The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-06-19

rev knew that the housesin the garden.
VAS So 1t was that he fels
genuine pleasure In his retreat. for II
seailed 10 afford a refuge where he
u uShal pursue MS task without fear, and
where ne hoped, for the present. no one
could find him out. To make mattars
SAFER, ne had taken the precautions to
change his appearance. so that even
.lle worthy ~1nnkeeper at Exton wonld
nave a trooble in recognizing his
former guest. no
80 far Hendricks had not been sue
cssstul IN his efforts t. trace the man
VINO mad written the letter-the torn
envelope of which had been treasured
eVer since. 1t bore a New York post
.nalK.l ana ne hoped that the writer
was still In town, though it might he
otherwise. At least he might possibly
come across n who knew where ne
was TO be found. Though SO far he had
accomplished nothing, he still had
nopes A man of the type he was seek
ing must In time be found If he was in
the city. Those Of his class belonged
70 certain groups, and, however, mys-
ferrous thelr movements, their pres
ence IN a place was always known.
3oR,AA9 returned q evening worn
2 y With his search In the lower part
the city, had finished his humble
IN q paper bag, and had been mapping
on his cot, when an unusual sound In
the empty rooms below him attracted
ms attention. He jumped to his feet,
and, setting the candle on the table be-
hind him, opened the window and
peered out on the deserted garden. a
faint moonlight lay over the ragged
Derry bushes along the walks, and on
the pile Of wood that was a most con-
splcuous decoration and rose like a
funeral pyre in the center Of the grass
n queer" he muttered, drawing
In his head. mot a person in sight,
inc certainly I didn't dream that I
heard that noise"
He took another peep out OF the win
dow and closed it softly, shaking his
head.
Must be in the house-wonder If a
rat could make a noise like that? The
do grow pretty big in these
parts. All, there it is again-and comes
form those rooms below. l suppose L
to think that perhaps he was
to enjoy his peaceful little abode
much longer-that some one had found
him out.
He took his revolver out Of his
pocket, examined it carefully to see
that 1t was in working order, and then.
holding it in one hand and carrying the
candle in the other, opened the door
leading to the stairs and went down. 1t
was very quiet below as he paused at
the last step to listen. He heard a.
scurrying sound in the wall. but there
was nothing to be alarmed about in
that; it was a mans step he thought he
had heard in the first place. After a
moment he stepped onto the floor and
swung the candle around, to get a good
view of the place.
Just as he did this he was suddenly
conscious of heavy breathing close be-
side him, and at the am time the pis-
tol was suddenly snatched out Of his
hand.
1t was done sc quickly that for a
moment he felt stunned, then turned
about to grapple with his opponent;
but the candle went out, and the out
hand only famed the empty
ing to move. lest he should betray his
whereabouts, and give this unseen foe
a chance to locate him for a shot. So he
silent and was considerably sur
prised to hear not the crack of an eX-
plodlng cartridge, but a cackling laugh,
hat in the silence of the place sound
ed so weird that 1t eve startled him
from his usual condition of calm imper-
''yvho are your What are you doing
here?" he called out.
'Just wait until I get this candle
goin', and I'll make myself known"
said the man he could not see, and at
the same time Job heard a scraping
sound as If the other was trying to find
the candle. This he was able to do, for,
after a moments hunt, the candle was
lit, and out Of the gloom a shutting fig
ure appeared. Job took the candle out
Of his hand and held the light up to the
mans face. 1t was not a handsome
face int, which he peeEed. The fellow
had DOTTED a ragged hat that he might
his features better. His hair de-
scended in ragged wisps about, his
hungry and cadaterous face, that, being
seemed %sprinkled with coal
lows, wore a half amused expression,
his lips We're parted in a grin
that disclosed a double row of yellow
and uneven teeth.
"Oh, It's you, eh." grumbled Hen
you know me-Jebbs-do you? All,
I thought you would" and the stranger
out into a cackling laugh again.
"Here's yer pistol" said he, handing
over the weapon. Gave We a jolly scare,
that's what l done"
..Nonsense-come up stairs and say
what you have to say" and Job. n
gered at the way he had been treated,
led the way up the stairs, while the
other,% evidently conscious that it would
not do to anger his host further, fol-
him slowly 4i
"Now, how did you come to find me !
asked Hendricks as. he set candle
down on the table and eyed his guest
with anything but an amiable look.
"yVell, I see you several times OF late
in the street, and somehow you slipped
away fore / could catch up with you,
Tonight I had better luck"
Hunt" Then, going to a box in IN
of the room. which he evidently
for a closet, he took a bottle from
1t and a plate OF bread and meat, and
set them down on the table before his
guest. Job did not attempt to speak
again, as he watched the man fall on
the.food like a wild animal, and 1t was
only when the last crumb had been de-
youred and the bottle emptied that ne
ventured to ": . !,
why did you come in like a thlei!
IT wasn't sure o was IN, and l
wanted to surprise YOU" with a grin.
when I see 0 come down In y
dark with that pistol In hand was
feared you'd PUNK me Tore - couIu