
xt Yon’ t wonder at it,” said the Senator,
“ You worked hard and late last night.”
That was not it, sir,” Ed explai ned, as
he sat down, “TI could not sleep’for hours
4”
3 to lie awake
and th hink. I've done a lot of that in m
Don’t let that escape bother r you
think the chief will round up those ellows
yet.
then, I hope, he will. Iam not worried about.
em,
«Not, *yorried about money matters, I
hope? You can have a thousand dollars if
you need it, my oy."
“T don’ tknow that I need a dollar, sir,
thank Sou. I just couldn't a neeP- Ta
ready to go to work if ”
They worked fully an pour | before break-
fast, and then went in together to the
morning meal,
eatrice was not there, and only Mrs,
Rodney joined them,
After breakfast the speech was finished,
and the Senator went to the Capitol, lea.
ing the jyoung secretary to write it o
from his notes, Ed tinished it by noon.
Then he Jooked over the mail, wrote a lot
of letters and went out to mail them, On
the way back to the house he saw a car-
riage in front, and a man, who had just
left it, asked him
“Is the Senator in?”
“No, sir. He is at the Capitol.”
“*T have just come from t!
wage here more than an hour ago,”
said
“Do you mind going back with me fo
help find him? am a member of t
Liouse and am ina great hurry tosee him
ona matter of much i importance. ”
don't mind going, sir,” was the reply.
“You are his secretary, I believe?”
“Yes, sir.”
“ Come ahead then,” and the stranger
led the way to the carriage. They both
entered and the carriage was driven away
with a speed that told of haste on the part
of the Congressman.
“Tamin a ver: eat hurry,” said the
man, drawing a handicerchiet fromuhis coat
ocket. “There is a measure up in the
fouse in which the Senator has a deep
interest,” and here
from his pocket in which was a colorless
liquid, He emptied it in his bandkerchief,
threw it out into the street, and then
turned and clapped the handkerchief to
Ed’s face, holding him by the collar with
the other hand,
CHAPTER XIII.
THE BLACKMAILERS AT WORK—TIE LET-
TER OF THE SECRETARY,
Wuen Edmund Holly came to, after the
application of the handkerchief to his face
in the carriage, he found himself lyin
din astrange room. IIe looked a!
him and could not_remember having seen
the place before, But then he was not yet
quite bimself, There was a buzzing sound
in his ears, and a sickish feeling in the re-
gion of his stomac!
By and by he began. to remember better,
and the carriage, the stranger and the inci-
dent of the handkerchief came back to him.
im. There was no one else in the room,
aad so he strode over to the window onl.
to find it protected by a strong wire screen
—too strong to be forced except with an
ax. He couldn't even break a pane of
ass,
T he went to the door and found it
locked—with a strong lock, t
“They've got me,” gasped, Sand by|°
the simplest kind of a trick , too,” and he
went to the window and looked out. There
in his poc! feta. “ Traned if my knife isn't
gonel” and he turned pale at the thought
of not being able to defend himself in any
wa:
‘ @ began a search of the roomtin
the hope “of finding something that could
s t there was noth-
ed. ‘[here was not even a chair in the
rv
opened,
e drew a small vial | own
‘An hour passed, and. then the door
a wo men entered—Emerson
and the shyster lawyer! Each had a broad
smile on his face,
“So we meet again, young man,” said
Emerson,
“Yes, so we doy Ed replied, “e ‘and itisa
meeting you will live to regre
1 nt Ido Ishall live longer than Methuse-
a
“No danger of that t, Things (transpire
ast i in this fast age,” "was the ret
ey you are right,” putin the Tawyer,
“Yesterday I was the prisoner. ‘To-day it
you. Who knows what to-morrow may
bring forth?”
“What do you want of met" Ed asked,
after a pause of a minute or
“Simply a little note to the. Senator in-
forming him of the fact that we have you
in hand, and that unless he puts up the
sum of ten thousand dollars the catfish in
the mud bottom of the Potomac will feast
ona private secretary within forty-eight
hours. Do you catch on
“Yes, easily ; ; but you won't.”
“Why not?”
“e Deexuse the Senator wouldn’t give one
thousand dollars for me, He hasn't that
much interest in me,
“Maybe not; but if he doesn’t put_up
ten times as much as that we'll proceed to
eed you to the fishes, It would give us
pretty near ten thousand dollars w orth of
satisfaction to serve you up that way.”
“G ad to hear it, Ill write ithe,
note, and let you fight it out with him.”
“We had no trouble with him till you
interfered. You shut us out of ten thous-
and dollars, and we've got to have that or
your end will be a short one.”
es, he told me you had done him up
pretty well.”
One went into another room, and soon
returned with a small table, on which was
aper, A pen and ink was next brought
in, with a chair,
“There you are—now write the note,”
said Emerson,
sat down and wrote:
“DEAR Sm:
S
‘ot mein their power and say I
ghall furnish ¢ a fenat for the Povomace River cat-
yu, but they rate me very high.
you is not to pay it. fad instruct your cook not
to buy any more en
Vony truly yours,
KpMuND Hoy,
“To Senator RODNEY.”
