The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-07-16
Mystery Of the
Bayou Woods
BY WALKER
Copyright, 1903. by A. N. Kellogg N~ewspaperCos
CHAPTER VIII.-CONTINUED.

C1APlEh
1t was not often that a we1l-dressed,
good-looling young man was seen in
Peters Rest, and his advent ought to
have occasioned some surprise, but it
did not. The Rest pursued it's dark
and devious occupations as repose-
fully as though Warde had been a
regular feature of the establishments.
Billy McGee did not even look up
from the important business that was
transacting before him. 'H' q
Warde at once strobe up to the bar
and asked if there was present a mar
by the name of William Jackson.
-Four deuces," said Mr.. MCGEE. cit
will be hard to beat that. William?
Oh, yes. Bill was here about half an
hour ago. Are you the gent he was
expecting" sa ,sy
Yes" & s~-
"He said if you come to tell yousto
wait for him. He'll be back directly.
You'll have to throw again, Dock.
Take a seat in the parlor," continued
MIR. 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.
In n corner of 1.-THE room two men
sat at a table drinking. They were
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
q very muscular man, whose strength
had a certain cat-like element in it.
which had been very cleverly scele-
brated by his associates in the nick
n,me of Old Tom, which they had
given him. His companion was an
almost perfect specimen of physical
manhood. r { 81
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 evil
dence that he had observed them.
Taking from his pocket a cigar he
lighted it coolly, and then nonchalant-
ly entered the parlor.
This was a simple room with a 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 at
Peters Rest we're 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 he
seemed a bit embarrassed before
Warde's cool and searching gaze and
then he said: "You come here tc see
Bill Jackson, did you?"
eyes; has he come back?"
No, but maybe my pardner can tell
you something about him." +,
Pm not particular about that. If
~ uOCS lioO COllc SOOug i Shall go.
Have on any idea what he wants
with me? I'm a newspaper man."
"Wait till I call my pardner. I
think lie knows something about it,"
Never mind your partner. do not
care to know whath has to say"
Warde's suspicious were now
aroused, and he did not propose to
have a tete-a-tete with these brawnv
ruffians. There could be nc doubt
about it, a trap of some sort had
been laid for him.
See here, young f%eller," said Old
Tom, you amt afraid to talk with a
couple of gentlemen, are you?"
ri am not" said Warde, shut I have
nothing to fal1 to you about. My
time is up, anyhow"
He arose as he said this, but Old
Tom stood before the door leading
1nto the saloon, and there was some.
thing in his face that Irving had not
SEGA before. The word murder" was
written upon it as plain as could be
Narde saw that not a moment was tc
DE 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 his
powerful hand sent the whistle spin.
Ming across the table to the floor. Sc
vigorous was the blow that Warde