Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-08-23
UNDER A CLOUD
CLEARING HIMSELF.
The Thrilling and Absorbing Story
Of a Great Crime.
NJ JENNIE DAVIS BURTON,
AUTHOR OF HER LIrE's SECRET AND
OTHER STORIES.
copyrighted, 1855, by tbs a. " Ke,logJ Nears1ap.,
Company. Al Fights Ressrred.
CHAPTER XX.-CoNrINUEp.

Midnl5ee came. The busy hum of the
streets died out. A myriad of stars looked
down upon the world. and wondered at its
ntlieness. What were the troubles of ono
human creature in it that he should fume
and fret while he looked back into their
bright, cal.a eyes. What difference did it
make in the grand scheme of the universe
tnat ne should be separated from another
atom OF his kind, when all were but as
grains of the sea shore, washed by the
waves of timel
Youth, allied with passion, does not phi
Josephine, and Norris heart was wrung with
a very human passion in the dead watches
OF the eight which crept on. How differ
entity the world would look to him if Carol
Wore his ring on her finger-if it were
ms wedding approachingl How trustful he
would be OF all mankind, how far from
thinking such watch as this necessary, for
the truth will out. 1t was distrust of Ly-
man Childer had stationed him here, though
scarcely acknowledged even to himself.
Worn by grief and wearied by long vigils,
sleep stole insensibly over him. What was
1t caused him to start up, wide awake on
the lnstanta What had he seen-what did
he think he saw in the trembling shadows
opposltcs Had the door there opened and
shut, letting out dark figure from those
seemingly deserted officesl
He opened his window and let the fresh
air fan his check
A footstep, passing away in the distance,
rurg out clearly on the street. Another,
softer, scarcely heard, came out of the
shadows across the way. Slowly, with cat
like caution, the man crossed the street, but
started back as he found himself suddenly
confronted by another form, that laid a de-
tanning hold upon him.
Snow, them" said voice, not loud, but
clear and penetrating, ''what are you up to,
prying and spyings Out with the whole
business, double quick
The muttered reply was not audible to
the listener, straining his hearing above;
then the other voice spoke again, trifle
moro cautiously, but still to be heard.
''Well, and if he does, what's that to you?
When there's watching to be done, FL do it
Eereabouts. Don't you try to play me for
sucker as you do Childer. Keep your nib
out of this part of the game. I'll give you
all tho information you need to work him,
and remember, . thousand won't save you
if you go up on a charge of bank robbery,
or any other charge for that matter. Now,
make yourself scarce before the cops get
around. They'll smell mischief in the air if
one OF 'em spots you. Lay low in the old
place till you hear from me again. May be
P1 need you, and may be won't, but don't
you try any move on your own account.
Tho lower ruff1an of the two skunk away
and was lost in some byway near. The
other proceeded leisurely to light cigar,
trolling some lines of an old ditty between
whites in q most unrlusical voice which
woull have betrayed his identity to Norris,
were he not already assured of it.
A clock struck the hour with two res
onant strokes. .5til humming, the man
below 3tro,lcd a.,-ay. Whatever his BUSH
ness might DC, NJ. Iugot evidently had no
desire to conceal his presence on the street
at thai late hour, for he stopped to pass
word with the patro,Iaan whom he met on
the corner.
keep q sharp lookout on our block,
Whsle" said he, Pleasantly. ave are
working late these Iights-business is rush
ing us-and it's just the time for some crook
to get in his work after we've gone. Keep
your eye peeled for the next few nights,
will yous'
The officer promised, took the cigar which
was offered him, and they parted.
From his post at the window Norris saw
the short conference without hearing what
passed.
His head was in whirl. What was Hiram
Ingot there to discover. Who had left the
bank, stealthly, watched by the book-llcep-
er. watched also by that confrere of the
burglar, Stone, whom he had seen at
Maloney's, Red Toma
At least, his approximations fer the banks
safety were lullcd. There were lynx eyes
upon it besides his own. Ingot would pro-
tect 1t from the tool he was employing for