The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-07-10

Quoted a house that was the resort
OF all the ragtag and bobtail and
human sewerage of the city. But he
was useful. and his suppression would
have made 1t only more difficult to
find man when he was wanted. So
1t was that the Frenchman was al
lowed to continue running his shady
tavern as a 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 a 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 1t was
of Monsieur Poujac, who had had a
hand In the apprehension of a mum
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.
mot q 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
know, be one Of the gang who Is In.
terested in the man we are seeking"
Cant believe that"
well, I don't like to believe it,
either" grumbled the chief, land If
he has played us trick 1 fail to see
what he will gain by 1t; besides
took care to look the man up. He
is the brother of a banker Of wealth
better for that" He was silent for
a moment and then, You see was
getting desperate and ready to take
any chances The failure to capture
this man made us the laughing stock
| of the town, and I for one was get
ting tired Of 1t, SO was ready to seize
any straw"
II fully understand" replied Thorne,
who since Barnes had engineered the
thing would not have been sorry If
the whole affair turned out gorgeous
| humbug. But he did not venture to
express any Of these thoughts aloud;
what he did remark was:
! Its too soon to give up all hope
yet Strange things happen in mat
tiers like this-and we must be patient"
But somehow I have a premonition
that all is not right" straining his
eyes as If he would pierce the secrets
of the forbidding black building that
lowered beyond them.
II wish 1 hadn't made a deal with
the fellow" shaking his head.
1--WE 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 voice
that meant to be consoling.
He had hardly delivered this short
speech, when suddenly the crack of a
| pistol shot rang through the silence.
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 direc-
tions (and there were enough Of them
| to have captured a squad of rogues)
came up with their chief at the en-
trance of the alley. He gave them
hurried directions about guarding ap-
| proaches to the place, and they depart
ed grumbingly into the shadows, in
| dignant that they were not allowed to
take a prominent part In the capture.
Nov, then, Thorne," exclaimed the
chief, "see to your gun, and follow me-
| and with these words he dashed on uI
the alley at wonderful speed for q
man of his weight.
| When the inspector came up with his
superior he was standing before an
open window, which led into the base
ment of the place. A Pickering light
| was seen for a moment in the gloom
but as they looked it suddenly disap-
| peared.
| The two police officers for a moment
regarded each other in silence.
mot going to plunge into that black
hole, are you?" asked Thorne, with g
SILVER.
1T 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 a folding dark lantern out of his
pocket. shook it into shape, lit the can
die within, and said, grinly, 1--WE have
| SOIlS lOO leti W IetISdt HOW, So COJl1e Oh
and the devil take the hindmost" With
this, holding the lantern in one hand
he scrambled over the sill of the win
dow and let himself drop to the floor
He was followed a little later by In.
spector Thorne
TITS suspiciously silent muttereG
Barnes, as he waved the lantern back
and forth. and peered into the corners
| of the room.
Continued Next Weekly
The Averted Tragedy.
when my husband and were travel.
ing in Italy last summer" said the lady