The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-04
ppeared as if the eartk had swallow.

iltl ltcc, anu from uluer IL ler Uarl
eyes looked at me with II hard defiant
stare as she requested to know my
business.
You have somebody staying Will
you began.
You are mistaken" she answered
coldly; "no one lives here but myself
You can come in and see if you like"
nodded, and stepped in without
answering her. saw q change in hel
lace as did so, and instantly drew
my W conclusions from it. Smooth
ly as appearances looked, there was
something hidden beneath them that
courted inquiry and possible detection
something that warned me instinct.
lvelv to be on my guard,
"hanway is here,"I thought, "and
this hag is his accomplish"
The hut consisted of one room
roughly divided into two by q wood
EN- partition which ran across it
leaving an aperture at ~ end sufii
GENTLY wide enough to allow IL person
to pass from one compartment to an,
other. In front and facing the win.
dow, was u table and II stool; or the
other side OF the partition, d mattress
and some articles OF bedding Uttered
the floor. A fire burned cheerfully in
the rusty CRATE, and the atmosphere
was that OF n iurnlce.
My attention was attracted to NV
guide, and ! could not help remarkine
the sturdy strength OF her figure.
Look" she said, grutiiy; 'there's
no man that | know of. Do look
around now. There you see all there
Is to be seen-not much, either-and
unless you fancy he's hidden under the
flooring, you will admit there's no one
in the room but myself. Are YOU
satisfied now, Mr.. What-d' ye-call-it?''
"No,"l replied. 81 shall wait a
bit"
"You will?"
eyes,
"Why?"
saw her temper flash upin her eyes,
and guessed that | was on the right
track.
because | am a detective, and am
looking Tor a man whom | followed
here"
BAH"
81 amnot easily deceived I contin-
ued, land lam certain he
near"
"Bah!"
Her coolinsolencei rrated me beyond
measure, but | conquered my rising
anger. =
Come, dame" | said at last, "It
won't answer for us to quarrel, and
nothing you a say Or do shall turn
me from my duty. Short of burning
the hut down, you might as well try
to move a mountain as move me
You can go where the fire is, or do as
you think proper. shall not annoy
you. But here l am, and here l will
till daybreak."
We looked at each other in silence.
breath camequicker, and her eyes
on my figure with a sudden
fierce interest, as though she was cal
culating what was my physical
strength, i'll the event OF my encoun-
the man sought in q hand-to
hand struggle where there was no one
10 help me.
The next moment | was alone, and
! heard her roll herself down on the
mattress with II fierce snarl as if she
meant to sleep.
took q hurried turn across the
'loor, drew the stool in front OF the
door, and sat down oni it, withmy arm
on the table. The fire was still
burning behind the partition, and so
was its glare that the shadow
the woman's cap doomed through
b eopeningon the wall oppositeme. All
was silent-all still as death around
Is.
Slowly the night wore on. Tired as
was, my anxiety forbade me to rest,
md set sleep at defiance. The thought
hat Hanway himself might suddenly
me if | allowed myself to be
surprised reused me to renewed visi-
nnce. | was wide-awakc, alert in mind
md body, MS | waited there, with my
ace toward the light on the wall.
Nevertheless, do what | would, q
OF WEAKNESS stole gradually
me, and lulled me into a drowsy
'tupor, which | tried in vain to shake
III. Still my eyes We're open, and the
freight yonder had a strange fasci-
latlon for me. | never looked away
rom 1t; | never even altered my posi-
ION, except when | drew out my re-
Oliver, and after a~scertaining that it
vas IN order, laid it softly down beside
ne. cannot say exactly why | did
o; it might have been through restless.
less, orthat want OF Occupation which
IN energetic man feels so painfully; |
annot clearly decide which. Indeed
he events OF that night are too much
ike a nightmare dream to give mo
much pleasure in recalling them.
When | noticed the woman again, |
aw that she had moved. She was
up, the outline OF her head
harply defined against the wall. ]
prang to my feet.
The woman had risen too. For an
| saw her moticnless shadow
the next, and | beheld a startling
transformation. The bent figure grew
rect; the shawliell iromher shoulders;
concealing cap was torn aside. 1t
II flashed on me IN a moment, even
81 looked. No woman's shadow
this-but aman's; the arm thrown
p-the murderous knife in the strong
lSnt naHd2
He burst through the partition in a
cadiong rage, but my finger was al.
eady on the trigger of my revolver,
nd fired at him point-blank. He
taggered, gave one little shiverins
and fell back dead on the floor.
At daybreak | searched the place,
nd found under the mattress the
late and some OF the money he had
tolen from the church. | found the
Use beard that he had worm as a dis
Use. found several letters signed
Janet which | at once DESTROYED
nd then | went back to the inn tc
rite my report Of the case.
Though l said as little as possible
.oncerning the part | had played in
the robber, the story leaked