The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-07-24

| it was that the Frenchman was al
lowed to continue running his shady
| tavern as friend of the law and a
| secret foe to the lawless- elements.
AS the time passed, and yet the
signal was. not heard, Inspector
Barnes began to get impatient, and
in the shadows moved up and down
the street, meeting here and there
some of his men, with whom he ex-
changed word or two, and then
passed on. his beat.
During his walk he arrived pres
emily before the real front of the
building, where the barroom was sit
uated, and here he saw a man put
ting out the lights and making other
preparations to close up. AS it was
his intention to wink at the doings
of Monsieur Poujac, who had had a
hand in the apprehension of a num-
Der OF criminals, he made no at
tempt to approach the man who was
clearing up.
| AS soon as the front of the estab-
lishment was dark he returned to
his post, which commanded the alley
and where Inspector Thorne was
now standing.
Anything new?" he asked, as he
Struggled into the hallway beside his
| subordinate.
"Not a sound from our corner" re-
sponded the other.
"I'm getting suspicious" said
| Barnes.
'"Of what?"
"That have been fooled"
"How's that?"
"This chap Ellison might, for all I
know, be one of the gang who is in
terested in the man we are seeking"
"Can't believe that"
"Well,. I don't like to believe it,
either" grumbled the chief, land if
he has played us trick fail to see
what he will gain by it; besides 1
took care to look the. man up. He
and repute, but perhaps is none the
better for that" He was silent for
a moment and then, "You see l was
getting desperate and ready to take
any chances. The failure to capture
this man made us the laughing stock
of the town, and for one was get
ting tired of it, so I was ready to
seize any straw"
"I understand" Inspector Thorne,
who since Barnes had engineered the
thing would not have been sorry if
geous humbug. But he did not ven
ture to express any of these
thoughts aloud; what he did remark
| was: ,-
cts too soon to give up all hope
yet. Strange things happen in mat
| tiers like this-and we must be pa
| TENT
"But somehow 1 have a Fremont
ton that all is not right" straining
his eyes as if he would pierce the
secrets of the forbidding black build
ing that lowered beyond them.
81 wish I hadn't made deal with
the fellow" shaking his head.
eve have to bargain when it comes
to getting on the track of a slippery
individual such as we are looking
for" replied Inspector Thorne, in a
voice that meant to be consoling.
He had hardly delivered this short
| speech, when suddenly the crack of
pistol shot rang through the 81
lence. The two men Started-then,
without a word, they set off on a run
toward the alley that ran along the
side of the strange hotel.
Barnes had received minute direc-
tions, and knew how to proceed. His
men, running forward from all di-
rections (and there were enough of
them to have captured squad of
rogues), came up with their chief
at the entrance of the alley. He
gave them hurried directions about
guarding approaches to the place,
and they departed grumbiingly into
the shadows, indignant that they
were not allowed to take a promi-
nent part in the capture.
"Now, then, Thorne," exclaimed
the chief, 'see to your gun, and fol-
low me-" and with these words he
dashed on up the alley at a wonder
full speed for man of his weight.
When the inspector came up with
his superior he was standing before
an open window, which led into the
basement of the place. A Pickering
light was seen for moment in the
gloom, but as they looked it sud-
denly disappeared.
The two police officers for a mo-
ment regarded each other in silence.
Not going to plunge into that
black hole, are your" asked Thorne,
with SILVER.
ct don't look exactly right. There
should be light there" replied the
other. But since there is none, why,
we must supply it," So saying, he
took folding dark lantern out of
his pocket, shook it into shape, lit
the candle within, and said, grfmly,
1--WE have gone too far to retreat