Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-11-16
CHAPTER III.

There was no one in the bar Cf the .Jov
but | heard the low murmur Of voices in
the room beyond; 50 my courage holding
out | went behind the bar counter, right up
to the open door, and looked in The shut
tiers were still closed, but by the light that
came in through the bar windows | saw
Drgo and Putty sitting face to face at the
dirty table, with pipes in their mouths and
a can of drink between them, playing
cards. The air was thick with smoke, but
it was clear enough that no one, dead or
alive, was in the room but those two.
Without looking at me Putty, sorting his
cards, asked me what | wanted, embelli,h-
ing the question with few foul words
His calmness astonished me.
II want TO see the fair man" said l sud
denly.
"Thcn you'll have to wait till he comes
back"
"He amt gone out, and you know it.
aiu't took my eyes off the door since he
came il this Il ornirG at hall past :
On, very We'll. If he isn't gone out,
youd better look about here and find him.
Two for his bloomiu mob" he added, adj
dressing Drigo as he turned up card.
On the ground floor there were but those
two rooms--the bar and the parlor. To find
Taras must look in the rooms above My
retreat would he cut Off if | went up stairs,
and if ''aras was murdered and lying there
/ knew well enough that | should never bc
allowed to tell the tale. But took Putty
at his word without hesitation, and pre-
pared for the worst made my way down
the side passage to the stairs, and after as
surfing myself that the cupboard under the
stairs was empty, save fora little coal piled
in one corner, and that the passage itself
Al, | b..
above with a falteriug step, quahiuS with
the double terror of finding Taras dead and
of hearing the stairs behind me creall I'M
der the pursuing feet of his murderers. l
passed from room to room, laying my hand
against the wall for support, my heart ceas-
ing to beat whenever rotten board crea!led
under my foot
The three rooms that composed the fiat
were absolutely empty; there was nothing
above but the cocblott. 10 reach that |
had to ascend a ladder and creep through
the trapdoor. But ! did it, though | eN-
pected never to come down again.
The loft was empty and thick with the
un,tilred dust of years. | descended the
ladder and went down stairs, too bcwild-
cred by this mystery to reason upon it. The
two men were still playing in the den be
hind the bar; they had not troubled them
selves to follow me.
well, Ia YOU found himW Putty called
out, hearing my step.
HE amt there, answered stupidity.
"Prcaps he's made o glass, as you didn't
see him along of his friends and can't see
him noWhercs about the house"
IL wouldn't give him up sncercd Dri-
90 Come and sit down with Us till he
comes back
al,
give the bar It bit of clean up. "Thcrc's
all them pots Putty broke Off short as
if he had received some silent ;.duunition
from Drigo.
went behind the counter and began to
put it in order mechanically for uy
thoughts We're now occupied in solving the
mystery OF this disappearance, ! asked
myself if at any time during my watch |
had given away to til,uc and dOIcl No:
| had sat down only for Il few minutes, and
certainly | had not lost consciousness then.
! felt that il was an impoSsibility Cor Waras
to have passed me without my pcrcciNing
him. Had they thrown his body in the
river? NJ! In the silence of the night
should have heard the door in Ferry boat
alley opcn a second time As | had heard IL
the first, nor could a heavy body have becG
carried down the alley without the scuf.
nlnB OIL lctl being HUulble. BESIDES, the FISK
was one which Putty, | knew, had lot the
courage to run. And their composure now
was not consistent with their having done
dangerous deed, though Drigo might very
well have cOuuseled Putty to assume ind f.
ference in order To avert suspicion VIII h
might have led me to communicate with
the police,
The most reasonable conjecture | could
form was that Varas had actually left III
Joy with his friends and had turned down
To the water instead of accompanying them
into Sweet Apple lane. lie might have or
dered the waterman to return, aud so =
away. If this were really the sase, hc
might return as Drigo had intended-notI
that his word was to be taken in earnest;
his whole tone was ronical and Indicative
of double meaning. But the hope Il at
Taras still lived and might return put new
life into me, and l went about my work be-