When they read the note the shyster
lau, hed, and remarke'
te has 5 ghgels enough to make even a
mu
“ hat will ‘this do?” merson asked,
hb, all we want is to let the Senator
know we've got him, You can write your
instructions to go with it,” and then
they both left the room. ‘lozether, the key
turning in the lock with a snap that told
the young prisoner that he need not give
it any thought
But Ed at once : resumed a search of the
room, Ile wanted to all that was tobe
seen before night came, ‘on. Light would
be denied him, he knew, so be would in-
vestigate now, and while he could do so
alone, Ile was so engaged when the door
opened again, and the shyster entered, say-
ng
a I want to say to you that you may get
out if you can, if you do any yelling
t} you'll geta collar put on you that will shut
off your wind.”
“Tam not much given to yelling,” Ed re-
lied, ‘i'd rather reserve my, strength for
the time when I meet the cat
, we won't let you fe when that
time comes. We'll just do you up here in
this room, and take you out in a bag when
the stars are aslee,
“Well, if 1 don’t know ns t ~o "t care SO
much about it,” was the
h, we'll have a little in with you
first, just to even up the score, you know,
Emereon and oth have a Hiptle, bill
against you that mist be settle
Ed smiled and 3
** You ought tot wipe that out, on account
my vo! outh and inexperience.”
3 ipe out nothing, You got the best of
us because we did not look for trouble from
e have started in now for keeps,
ust wait till the end comes, Even if the
Senator pays UP. we'll have a little settle.
with you. Emerson also has a little
bill against the Senator’s daughter.”
gave a start and turned pale,
“Does he mean to molest her in any
way ? he asked.
guess he means to even up with her a
bit. Ie says she threw him into the fire
as though he were but a chip, on the occa-
sion of his last visit to the Benator's resi-
ence, She must be a stunne:
“If she is harmed, the anny and n navy
id be set in motion, let me tell you,”
said Id, “and, it caught, everyone of you
would be lyn
The shyster Teuithed.
**We have no fear of being caught,” he
said. ‘*Wehave a way of doing things
that renders detection utterly impossible,
fo | acing:
Our friends on the police. force will see to it
that wi © are not run to earth.”
“Just as I th ought.
he ores released you
chief will investigate t: that.”
“Tt will do no good.”
* He will lose is place if he does not put
upsome sort of plausible explanation of it.”
shyster lau,
t out?” Ed asked him,
“A confederate on
ast night. The
“How did you _g
ge
but he laughed all the more and shook his hy
head, a
“Tw alked out, of course.”
“Indeed | The Senator and I were under
the impression you had f
IIe chuckled, and asked in ‘turn : :
“e “What did the chie! 2".
e said he would | 100k into the matter
and report to the Sen:
“Th at's all he will foal he can do,”
“That officer in front of the house when
you called—did he know you?
whe one who arrested me?”
“ Weil, n . Ie was a greenhorn,” and
the shy: ster grinned again,
CHAPTER XIV. .
THE BATTLE FOR LIFE—‘ HOLD UP YOUR
- HANDs !”
TuE lawyer remained with Ed till Emer-
gon returned with the letter he had written
o Senator Rodney. Then he_ took t
ieteer and read it over carefully to the last
“ “Phat will do, I'll go and mail it now,”
gna he left the room, leaving Emerson be-
‘Emerson glared at him with a vengeful
light in his eyes. Ed looked him full in
the face, prepared to resist if attacked.
“Yo ye no dru ith you now,
young ian,” said the ‘villa ain.
“No, nor is there any young lady about
to render me assistance,” was
Isuppose 1am at your mercy altogether
“T [ hardly ‘think you will find any mercy
here at all,” was the return with a gleam
f teeth.
“Tam t going to ask any, I assure
sot but I “won't submit without a strug-
< What_can you do?” Emerson asked,
or sneered, advancing on him in a men-
wa:
Ea retreated to the further end of the
room ard stood at bay, but ready to fight
to the death, He knew he was no match
for the villain, so he resolved to inflict
what damage he cou
Emerson rushed at him, and Ed-plunged
forward headforemost between his eps.
The result was a fall for Emerson, be-
cause the movement was entirely unsus-
rected. _ ite rose to his feet and rushed at
, caught him by the collar and
pr a ea to choke him, Ed grasped him
round the waist to throw him, Ilis han
came in contact with a revolver in his hip
pocket. Quick as a flash he drew
pressed it against his hip, and pulled the
trigger.
