Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-09
CHAPTER xXI-(Continueti, !

y
He entered the silent streets I'm.
oh~arved for the mists We're heavy
and low. Smoke columns arose verti
>,...s lii talts still air. The rain had
ceased, having beaten down the waves
which rumbled against the beach. fill.
Ing the streets with their subdued
thunder. A ship, anchored in the off1ng
had run in from the lee Of Sledge
Island with the first lull, while md
way to the shore tender was rising
and falling, its oars flashing like the
silvered feelers of a sea insect crawl.
ing upon the surface of the ocean.
He rode down Front Street needless
OF danger, needless of the comment his
appearance might create, and, unseen
entered his enemy's stronghold. He
passed gambling-hall, through the
windows of which came sickly vel.
low CLEAN. A man came ut unstead-
lily and stared at the horseman, then
passed on.
to the Northern and from there to
track down Its owner relentlessly, but
In order to reach the place his course
led him past the office of Durham &
Strive. This brought back to his mind
+
his back. The scanttest humanity de.
manded that assistance be sent at
once. Yet he dared not give word
openly, thus betraying his presence,
for it was necessary that he maintain
his liberty during the next hour at all
hazards. He suddenly thought of an
expedient and refined in his horse,
which stopped with widespread legs
1nin
ed and climbed the stairs to leave q
note upon the door. Some one would
see the message shortly and recognize
Its urgency.
In dressing at the battle at the
Midas on the previous night he had
replaced his leather boots with "muk-
luks," which are waterproof, light and
pliable footgear made from the skin
OF seal and walrus. He was thus able
to move as noiselessly as though in
moccassins. Finding neither pencil
nor paper in his pocket, he tried the
outer door of the office, to find it I'M
locked. He stepped inside and listen,
ed, then moved towards a table on
which were writing materials, but in
doing SO heard rustic in Strives
private office. Evidently his soft soles
had disturbed the man inside. Roy
Was about to tiptoe out as he had come
when the hidden man cleared his
throat 1t is in these involuntary
sounds that the voice retains it's natur-
q quality more distinctly even than in
speaking: A strange eagerness grew
In Glenisters face and he approached
the partition stealthily It was of
WOO dahd glass, the panes cIouded and
opaque to height of some six feet:
but stepping upon chair he peered
Into the room beyond. A man knelt
In a litter Of papers before the open
safe, it's drawers and compartments
removed and their contents scattered.
The watcher lowered himself. drew
his gun. and laid soft hand upon the
door-kaob, turning the latch with firm
myers. His vengeance had come to
meet him
After lying In wait during the long
nignt, certain that the Vigilantes
would spring his trap, Mcnamara was
astounded at news of the battle at the
Midas and of Glenister's success. He
stormed and cursed his men as COW.
ards. The judge became greatly exer-
cised over this new development,
which, coupled with his night of long
anxiety, reduced him to a pitiful hys.
terra.
They'll blow us up next. Great
Heavens! Dynamite! Oh, that is bar
barous. For Heavens sake. get the
soldiers out, Alec"
''sAy. we can use them now There.
i2on Mcnamara reused the con- rnaad-
lag officer at the post and requested
him to accoutre a troop and have hem
really to march at daylight, then pc.
Stirred che judge to start the wheels
of his court and invoke this military
aid in regular fashion
4 Make it all a matter of record" he
lsaid. "We want to keep our skirts
clear from now on
"But the towns-people are against
u.s." quavered Stillman. They'll tear
us to pieces"
Let 'em try. Once 1 get my hand
on the ring-leader, the rest may riot
and be damned"
Although he had made less display
than had the judge, the receiver was
no less deeply worried about Helen, Of
whom no news came His jealouy,
famed to red heat by the discovery of
her earlier detection, was enhanced
1OufIo1Q by Ine JnOugnt OF this last adj
venture. Something told him there
was treachery afoot. and when she did
not return at dawn he began to fear
that she had cast in ner lot with the
rioters. This aroused a perfect delir-
lum of doubt and anger till he reason
ed further that Strive having gone
with her, must also be a traitor He
recognized the menace in this fact,
knowing the mans venality, SO began
20 reckon carefully its significance.
What could Strive do? What proof
had he? Mcnamara started, and,
, selling mis- hat, hurried straight to the
lawyers office and let himself in with
the key he carried. 1t was light enough
for MIN to decipher the characters on
the safe lock as he turned the combin-
alton, SO he set to work scanning the
endless bundles within hoping that aft
er all the man had taken with him no
discriminating evidence. Once the
searcher paused at some fancied
sound, but when nothing came of it
drew his revolver and laid it before
him inst inside the safe door and close