Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-09-16
Mystery Of the
Bayou Woods
By WALKER KENNEDY.
Copyright, 1903. by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co,
CHAPTER VIII.-CoNTINUED.

CHAPTER VIII.-CoNTINUED
1t was not often that a well-dressed,
.good-looking young man was seen in
Peters Rest, and his advent ought to
have occasioned some surprise, but it
did not. The Rest pursued its dark
and devious occupations as repose
fully as though Warde had been
regular feature of the establishment.
Billy MCGEE did not even look up
from the important business that was
transacting before him.
Warde at once strobe up to the bar
and asked if there was present man
by the name of William Jackson.
-Four deuces," said Mr.. McGee. at
will be hard to beat that. William?
oh, yes Bill was here about half an
hour ago. Are you the gent he was
ecxpectin'?''
Yes"
HE said if you come to tell you to
wait for him. He'll be back directly.
You'll have to throw again, Dock.
Take a seat in the parlor," continued
EIr. MCGEE to Warde, waving his hand
toward the door of an adjoining
room.
AS Warde stood before the bar
he was somewhat startled to find that
his coming had not been without
some interest to at least one or two
OF those present. q
In one corner of the room two men
sat at a table drinking. They We're
,sturdy-looking fellows, who were
Slightly better dressed than their as
.sociates, but their faces were almost
startling in the prominence Of evil
displayed therein. One Of them was
a very muscular man, whose strength
had a certain cat-like element in it,
which had been very cleverly cele-
brated by his associates in the nick
name of Old Tom, which they had
given him. His companion was an
almost perfect specimen of physical
manhood.
The mirror revealed the fact that
these men were watching Warde with
an intensity-it seemed to him a ma
Lightly of interest-for which he
could not account; but he betrayed
no surprise, nor did he give any evi-
dence that he had observed them
Taking from his pocket a cigar he
lighted it coolly, and then nonchalant-
1y entered the parlor.
This was a simple room with table
and several chairs in it. A swinging
lamp was suspended from above. The
walls were covered with choice pic
torial selections from the Illustrated
criminal weeklies. A few sensational
papers suitable to the clientele al
Peters Rest were on the table, and
Warde idly scanned these with about
the same interest that a seraph might
take in reading the London Times.
He had been there barely five min
utes when the door opened and Old
Tom entered the room. At first be
Warde's cool and searching gaze and
then he said: you come here to see
Bill Jackson, did you?'
yes; has he come back?"
''No, but maybe my pardner can tell
you something about him."
I'm not particular about that If
he does not come soon I shall so
Have you any idea what he wants
with me? I'm a newspaper man."
''Wait till / call my pardner.
think he knows something about it.
Never mind your partner. l do not
care to know what he has to say
Warde's suspicious were now
aroused, and he did not propose to
have a tete-a-tete with these brawny
ruffians There could be no doubt
about it, trap of some sort had
been laid for him.
''See here, young Teller" said Ole
Tom, ''you amt afraid to talk with 4
couple of gentlemen, are you?'
81 am not said Warde, "but have
nothing to talk to you about. My
time is mp, anyhow"
He arose as he said this, but Ole
Tom stood before the door leading
into the saloon, and there was some
thing III his face that Irving had moi
seen before. The word murder was
written upon it as plain as could be
Warde saw that not a moment was tc
be squandered. He took the whistle
from his pocket and was raising il
to his lips when Old Tom sprane
toward him and with one sweep of hi.
powerful hand sent the whistle spin
ming across the table to the floor. Sc
1iScI OTIS was tie blow that Warde