Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-26

began to knock off the hoops of the
hogshead.
The detective was in doubt as to how
to act. As the top boards were lifted
Off, however, he sprang erect.
Leveling revolver straight at the
head of the dumfounded smuggler,
he exclaimed, sharply:
"Percival Aylmer! you are nv pris-
oner! A move, q cry, an effort to dis
obey me, or escape, and I will kill
you'll"
You are at my mercyl One hint of
treachery and will empty every barrel
of my revolver straight into the basket"
1t was sinister threat, curious
situation, and Percival Aylmer glared
helplessly at the stern-faced detective
as he spoke the words.
Ridgely had leaped from the hogshead
ere Aylmer could recover from sur
prise at the startling conformation,
and had slipped pair of handouts
over the wrists of the smuggler. Then,
tying his ankles together with a rope.
he went to where the mule stood.
He lifted the cover of one of the
baskets. It was empty. Without q
moment's delay, he bodily lifted Ayl-
mer in his arms, placed him in the
basket, and shut down the cover.
"Opium in the other basket, imag-
inc" he said. well, you'll just about
weight it. Won't tell me where the
girl is, Ell? Insist on it that there is
no girl in the case? Well, I'll get you
into safe hands, and before night have
a force here that will find Grace Day.
ton if she is here. Remember! seek
to betray me, refuse to aid me as we
leave here, and I will kill you. You
are at my mercy!"
It was bold plan that Walter
Ridgely projected, but he placed it in
prompt execution. He started up the
mule with its living freight, and pushed
open the cave door. To his delight,
no one was outside. He drove away
from the cabin, and congratulated
himself on his good fortune, when, di-
rectly in his path, man with a leveled
rifle confronted him, evidently one of
the smuggling band.
who are your" came the fierce de-
mand. A stranger!"
Ridgely was as cool as ice.
PUT down your rife, my friend,' he
said. TITS all right; you know your
captains voice?"'
Eyes, I do" @ s3.,53
Walter Ridgely clicked the revolver
in his pocket, ominously near to his
prisoner in the basket.
"Speak!" he ordered.
cts all right, JONES'" came, il
mufHed tones from the basket. "He's
acting on my orders"
Ridgely laughed. As the sentry
passed he could hear Aylmer gnash his
teeth with secret chagrin and rage.
, YEARLY on plodded the mule-one
mile, two-suddenly from the brusl
came quick challenge:
aHello!S and the detective recog
nized one of his aids of the early morn
ing. where's Dawson?
with the others"
what others?"
"We located you at the den, and
went to the city for help. Dawson
, and ten others have probably sur
rounded the place by this time. Hark
, do you hear that?
Ridgely bent his ear and listened
From a great distance the report O
, firearms echoed.
He told his companion of the human
freight the basket contained. Their
both waited. An hour later four mer
rode up on horseback-men from thu
; agency-and just from the smugglers
haunt.
They had surrounded the place.
, desperate fight had ensued, but the
smugglers and their spoils were now il
possession of six officers.
Look out!' suddenly shouted
Ridgely's companion.
Ridgely glanced at the mule and the
sprung. In some dextrous way Aylmel
had slipped manacles and bonds, and
was dashing for liberty.
}, Bang! bang! The Desperate, un
needing the order to halt, fell at the
second fire.
He raved and cursed, mortally
wounded, as Ridgely anxiously in
quired of the officers if any trace of a
young girl had been found at the den.
The answer was in the negative.
where is Grace Dayton?" he asked
of Aylmer. "Speak, man! You have
) courted your own doom-better, per-
haps, than the gallows, but make the
atonement you can by confessing all. u
, The rufian died with a scowl OF
hate on his baffied face, and his lips
, sealed
The officers got ready to carry the
, dead man to the next village.
what's in the other basket, opium ?"
one of them asked.
II suppose So" gloomily replied
Ridgely, completely disappointed at
his failure to discover a trace of the
, missing girl.
He opened the cover as he spoke.
: A great cry of JOY, hope, suspense,
welled from his lips as he glanced
, within the basket.
} For lying there asleep, placid, serene
as child in a cradle, was beautiful
} maiden, Grace Dayton!
Long before Walter Ridgely told her