The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-09-19

went up on one side of the narrow hall.
Nov, my friends" said Curtis
coolly. in his natural voice, when the
door was strengthened, 'let us sit here
between the hall and the main room
and ear what Balfort has to say"
CHAPTER XIV
THE EPISODE OF Hollis TAVERN
(CONTINUED)
"But is Is very uncertain If we can
get out Of here alive" said I, irritated
in some way by this excessive calm
ness Of Curtis and the jovial ase of
Mr.. John Acton. .
MY dear lad" said Curtis, "you ask
ed for a place where we could talk
without fear of Interruption. I give
you one. I can do no more. Doubtless
this is a band of SINNERS of not more
than six or seven, n could not we
three hold this house against twenty?"
Then, look you Balfort," urged Ac-
ton, 1--WE, shall LAY the satisfaction Of
knocking some on the head. I W
these fellows a debt. Nay, tits more
stroke of luck they are come"
At this moment the report Of a mus
ket rang out overhead, and a heavy
weight fell against the outside Of the
door near which we sat. A deep groan
was followed by a moment of silence.
aha! you skunk cried a voice from
the hall above, that for the shot you
gave my brother" The voice was
scarcely stilled when a fusillade sound
ed from across the oad and several
bullets struck the stout oak Of the
door.
Seven muttered I to myself. -,
Seven what?" asked Acton.
There are eight in that party. and
one is dead. You are right, Curtis, It is
indeed better than I thought. We "a
handle sever. I feared there were
more" 90 +
y"Stay, but I do not see"
my dear John" laughed Curtis,
"mayhap you did not notice that seven
bullets pelted the house but now"
First Of ALL said I, checking some
other remark Of Acton's, "before T
give,you my work-did you notice the
two men who ate at our tablet"
"Oh, aye, they were natives, sure
enough"
fright, lad, but they hail from New
York; said Curtis slowly.
from New York;" cried Acton.
"Precisely,'' said +. but they have
just now come from Boston or near
there"
"Balfort, MY friend, you are better
than T." said Curtis, smiling in the
darkness; chow know o that?"
Their boots and clothes are covered
with mud. It has not rained to the
westward in ten days. They have come
from the east, therefore, where I hear
it has rained for several days..
Man., you are a g%en1uS!" cried Ac-
ton.
Furthermore" said T ,"the mud is
light is color and sandy, whereas
hereabouts It is red and dirty. 'T is
sandy only near the seacoast." ,
"How do you know they hail from
New York;" persisted Acton. '
"S-s-st,' whispered Curtis. All three
sat in the darkness. Nothing could be
heard for a moment Inc then the I'M
mistakable cracking Of a twig sound
I'd through the window Of the main
room. Curtis crept towards the win
dow with pistol in hand. There was
a bit Of opening where the table failed
to cover the window, and, placing his
eye to this, he saw the dim outline Of
a figure crawling around the corner Of
the house. Softly, cody, he put the
pistol to the opening, took a slow aim
and fired, dropping Immediately to the
floor himself. There was no sound or
movement in the grass, but the next
instant a. bullet. came diagonally
through the small opening, and flat
tened itself q eainst the door post above
my head.
ibid you get him?" asked John.
80 LAC pol ~ AS vi
SIX" replied Curtis.
"And now as to our instructions"
said Acton.
1--WE are to go to New York to &C.
complish three things, which I may
not tell you till we get there
Every well" said Acton, 1--WE are to
go to New York; that Is sufficient.
What next? #3 E
I'VE go separately and meet there.
That is, n goes alone and the other
two together. / have passes for one
and for two travelling in company.
Once there, I can tell you In good earn
est there is much to do. But here looms
up the question as to where we shall
meet there. M be unobserved." r.
81 have been In the town, 2 said Ac-
ton, promptly. let US meet at the
village of Greenwich and go into the
town together"
$50 far good" said I, but we must
have some base to work from-some
yhpot to meet in. Curtis, what think
your" s&5sz
For a moment during this bit OF dis
cussfon Curtis had said not a word.
Now, though Il could not see his face,
for he darkness, 1#got an instructive
idea hat something was wrong. In
fact, after once seeing Acton pulled
up when he tried to question his friend
about something to$do%With an event
Of several years ago, i had made up
my mind to steer clear of any&refer-
ences, so tar as Rob Curtis was con-
cerned. beyond the limits Of camp life.
Before 7 spoke t was clear to me that
something was amiss. The moment he
answered the change IN his voice was
SO great.S5-e yet So quiet. that I started,
as did Acton almost persuaded that
some other a by us n the gloomy
smoking hall.
.Balfort," said he slowly, SIS It OF
ray Importance that we should go
into New York z,
IL did SnotSreply at nee, I was, too
struck with the change and all that
such change must mean In such a
man-4;S
You shall Judge for yourself. I am
commissioned, and T leaned over close
to b other two, II am commissioned