The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1904-03-19

marked it at all times.
The Bayou Woods was also local
ity with history; and, moreover.
man, in some odd and unusual guise,
dwelt sporadically therein. A few
primitive houses could be found scat
tered through it. occupying the high
est points above the line of overflow.
1t was considered good hunting
ground, but that was the only good
known of it. More crimes perhaps
had been committed there than in any
other suburban section.
On the north line of the woods
were several houses occupied by peo-
pie of the lowest class.
One of these was dance house
and saloon, where the liquor that
fires as we'll as inebriates could al
ways be found. Death had presided
over many orgies in this highly un-
savory den, and even the officers of
the law never entered the place with
out shudder From time immemo-
rial the people who conducted it had
been allied with murderers and
thieves, and the dingy walls, if they
had been tongues as well as ears,
could have told of the violation of
nearly every law, human or divine.
Before this place the chief of police
stopped and he and his companion
alighted. Before Investigating any
crime committed in the Bayou Woods
it was always advisable to see if any
pupil of the DEVILS Den, as the place
was called, had been concerned in it.
The repulsive exterior of the place
did not do justice to the fascinating
hideousness of the interior. The
very atmosphere there savored OF
vice and crime. A large stove heated
it almost to suffocation, and it was
evident that if this heat did not pro
duce insensibiity that state might
very readily be reached by drink
from one of the Satanic black bottles
behind the bar. The individual who
presided over the den might readily
have been mistaken for the devil him
self under conditions that were IA
vorable. The potent influences OF
rum were apparent in his sinister
eyes, the blotches of red upon his
nose and cheeks and the stubble upon
his face. In short, the entire scene
reminded one strongly of the pic
lures disseminated by the prohibi
tionists to give . palpable illustra
ton of the effects OF the demon
drink.
}. When the chief Of police entered
u the place the barkeeper, Mr.. William
g Boggs, looked up, slightly alarmed
: Then he seemed to reflect moment
. and the expression of alarm was sue
ceeded by one of relief The chic
n had never let his eye wander from
a Bills face, for it was to certain eS
tent an open page when read arigh'
d Had Boggs at once put on an air o
@ defiance, the officer would have said
n This fellow knows all about the a.
lie fair, but he viii not tell" If he ha
is shown signs of fear when the office
lie entered, and without appearing t
ID reflect had assumed jaunty, SUI
1T picious OF a defiant air, the chic
n would have been sure that Bill ha
D. himself taken a hand in the Grim
tie But when he stopped to reflect tt
e, chief knew Just as well what wa
We passing in the scamp's mind as If /
s. had spoken out. If Bill had to revie
le the recent past in order to ascertai
at whether there was anything Il
lg which he could be wanted it was eV
he dent that he was not implicated
nd the murder.
or The chief told him that he and b
n khorr a 10
&C for a minute or two, asked him
dy few questions, satisfied himself tn
tie Bill had never even heard OF the ira
ny edy and then departed.
nd THAT place offers every Undue
IDS ment to a man TO go out and asss
go sinate his fellow man, but this til
gy | believe it plays no part in the ira
an edy. Our labor is simplified tn
is much; for where we have to exami
the denizens of the Den as witness
He there is so much ornamental, arts
ma and clumsy lying done that 1T is
al most impossible to get the tru
es, Sometimes, however, those fello
of have trick of telling the truth j
ote TO throw the police off the track"
The Tbev now drove around the woo
ose until they came to the roundabt
lty path already referred to in the sta
rk- ment of Herbert Wright. The hol
on. was hitched to tree and the {
en- men began to pillow their way throu
n the snow. 1t had melted just enou
AN. to make their footprints as distii
der an If they had been drawn by an
nan list on paper. Suddenly Warde cal
his attention to the fact that there W
so,
rise two series of footprints in the sn
and that some one elese than Nri
icer had trayersed the path. IL was
wed Their discovered that the footprl
our were pointed in opposite direetio
ON in other words, one OF the pers
bief had been coming 10 the city ana
ON other had been going from ~
.dn0 would be interesting 10 know