The Red Cloud chief., 1895-11-22
CHAPTER N--ICoNriNUEp.

i'b' w III w
and Henry will stay hers.''
Bill needs no second telling. He
starts down the road toward West
Chester. his heavy. cowhide boots clat-
tersnR on h dusty road, until he dis
appears from sight and hearing, while
his two companions leave the body of
the cool old cross the road. and.
rust &c fashion. climb up on the four
rail fence, n sit there, silent and
awed, waiting for Bills return.
Or. Gareau is an early riser. lie
loves the fresh air of the early morn
ing. He is in his Office, arranging his
papers upon the desk. The windows
and doors are open. His handsome
face is anxious and disturbed this
morning. lie has been to his partners
room and has found the bed undis-
turbed. Where could he have staycd
all night?" he murmms The old
doctor new remains away from
home all right. lie is not attending
any serious case, he knows.
Unless Gardeners wife has had "a
hard time of it, he says, i'm Il low
zone.
People are passing the door. lie
hears them abscntly. His mind is
upon his partner, good old DIR. Wilbur.
He goes to the door and looks up and
down the street. lie sees Il roughly
dressed farm hand running toward
nina young man ge~sticulating
wildly, breathless rs il from severe
exertion.
Ne recognizes the young fellow.
s'Wby, Bill, what is it?' he cries as
the man stops before the door.
"Dr. Wilbur gasps the 1--WE
found him-he's dead-murdcrcd. up
she road!' and he sits upon the stone
steps leading to the door to recover his
breath.
Dead. murdered The words ring
in the partners ears. How can this
!. be?" he cries, his mind %distraught. his
; heart full of horror.
"It's true, DIR. Garcau: we found
him. Come, quick"
lie turns and enters his Office. lie
cannot credit the truth of the mans
statement. Who could be base enough
10 strike down his noble partner-the
kindly old doctor. who had not an
enemy in the whole wide world? But
IT, must be true. The brcathless farm
hand. who is even now waiting to con
duct him to the spot, has said so. lie
+ must go at once: perhaps it is only Il
saiBt. only one of the sudden attacks
which come upon the old man some
times.
YAs.k lat must be it. lie cannot be-
1Ae.f dead. lie seizes his hat and
Vase OF instruments, together with q
vial Of colorless liqnid upon the desk,
and hurries out into the street. There
he finds a crowd assembled around
Bill, who is telling them all about tn,
terrible discovery. Better go for tn,
coroner" he hears a man say.
L. AN the chief of police" suggests
another.
No way of keeping it quiet; tn,
whole town will be ringing with tn,
news in an hour.
Come" he says in n stern voice {,
the garrulous farm hand, Il will &c
with you."
''Thet's his partner" remarks on,
of the crowd, a man with an unshaver
face and unkempt hair.
Along the street, followed by tn,
xcrowd, the young physician with al
anxious heart pursucs his way. Tn,
man Bill is by his side, directing hi
course. Out upon the dusty road, un
needing the neat of the sun, thinking
only of the partner he loves, his bcne
factor, his more than father. lie hear
the sound of horses hoofs behind hin
and the whirr of carriage wheels. Ill
mechanically steps aside to allow the
vehicle To pass him, but the carriage
stops.
''It is Doctor Gareau," he hears
voice say. lie looks up and sees TIN
chief of police, n man by the name o
Throckmorton, seated in h carriage
the coroner, and n physician of Yves
Chester by his side. Some one of Thu
crowd had beer busy.
You are on your way to the seem
of the crime" cries the chief. So Az
we; jump I'M!
The carriage has two seats, so tn
young doctor accepts the invitation
che man Bill springing in by his side
The whip is applied to the horse ant
Shey spin along.
What do you know OF this sad al
eair?" asks Throckmorton, turning
half way around and addressing
Gareau.
Nothing. ! have just been in
formed by this young man"
Can II be murder?' suggests tn
II cannot conceive the object of il
If il Is"
''Oh, yes, its murder" puts in tn
farm hand. Ellis head is cut and thcr
as blood on his face"
.You nave seen the body"!
IL seen it,"
The horse is urged to n gallop. TIL
news has spread quickly, for as the
come in sight of the spot, u crowd G
country people is discovered sittin
upon the fences along the roadsid,
some smoking, some chewing, other
whiting, all talking of the all absorb
ing topic, each advancing some idea a
70 the probable cause of the death
They are all agreed upon one thing
nd that Is, that the good old man wa
murdered, but by whom. and for wha
purpose, they cannot say.
They make way for the carriage
they see and recognize those within
ghe chief of police, the coroner, an
the young doctor, are we
known personages. The ofiicia,
approach the body. IL hi
been left just whore found. III
earm hands, Sol and Harry, are stan'
ing by it, as II to guard the dead.
With a beating heart, Gareau place
his dagger upon the pulse. No sign