The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-10-28
CHAPTER XIX
A MIDNIGHT MARAUDER.

lux btttNllNt NfOll IlSt ttSlutu W ttkS Il
ramble through Claytields and ruminate
upon the case which he had come to i'll
veStigate.
1t was 10 o'clock when he left the po-
lice station, and after wandering aim
lessly through several streets he found
himself i'll Crescent road, the principal
road in Clayfields. 1t was a broad high
way, fanked with good houses and a
plentiful sprinkling of trees.
The detective had no object in view
when he started from the police station,
except to get to Felspar road and sleep
there, or keep a vigil there, for the
night. He now felt in no humor for
sleep, and walked quietly along Ores
cent road until he came to the corner Of
Felspar road, which stood at right an
giles to it.
Here he stopped for u moment and
then decided to continue his walk. AS
he strobe along, CHANGING occasionally
across the roadway at the dwelling
houses, which We're nearly all lit up
and looked bright and cheerful. his eyes
We're attracted by the dull flame of IA
doctors lamp. "Pcrcival's house, of
course" reflected Goringe, standing OPP
posite it. Sort of business l shouldn't
like to belong to. Patching up live bod
les, ripping up dead ones. Ugh!'
As he stood gazing It the house, re-
fecting upon the hardships and ankle
ties of a doctors life, he saw Pcrcival's
hall door being opened. Instinctively he
stepped back some PAGES until he was
completely Swallowed by a large tree
which stood on the edge of the pathway,
almost equally distant from two street
lamps.
"Um!' said the detective, with Il
descending the steps of DR.. Percival's
house, the light from the hall envelop-
ing him in a vivid GLOW. "A sort Of out
of the frying pan into the fire young
man! Shouldn't wonder if he'd do
something odd before my present job Is
fixed. He knows he is no longer being
logged nor III imminent danger of being
run in. Hello! There he goes down
Felspar road. That's not his way home.
One would think that road would be
marked no th~oroughfare' for him. But
ayoung man in love is perhaps not a
fair subject for dissection. You can only
have opinions about him, and they may
be all wrong. The sort of thing my
friend Briggs would be delighted to
hear. Isuppose it is the old story of the
moth and the candle"
And growing like a surly dog Cor
inge continued his walk along the Cres-
cent road.
He was now far away from the case
which had brought him to Clayfields.
His thoughts had wandered back to a
we'll nigh forgotten period Of his life
when he, too, had been as young as Maui
rice Leclerc and as deeply in love.
1t was close upon midnight when Cor
inge put the latchkey into the door Of
IL Felspar road He had determined to
get into the house and 60 to bed in the
dark. He was a little tired. There was
no occasion for a night watch. He could
do all he wanted to do mex day.
To Goringe fear was unknown, and
ss he stood in the hall of the empty
house no sensation disturbed him except
that ne felt unusually tired.
Long walks evidently don't agree
with ne, he reflected as he mounted
the stairs and made straight for Stein
worth's bedroom. He had a little diff
Guilty in finding the right key, but he
soon discovered which it was, and un-
locking the door he entered the room
and then fastened the door from the in
side with the brass bolt. lie placed Il
chair neal the head Of the bed at the
side which was farthest from the door.
On the chair he placed his coat and
walstcoat, and on the top Of these his
watch and "a loaded revolver. Then he
took off his boots, and arranging q
blanket over himself fell asleep quickly.
1t was broad daylight when Gorinee
awoke. He jumped alertly out Of bed
and saw by his watch that it was close
upon s O'Clock.
II must chance lighting a fire in the
Kitchen he thought as he stripped off
his shirt and proceeded to the wash
stand. Never thought l could feel alb,
solutely II want Of a hot cup of coffee.
Helio!' he exclaimed, mo water in the
ever. l suppose l can have "a douche III
the scullery." He threw his coat over
his shoulder and proceeded down stairs.
The kitchen door was at the far end
OF the hall 1t stood wide open, and as
Goringe entered the kitchen he saw that
the kitchen window was partly open.
He was not an emotional man, but
the open window caused him to bite his
neither lip, and to stamp furiously Oh
the floor.
There's no mistake about this win.
dow anyhow" said he, with u strange
smile, as he proceeded quietly and slow,
ly to examine the hasp. This has beer
forced during the night. Perhaps thu
burglar has been as unconscious of m,
existence in the house as / have been o.
his. Rummy business! What a triumph
it will be for Briggs to hear this!"
Goringe entered the scullery, washed
himself with a brave show of %unconcern
and then started to make his breakfast
As soon as his hunger and thirst wer
appeased-he found ample materials i,
the pantry for his wants-he took hi