Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-04-04
tcoDytieht, leos. ~ william wAllae. Cook

So Darrell followed In the track ot
his enemy. A crisis was at hand and
their differences were soon to DO set
tied.
Not once did Murgatroyd turn and
look back, so sure was he of his mag
terry over McCloud. At any time dur
ing that brief walk from Hawkbilps
to the office Of the gambler Darrell
could have drawn that ebony-handled
revolver and pressed the trigger with
fatal effect.
But such tactics were foreign to Dar-
rel's nature. He would meet his enc
my face to face, with no advantage On
either side.
Before turning into the hall at
Kaliper's place Darrell brushed past
group of men, their heads together In
earnest discussion. One was the bur-
ly marshal, another was Roy Lanyard,
q third was the sallow-faced clerk
whom Darrell had met in Murgatroyd's
rte"e end the fourth was heavy-set,
well-dressed man with q small leather
case under one arm.
At sharp word from LenyaYd the
quartette broke apart and directed
their attention at Darrell. Murgatroyd,
apparently, took no notice Of his clerk,
nor Of his three companions, but
passed into the building and up the
stairs to his darkened rooms. Darrell
stumbled after him, reaching the
landing as Murgatroyd unlocked the
door, pulled 1t open and stepped back,
an ominous figure in the gloom OF the
upper hall
Go In" said he, curly.
Darrell went in and Murgatroyd fol-
lowed. locking the door after him and
putting the key in his pocket. The
darkness was relieved by light reflect
ed through the front windows from the
street, and in the semi-gloom Darrell
stood, silent, watchful, waiting.
There's chair in the corner"
Aurgatroyd went on: ''sit down."
The command was mutsly obeyed.
Murgatroyd then lighted lamp, drew
the shades at the windows and took .
chair, fixing his dark gaze on Darrell.
A year had passed since these two
1
fore that they had known each other
we'll. Darrell, in returning Murga-
troyd's look, searched for some sign
Of lurking recognition, but found none.
The silence heightened and Darrell
swept his glance about the room. The
clerks desk, with its litter Of papers,
the brickwork and door of the vault
which served Murgatroyd in lieu of a
bank, a tall mineral cabinet against
the wall, it's topmost shelf supporting
large block of "Galena" ore, heavy
and sparkling, maps of the mining dis
trict, a letter press-these passed in
slow review before the owner of the
premises saw fit to speak.
II got your letter, McCloud, but
doubted whether you would be fool
enough to come here-here, Of all
places in the world ("
Darrell swerved his eyes to the
speakers face, but hesitated to trust
his voice.
Letter." he murmured, at last.
you must have been in one of your
spells when you wrote it," was the
sneering comment. Murgatroyd took
folded sheet from his pocket, opened
and read: "'I shall be in Sandy Bar
tonight. You may hook for me, for
shall surely come" With jeering
laugh the letter was returned to the
pocket. "And here you are" added
Murgatroyd. "Allow me to tell you,
McCloud, that you're a crazy FOOL
The letter was surprise to Darrell
and he stirred restlessly.
81 don't know what wild notion
brought you here" went on Murga-
troyd, "but do know that you're 60
ing to pike out of camp as quick as a
horse can carry you. Luck has IA
vored you so far, but you're SO ire.
sponsible you're likely to spoil every.
thing. A few words from you about
Nate Darrell and the game will be g
losing proposition for both of US
That blow-up on the War Eagle trail
was the best thing that ever happened
for us. If you yield to any Of your
mad eccentricities now there's no tell.
ing what harm you may do"
; This touched at vital point Of tht
Sturgis matter. Darrell longed to learn
more, but knew he could not question
without arousing suspicion. He made
no answer.
What have you done with that re
/ volver?"
Darrell took the ebony-handlet
weapon from his pocket.
) "Give it to me-" said Murgatroyd
, starting up and snatching 1t roughly
Didn't you have one Of your own
/ You played hell using this that night.
t Fiercely Murgatroyd pulled down thu
cylinder and examined the cartridges.
| zone empty SHE'LL" he muttered
t frowning blackly; "slugs in the othe
five shells and the slugs marked" HI
l stamped his foot in fury. How II
. the devils name did those marks com
!. there? Did you do 1t, you?" HI
hurled the question at Darrell, who re
. ceived it silently. But you couldn'
( have done that, you'd have had no OBJ
. ject in doing it. 1t must have beel
Darrell, when he sat in that Office
there, writing his note that afternoon
4 was away in the hills. Much goo,
g that evidence will do Darrell now
A steel letter opener either repli
ca of the one Darrell had used in tn
inner Office when he marked the bul
let's, or else the same-lay on tn
clerks desk near the lighted lamp. /
was sharp and might prove of use i,
" an emergency. Darrell leaned one arr
on the desk close to the instrume1
4 and bowed his head on his lifted han,