The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-07

There was silence for a time. My
guards walked beside me without
speaking. but felt the protest in their
manner. At last Barkhouse said re-
specially:
There's no use to do that, sir. You'd
better send some one that amt so
likely to be nabbed, or that won't mat
ter much If he is. We'd be in pretty
fix If you was to be took"
Here comes Dicky now" said Por-
ter, as a dark figure came swinging
lightly along.
"Hullo!" cried Dicky. hating and
shading his eyes from the gaslight-
! was just going up TO look for you
again"
What's up, Dicky?"
Il guess it's the devil" said Dicky,
so gravely that I broke into laugh.
Hes right at home if he's come to
this town, I said.
I'm glad you find it so funny" said
Dicky in an injured tone. You was
scared enough last time"
Well, I've kept out Of his claws this
far, and It's no use to worry. What's
he trying to do now"
That's what I've been trying to find
out all the evening. They're noisy
enough. but they're too thick to let
one get near where there's anything
going on-that is, If he has a fancy
/ for keeping a whole skin"
i Suppose we go down there now"
i I suggested. I'VE might find out some
thing"
/ Dicky stopped short.
Caesars ghost!" he gasped; what
next? Wouldn't you like to touch off
few powder-kegs for amusement?
Won't you fire a pistol into your
mouth to show how easy you can stop
the bullet?"
Why. you have been down there
and are all right, I argued.
Well, there nothing much to hap
pen to me. but where would you be If
they got hold Of you? You're getting
off your cabesa. old fellow" said
/ Dicky anxiously
IF l could see Mother Borton 1
would fix it" l said confidently.
What! That she-deyil?" cried
Dicky. Shed give you up to have
your throat cut in a minute If she
could get a four-bit piece for yoar
carcass. l guess she could get more
than that on you. too"
Mother Borton's warnings against
Dicky Nahl returned to me with force
at this expression of esteem from the
young man, and 1 was filled with
doubts
4 came up to tell you to look out
for yourself" continued Dicky I'm
afraid they mean mischief, and here
you come with a wild scheme for get
ting into the thick of it."
We'll, III think better of It," ]
said But see If you can find out
what is going on. Come up and lei
me know if you get an inkling of their
plants"
"All right" said Dicky. But Just
sleep on hair-trigger tonight"
Goodnight l said, as I turned to
ward my room, and Dicky, with an an
swering word, took his way TOWARD
the Borton place
had grown used to the silent ter
rors of my house. But as we stumbled
uD the stairway the approximations o
Dicky Nahl came strong upon me, am
! looked ahead to the murky halls. an,
glanced at everyway as though I ex
pected an ambush. Porter and Bark
house marched stolidly along, showing
little disposition to talk
What's that?" l exclaimed. stor
pins to listen
What was it?" asked Farmhouse
as we stopped on the upper landing
and gazed into the obscurity.
I thought | heard noise" said
who's there?"
1T was a rat" said Porter. CIV
heard EN- out here OF nights"
Well, just light that other gas jet,
said. TT viii help to make thing
pleasant In case of accidents"
! The doors came out of the darkness
: as the second jet blazed up, but moth
, ing else was to be seen.
Suddenly there was a scramble, an
a something sprang up before my dooi
Porter and I raised the revolvers tha
WIZ ASdo9 III our uauUS, Out BARI
: house spring past us, and in an il
slant had closed with the figure an
:, held 1t in his arms.
There was a volley of curses, oath
mingled with sounds that reminde
7 me Of nothing SO much as a spittin
I cat, and familiar voice screamed /
= almost inarticulate rage:
' Let me go, damn. ye, or I'll knit
! ye,"
:. Coed heavens" I cried, let he
go. Barkhouse. It's Mother Borton."
! Mother Borton freed herself with
!. vicious shake, and called down til
wrath of Heaven and hell on the sta
; wart guard.
You're the bIack-hearted spawn
a the sewer rats, to take a respectah
! woman like a bag OF meal" erie
! Mother Borton Indignantly. With
! fresh string of oaths It's fire ar