Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-12-22

been overcast ana gloomy, put the
moon drew out just then, and she saw
that the newcomer, evidently a patrol.
carried Il rifle in the hollow of his arm
She also saw that one of the first three
was the automobiles owner.
For some minutes they conversed in
undertones, whose very secrecy In
famed her Imagination. 1t seemed to
her that they made some reference to
the fiume. Had there been another rob-
berry of the sluice boxes and could
they still suspect Hugh
Dread and INDIGNATION made her
bold. When they turned into the path
she followed, treading noiselessly. till
| she was close behind them. They had
stopped again and We're looking iment
ly at shadowy gray something that
moved in the bottom below
She heard the man who carried the
rifle say, with smothered laugh:
Its only Barney McGinn's old white
horse taking drink out of the sluice
box. He often does that"
| Then the sheriff's voice said: NC
Ginn's horse is in town tonight, with
Barney on her back. Horse or no
horse, I'm going to- The rest was lost
in the swift action with which he
snatched the firearm from the first
speaker, sighted and fired
In the still night the conclusion
seemed to rock the ground and reused
hundred echoes. 1t startled and
shocked the listening girl. but not so
much as the sound that followed it
a cry that had nothing animal-like and
that sent the men running down the
slope toward an object that lay hud-
died by the sluice box.
In Mortified curiosity Jessica follow
ed, slipping from shadow to shadow
She saw the sheriff kneel down and
draw collapsed and empty horse
skin from figure whose thieving cum
ming 1t would never cloak again
80 1t was you, after all. Prender.
CAST" the sheriff said contemptuously
The white face stared up at them
venomous and writing. turning about
the circle as though searching for some
one who was not there.
How did-you guess?"
The sheriff. who had been making
swift examination. answered the pant
ed question, You have no time to
think Of that now" he said
A sinister look darted into the film
Ing yellow eyes, and hatred and GER
tainty rekindled them Prendergn~
struggled to sitting posture then
fell back. convulsed. Hugh Stires.
He was the only-one who knew-how
it was done He's clever. but he can't
get the best Of Prendergast" A spasm
distorted his features "Wait-wait"
He fumbled In his breast, and his
fingers brought forth Il crumpled piece
of paper He thrust it into the sher-
IFS hands.
Look! Look!" he gasped. The
man they found murdered on the claim
there"-he pointed wildly up the hill
side-"Dr. Moreau. l found him-dy-
ing! Stires"-
Strength was fast failing him. He
tried again to speak. but only inarticu-
late sounds came from his throat.
A blind terror had clutched the heart
of the girl leaning from the shadow.
DIR. Moreau''-"m murdered" Why, he
had been one of Hugh's friends! Why
did this man couple Hugh's name with
that worst of crimes? What dreadful
thing was he trying to tell? She hard
ly repressed desire to scream aloud.
BE careful what YOU say. Prender-
CAST" said the sheriff sternly.
The wretched man gathered force
for a last effort. His voice came In a
croaking whisper:
ut was Sttres killed him. Moreau
wrote 1t down-and kept the paper.
Tell Hugh-we break-even..
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