THE CONSPIRATORS--THE FORGED LETTER--THE PLAN. 

In the rear room of a small frame building, the front of which was
occupied as a coal office, located on West Lake street, Chicago, three
men were seated around a square pine table.  The curtains of the window
were not only drawn inside, but the heavy shutters were closed on the
outside.  A blanket was nailed over the only door of the room, and every
thing and every action showed that great secrecy was a most important
factor of the assembly. 

The large argand burner of a student's lamp filled the small room with
its white, strong light, The table was covered with railroad time-
tables, maps, bits of paper, on which were written two names a great
number of times, and pens of different makes and widths of point were
scattered amidst the papers, 

One man, a large, powerfully-built fellow, deep-chested, and long-
limbed, was occupied in writing, again and again, the name of "J.B.
Barrett." He had covered sheet after sheet with the name, looking first