The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-02

ly audible, one Of which Boyd instantly
recognized as that of Scanlon, the no.
torious Big Finger.
AS he crept nearer the door, the first
words that fell upon Boyds ears both
confirmed his shrewd theories and
thrilled him with the startling crisis
the situation now presented. For the
voice was that of Magnus Scanlon,
sounding harsh and. strained, as If with
rising apprehension.
Then Volney was arrested by Cole
man, not by Boyd?" he was hu--
riedly saying. Didn't Boyd have any
hand in it?'
Yes, yes, that part of it was all
| right was the reply of his companion,
in tones plainly meant to reassure the
other. Boyd sent them both to head
quarters
Didn't he go with them?' snapped
Scanlon.
Sure not. He went back into the
house. He said he wanted to have a
look for some clue to us coveys who
''Stopi Where were your
ION the sidewalk I'd been hanging
about since they first arrived"
Hanging about-perdition, We're you
mad? Clue be hanged. Can't you see
what chance you've taken?"
The last came from Scenlon with a
snarl like that of an angry wolf. Boyd
heard him leap up and bound toward
| the door, and he instantly drew his re-
volver. Contrary to Boyd's expecta-
| ton, however, the door was not opened.
Instead an inner bolt was forcibly
shot, while the lowered voice of the
Big Finger. now thrilled with sup
pressed passion, was mingled with the
sound.
"Clue be hanged he reiterated.
why should he have looked there for
a clue? You don't know him as l do!
He may have been watching you,
watching for some sign that Perdi-
| ton! you don't know the tricky hound!
By which way did you enter?"
by the cellar. felt no suspicion
Suspicion he yelled, with an oath.
It's Boyd who may suspect, He may
have seen and Swallowed you, Even
now he may be about here with a posse
of cursed blue bottles. Quick-look
sharp
THE devil"'
Get our goods from the chest and
cram them into this bagi We must
make a change of quarters at oncei
Leave none of the stuff behind, Look
lively, 1 say! Not that way, you fool,
lest we run foul of him and the devil
knows whom. Got all of it, en-? You're
sure? By this door, then, and over
Bang-crash,
The door at which the eavesdropper
had beer listening had been hurled
from it's miserable hinges and dashed
violently to the floor of the room.
Mr.. Felix Boyd, in the crisis con-
fronting him, had seen no alternative
TO forcing an entrance. The words of
both men, as we'll as their hurried
movements, were plainly audible to
l.,
Ion had shrewdly hit upon the very
scheme by which he had been located,
but also realized his imminent danger
and the need of a hasty departure.
That the goods mentioned were the
stolen bank certificates; that he was
about to remove them at once and seek
some concealment where it might be
impossible again to locate him, were
so obvious to Boyd that he promptly
resolved to tackle the situation single
handed.
With features grimly set. with his re-
volver drawn. he had stepped back a
few PAGES, then thrown himself with all
his weight and strength, and with the
result mentioned, against the bolted
door. AS it fell crashing to the floor
he leaped into the room, shouting
sternly:
Halt, you fellows! I'll shoot the first
who moves
The man in brown was engaged in
securing the straps of large leather
bag on the floor.
ScanlOn. impatiently waiting, with
his hard features grown white and
drawn. with hideous vision OF the
gallows suddenly risen in his mind
the death penalty that inevitably must
follow his arrest-Scan1on stood on the
threshold of an open door leading to
an adjoining room. Blind to the fact
that the intruder was alone. fearful
that the house was at that moment
surrounded, feeling that it was as well
to be shot as hanged, the desperate
scoundrel obeyed his first impulse.
With quick, backward leap into the
next room, he darted toward one of
the closed windows.
Bang!
Boyd's weapon rang like thunder
through the dismal place, and a veil of
smoke quickly filled the room. He
saw, as he sprang after the fleeing
man, a gush of red blood over Scan
Ions face and neck, from a furrow
plowed by the ball through the rob-
ber's cheek.
Yet Scanlon did not pause for an in
slant. With utter desperation, he
hurled himself through one of the
of broken glass and splintered sashes
on the roof of a shed outside, from
which he leaped fully twenty feet to a
narrow court adjoining, and through
which he fled as if ten thousand fiends
we're after him.
Boyd started to follow, then abrupt
| Iy turned back. The man in brown had
caught up the leather bag and was
heading for the opposite door, that by
which Boyd had entered. Then the
spiteful crack of the latter's weapon,
and the whiz of a bullet within an inch
of the crooks ear. brought him to a
sudden halt.
You do what I command. my man.
or the next ball will lodge in your ras-
cally head Boyd sternly cried, as he
strobe nearer. Drop that bag, and
throw up your hands. Look livelyv'
Lively it is, mister. since the Jig
seems to be up" was the reply, with a
villainous leer. But don't shoot again.
/ don't fancy the song of an ounce of
lead coming my way"
you'll fancy the next one less, if
you invite it." Boyd sternly answered,
as he caught up the bag. Now march
down and out by the way you entered.
Eyes front, you rascal A turn to right
or left will cost you your life. Hands
up. | sayi Now T1archr'