Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-10-25
CHAPTER II.
On the Track of a Shadow.

CHAPTER II.
On the Track of a Shadow,
The mans first impulse was to
shout for assistance; his second, to
dash hot foot after the murderer; his
last, to keep perfectly still, while he
thought hard, with all his wits sharp
ened by the crisis of the moment.
For hours he had been racing across
country, and hiding and lodging, in
pursuit of this man; and he came
upon him lying dead, the victim of he
knew not what conspiracy. Instinct
lively he glanced about him, with the
dread Of seeing other murderous
eyes watching; instinctiyely sprans
to his feet, the better to face what
ever danger might threaten.
The thing was so awful, and so un-
expected, that the man, for mo-
ment, had no power to face it; indeed,
he had started to run from the place,
In an agony of fear, when a sudden
thought swept over him, arresting his
flight and holding him as motionless
as though some mortal hand had
gripped him and brought him to bay.
Dandy Chatter dead!" he gasped.
"This puts a new light on things in
deed! Dandy Chatter dead, and out Of
the way! Let, me think; let me ham
mer something out Of this new hor-
ror; let me fn6 the best road to
travel" He sat down among the
rotting timbers, and propped his chin
in his palms, and stared at the dead
man.
who am I? Who, in all this amaz-
ing world, will believe my story if I
tell it? Dandy Chatter out Of the way!
By Jove! that serves my
purpose; that was what I wanted.
The games in my hands; the like
ness"
He started to his feet again, and
looked round wildly-looked round
like hunted man who seeks desper-
ately for some way of escape; ran a
few PAGES, and stood listening; came
slowly back again.
Great heavens!" he muttered, soft
ly;; they'll think murdered him!"
That was sufficiently SOLDERING
thought; he stood still, the better to
work out the new problem which
faced him.
Think. Philip Crowdy; you've
come across the world to find this
man, to wrest from him that which is
your right. His real murderer is by
this time far away; you are alone with
his body, In a place to which YOU
nave tracked him. II Dandy Chatter
has been lured here and struck down,
as is more than likely in such a
r eighborhood, for the mere purpose of
robbery, there is not the slightest
chance-or a very faint one at best
Of finding the man who struck the
blow. On the other hand-how do
you stand? Tell your story to the
world, and, If they believe it, what
must inevitably be said? That by
this mans death you benefit-there-
fore, by logical reasoning. you must
have comprised his death. Philip
5Crowdy--you're in remarkably tight
8place!"
Looking at the matter from one
standpoint and another, he came to a
desperate solution- even smiled
grimly a little to himself as he bent
again over the dead man. Turning
the body over, he found that Dandy
Chatter had been struck down from
behind, apparently with heavy piece
Of timber which lay near at hand; he
must have been wandering at the
very edge Of the river at the time, for
the rising tide was now actually lap
ping the edges Of his garments Philip
5Crowdy bent above him, and be gan
to search rapidly in his poskets for
whatever they might contain
Papers watch and chain keys-a
very little money he whispered to
himself quickly, as he made his
search. The money I'll leave; some
river shark will get that; the rest I'll
take. The keys Il shall want-also
the papers. =
Carefully slowing away the things
In his own pockets, he rose to his feet
and looked about hiin. It was yery
late, and there seemed to be mo- sign