The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-04


was. Janet had called him George,
and | readily identified him as a no.
torious burglar named George Han
way, who had hitherto managed TO
elude capture. 1t mattered not now;
his doom was sealed.
After half an hours walking he
quickeued his pace, and, striding brisk
ly along, led me on till We had left the
church some distance behind us. BE
fore long the road began to slope
away; the measured beat of his feet
grew fainter, and | judged that he
had taken the open country. My sur.
mise proved correct, for / presently
came to broken gate, and, looking
through, saw him slowly crossing the
field beyond.
He evidently knew his way well, for
he never hesitated at any obstacle, and
cleared hedges and bitches with the
careless ease of one to whom such
work is familiar. Presently he turned
to the left; we were on level ground
again, and at the foo, of hill. Then
the william stopped, and looked over
his shoulder on the open ground behind
him. No sooner did he notice me
than he started off at a brisk run.
But | was not to be foiled like that,
and he could not easily outstrip me.
AS he mounted the hill l lost sight
of him, and when I reached the sum
mit-he was gone.
Before could realize the meaning
of this, | saw hut little way of, ,and
| went to il at once to see if he was
there.
l knocked-no answer. l knocked
again, and so vigorously that the crazy
door ratified 10 its frame. While thus
occupied took careful view of the
surrounding plain, and satisfied myself
that my man had as completely disap
peared as if the earth had swallowed
him.
Suddenly and quietly the door
opened, and l found myself confronted
by woman. Her heavy cap covered
half her face, and from under it her
dark eyes looked at me with hard,
defiant stare as she requested to know
my business.
"You have somebody staying with
YOU" l began.
"You are Mistaken she answered
coldly; "no one lives here but myself.
You can come in and see, if you like
l nodded and stepped in without an
swering her. saw change in her
face as did so, and instantly drew my
own conclusions from it. Smoothly
as appearances looked, there was some
thing hidden beneath them that court
ed inquiry and possibly detection
something that warned me instinctiyely
to be on my guard.
"Hanway is here,' l thought, "and
this hag is his accomplice.'
The hut consisted of one room,
roughly divided into two by wooden
partition which ran across it, leaving
an aperture at one end sufficiently
wide to allow a person to
pass from one compartment into au-
other. In front, and facing the window,
was table and stool; on the other
side of the partition, mattress and
some articles of bedding Uttered the
floor. A fire burned cheerfully in the
rusty CRATE, and the atmosphere was
that of furnace.
My attention was attracted to my
guide, and could not help remarking
the sturdy strength of her figure.
"Look,' she said guffly, "there's no
man that | know of. Do look round
now. There, you see all there is to
be seen-not much, either-and unless
you fancy he's hidden under the floor
ing, you will admit ther's no one in the
room but myself. Are you satisfied
now, Mr.. What-dy yc ,call-it ?"
"No. l replied. 81 shall wait a
bit
"You willf"
eyes
"Why?'
saw her temper flash up in her
eyes, and guessed that was on the
right track.
"Because am detective, and am
looking for man whom l followed
here"
"Bah y
81 am not easily deceived" l contin
ued, "and am certain he's somewhere
near"
'Bah!'
Her cool insolence irrated me be.
yond measure, but / conquered my ris-
ing anger.
''Come, dame,' / said at last, sit
won't answer for us to quarrel, and
nothing you can say or do shall turn
me from my duty. Short of burning
the hut down, you might as well try to
move mountain as move me. You
can 60 where the fire is, or do as you
think proper. l shall not annoy you
But here l am, and here l will stay til
daybreak."
We looked at each other in silence
Her breath came quicker, and her eyes
fingered on my figure with a sudder
fierce interest, as though she was cal
culating what was my physical strength
in the event of my encountering the
man l sought in a hand-to-hant
struggle where there was no one tc
help me.
The next moment / was alone, and
heard her roll herself down on tn
mattress with a fierce snarl as sh,
meant to sleep.
took hurried turn across the floor
drew the stool in front of the door
and sat down on it, with my arm rest
ing on the table. The fire was still
burning behind the partition, and s.
bright was its glare that the shadoy
of the woman's cap loomed throug'
the opening on to thewall opposite m,
Ali was silent - all still as deaf
around us.
Slowly the night Wore on. Tire
as | was, my anxiety forbade me t
rest, and set sleep at defiance. Th
thought Hanway himself might suC
denly attack me if / allowed myself t.
be surprised reused me to renewed Wig
lance. l was wide awake, alert j
mind and body, as waited there, wit
my face toward the light on the wal
Nevertheless, do what would, fee
| 100. &c o,;anaa otoln r.salnon,, 49,,