The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-10-06
CHAPTER vi (COntInued.)

The room was clean, poorly furnish
ed and quite empty. So much a glance
assured him.
He read the directions scrawled upon
a bottle on the shelf and poured some
Of the liquid out into the spoon.
I have never seen her ike this be-
fore" the man was saying sullenly.
What IN the devil were you saying
TO her. anyhow
''I happened to be telling her about
old Fairfax's DEATH" said Annerly
studying the old mans face keenIy
and yet carelessly. "She seemed"
Fairfax deadr'
The man had twisted a white. shock
ed face upward and was staring at
Annerly. The medicine dripped unno-
ticed from the spoon in a sticky little
stream and stained the bosom Of the
woman's coarse cotton frock.
"Yes-dead. Died yesterday morn
ing-that Is, II ne did die. Some people
most Of them. in fact-think that he
was murdered"
The man, still with that queer look
on his face, laid the wOman's head
back upon the floor none too gently.
He was still staring at Annerly.
You said that you rode down here"
he said irrelevantiy az last. Where
did you leave your horse7"
Back at the foot OF a long. red Hill
a quarter Of a mile from here" said
Annerly promptly. Tied him close to
a spring where a girl was washing
clothes"
You'll have to make the best of
Il stranger" he said quietly. but his
eyes had an ugly CLEAN in them. "I
nave got to get into Rosston IN a
hurry, that Is all there Is to It. And
I don't mean to walk. I VIII have to
hare your horse
- guess not" said the detective
coolly. 81 don't know what your
hurry is. friend, but guess that mine
is about as great"
The man laughed bitterly Annerly
raised his head and his hand slipped
to the pocket Of his loose coat. Too
late. He was staring down the muzzle
OF loaded revolver.
II look upon your coming in this
way as providential." said the man.
grinning. Walking is good, stranger.
and the dogs here are not overly par
- - RNOf~S W-ANAA AAAEg 10 not KNOW.
Let the old woman alone; she will
come to after q while. I guess. and
you had better hit the trail back to
town. You VIII find your horse there
at the livery stable. I'm no thief"
I guess that you have the drop on
me all right" he said simply. ''Wiu
you answer one question IN return FOR
the enforced loan OF my horse?"
The man was tossing things about
restlessly. but the pistol was always IN
evidence. He looked at AnnerIy with
a queer smile
II depends upon what questions Won
mean to ask" he said frankly. ''If
It's any question about Fairfax. vvhv
I haven't a word to say. II the man
Is dead-mind you, had no idea OF II
until you told newly. then the dev,l
has got his due at last That IL all
there is OF IT.
Il wasn't going 10 ask Won about
him." said Annerly What I want m
know is Just this: What are YOU going
TO town for; what are you going To
DO when you get there?"
The man grinned again.
That's two questions" he said i'm
pudently, "and don't know that am
ready with the answer TO either of
the =" He hesitated little and then
flung the answer back over his shout
der.
Il am going to send a message from
town to Myers, Of Little Rock" he
called out He and the devil are the
oply people I know OF who are a
match for old Fairfax. alive or dead. +"
'Myersi Myers!' the detective re-
peated. ''Myersi Why. he is dead. too,
you fooll" But the man did not hcer
him. He was striding swiftly toward
the rail fence. An instant later lie
swung himself over and vanished IA
the shadow or the wood.
TT is heartless TO leave the woman
here in this condition" cried Anneriy.
izrS7olutely. II wonder If"
He knocked on the wall OF the cabin