There v was an explosion, and Timerson
staggered back ial way across’ the room
and fell to the floor, Ed stood glaring at
him with the smoking weapon in his hand,
his eyes ablaze and nostrils dis’
Emerson did not say a word, Sut glared
at the young secretary like a bafiled tiger,
He moved é little and felt for his weapon,
“yp re. Bot it,” said Ed, speaking for the
first tir
“y am “y ounded, Will you go for a physi-
cian’ L. the (lain sai
would not be here when he
can’t valk —
“ All the same you'd getaway. I’vecome
to the conclusion that you can come and go
like a vanishing harlequin,”
“But Lam bleeding to death.”
“That's all right, I'll go when Iam sure
you are dea
A look of oeain swept across Emerson’s
face, but Ed did not move from his place,
Ile would, take no chances with hi
“Why don’t you go an ake your es-
cape while you can?” the villain asked.
“Oh, Lam going to wait till the lawyer
comes back. I want to give hima bullet,
00.
“ “He has a revolver himself and is a dead we
2,
me on get in the first shot,” said Ed, who
was now playing to capture both villains,
“But Dl warn him as he comes up, and
“Get another bullet for your trouble,”
said Ed, .“*I am something of a shot my-
self. Iam going. to settle you two fellows,
even though I lose my life in doing
(smerson groaned, Ile was a man of iron
will and great endurance. Ed saw the
nallor come into his face as he turned on
his back, He took a pillow from the bed,
tossed it to him, sayin MB
Take that and mal ke yourself comfort-
P.
3S
‘Emerson placed the pillow under his} i
head, groaning in an agony ¢ of pain at each
movement he made," Ed sat down front-
ing tt the door, and looked athim for half an
hour,
‘Then the thought-came to him to lock
the wounded man in and go for the police.
Ie was even more anxious to capture the
lawner than the man he had shot, and hesi-
tated about it for sometime, At last he
Placing th the key on the outside he went
guts relo evan
descending the flight, keeping an eye open
for the lawyer.
Just as he reached the street door he
eard someone coming. He had seen
enough to know that the house was unoc-
cupied by tenants, so he was quite satisfied
the new-comer was none other than the
The door Spened and the lawyer entered,
* Hold up your hands yua cried, level-
ng the preapon. at his head,
oe ne What! Ough 1” What's up |”
came in rapid exclamation from the dum-
founded s
Tan e Ty one e—two—
“ All right—don’t “Soot!” and both
ands went
“Turn right around now and march
te
laid out Emerson up-stairs and have been
waiting for you. You may be able to get
away from the police, “but if you get a bul-
let or two from this, you' "Il hardly do more
e | than give up the ghos
* While Ed was getting all that off he was
‘ollowing him down the steps of the house
and cut into the yard The shyster was
cowed, whit ° asa Sheet, and trembling so
much—he could hardly
“Just keep right on. now, out by the
gateand down qhestrect. Keep your hands
up or you'll get_a_ bullet,
revolver, too, ot AT am not going to let you
get a at it. Go ahead now and don’t go ‘oo
‘ast.
The villain obeyed him without a word.
Ile knew that the young secretary had
done up Emerson, else he would not have
been free, so he dared not attempt to dis-
bey, or make any resistance,
They were way out in the outskirts of
the city, as Ed knew by a few glances,
though he “dared not take his eyes off his
prisoner,
After going two blocks, he met two
men who seemed panic-stricken at what
they saw. They ran across th e street.
“Tlere!” sung out Ed. ‘Lend me a
and, or else geb an officer! ‘This man is
a robber of the worst sort.
er to him,
“ ehehated "3° the trouble a one asked,
““This man is a dangerous robber, Please
search him and see if he has any arms, Ifhe
takes his hands down I'll shoot
e men searched him and got a
revolverand a very ugly-looking knife from -
him.
“*Thank you, sir,” said Ea;
take down your han
he shyster took them down, and seemed
srgatly relieved. Said he
he he boy has made a ‘nistake—that' ‘3
all.’
“T have made no mistake,” said Md.
Then he asked the two men to assist him
in escorting the prisoner to the police sta
tion, and the one o had searched him
agreed to do so, they started off again,
and after a walk of half a mile, ran across
a policeman who took charge of the pris-
"When they reached the station Ed told
the sergeant his story, and said that the
other fellow was lying wounded in a vacant
house on the outskirts, The sergeant had
een warned that Emerson was wanted, so
he sent a Police wagon, with two officers
with Ed, to
‘They found him ‘ying where Ed had left
im, and took him ie the station, groaning
with pain all the w:
[ro BE connie.)
“You may
g
2 @ —e¢
‘* HAPPY DAYS?’ DOES MORE FOR ITS
READERS THAN ANY OTHER STORY
APER.
<r ee
On the borders of the Everglades you often
spider. Le sw.
w
here he had been, then
, then you catch sight again of
‘ou noticed at first. Repeat
the stage eitect i is renew
. te—there can
beno oubt about it, and the ttle ma cian
trusts i it entirely for his protec!
t done? As soon ashe is reatened he starts
me toorapid for th ow, and he
vanishes, As these become slower see
blur, and then several spiders as the eye catches
a es
him at different points of his swing, ‘aatil finally
he rests before yor