tage. He had waited about an
hour, when a gentleman walked up the steps to the stage office, which
was in the tavern. He heard the clerk say, "Good morning, Mr. Maroney,"
which immediately put him on the alert.

"Good morning," responded Mr. Maroney. "I want to secure three seats in
the stage for Athens; want them this morning." Securing his tickets, he
went home, leaving Roch once more at his ease, as he now knew exactly
what move to make. When the stage drove up, he called in the driver,
stood treat, and again took a seat beside him. The clerk told the driver
to call at Mr. Maroney's for some passengers, and they started off. Mr.
Maroney, Mrs. Maroney and Flora were at the gate when they drove up, and
all three entered the stage and went to Athens. At Athens they stopped a
short time at the Lanier House; sent their baggage down to the depot,
and took the train on the Washington Branch Railroad, which connects
with the main line at Union Point. Mr. Maroney bid them good-bye, and
returned to the Lanier House. The train consisted of only one car, and
Roch had to take a seat in the same car with Mrs. Maroney, but he went
in behind her, and took a seat in the rear of the car, so that he
remained unnoticed.

Mrs. Maroney was very restless, and after they took the through train at
Union Point, would carefully scan the features of all the well-dressed
men who entered the car. She seemed to suspect every one around her, and
acted in a most peculiar manner. In a short time they reached Augusta,
Ga., where Mrs. Maroney and Flora left the train and put up at the
principal hotel. It was late when they arrived, so that they immediately
took supper and retired. Roch found a room in a restaurant, and after
his supper strolled through the hotel, but discovered nothing, as Mrs.
Maroney and Flora remained quiet in their room.

The following afternoon Mrs. Maroney and Flora left the hotel,
accompanied by a gentleman, and once more started for the North. The
gentleman accompanied them to Wilmington, N. C. During the whole of the
journey, Mrs. Maroney acted, metaphorically, as if sitting on thorns.
She did not seem at all pleased at the attention paid her by the
gentleman. When he would ask her a question she would glance at him with
a startled frightened look, and answer him very abruptly. She seemed
much relieved when he bade them good-bye. Roch was sitting in the rear
of the second-class car and could keep a strict watch on her moveme