Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-13

he LII Iue place t1QQ
him"
But this Steggles defied anybody to
do. He had looked already. He had
left Crockett at the cinder path behind
the trees in his running gear, with the
addition Of the long overcoat and cap
he used in going between the path
and the house to guard against chill.
~'Raggy,' ses he, it's blawin' a bit
chilly. l think I'll ha' a sweater.
There's one on my box, amt there?'
So in 1 coames for the sweater, and it
weren't on his box, and when 1 found
it and got back he weren't there.
They'd see nowt O. him in t. house.
and he weren't nowhere"
Hewitt and the landlord, now thor
0ughly startled, searched everywhere,
but to no purpose. what should he
go off the place forY' asked Kentish,
in a sweat Of apprehension. ""Tain't
chilly a bit. It's warm. He didn't
want no sweater; wore one be-
fore. 1t was a piece Of kid to be able
to clear out. Nice thing, this is. 1
stand to win two years takings over
him. Here, you'll have to find him."
"Ah, but howe" exclaimed the dis
concerted trainer, dancing about dis
tractedly. "I've got all l could scrape
on him myself. Where can I look?"
Here was Hewitt's opportunity. He
took Kentish aside and whispered.
What he said startled the landlord con
siderably. eyes, I'll tell you all about
that" he said, "if that's all you want.
It's no good or harm to me whether 1
tell Dr. no. But can you find him."
"That l can't promise, of course.
But you know who I am now and
what I'm here for. If you like to give
me the information 1 want, I'll go into
the case for you. and of course I shan't
charge any fee. 1 may have luck, you
know, but I can't promise, Of course"
The landlord looked in Hewitt's face
for a moment. Then he said: Ozone!
It's q DEAL"
every good" Hewitt replied. Get
together the n or two papers you
have, and We'll go into my business in
the evening. AS to Crockett, don't say
a word to anybody. I'm afraid it must
get out, since they all know about it in
the house, but there's no use in max
ing any unnecessary noise. Don't
make hedging bets or do anything that
will attract notice. Now Well go over
to the back and look at this cinder
path of yours"
Here Steggles, who was still stand
ing near, was struck with an idea.
GLOW about old Taylor, at the Cop,
guv'nor, eh?" he said meaningly. "His
lads good enough to win with Sammy
out, and Taylor is backing him plenty.
Think he knows anything O. this?"
"That's likely" Hewitt observed be-
fore Kentish could reply. Eyes. Look
here. Suppose Steggles goes and keeps
his eye on the Cop for an hour or two
in case there's anything to be heard
Of. Don't show yourself, Of course"
Kentish agreed, and the trainer went.
When Hewitt and Kentish arrived at
the path behind the trees, Hewitt at
once began examining the ground. One
or two rather large holes in the cinders
were made, as the publican explained,
by Crockett, in practicing getting off
his mark. Behind these were several
fresh tracks of spiked shoes. The
tracks led up to within a couple Of
| yards of the high fence bounding the
ground, and there stopped abruptly
and entirely. In the fence, a little to
the right Of where the tracks stopped,
there was a stout door. This Hewitt
tried and found ajar.
"That's always kept bolted," Kentish
said. "He's gone out that wayne
couldn't have gone any other without
comm through the house."
"But he isn't in the habit Of making
a step three yards long, is he?" Hew-
lit asked. pointing at the last footmark
and then at the door, which was quite
that distance away from it. Besides"
he added, opening the door, there's no
footprint here nor outside"
The door opened on a lane, with an
other fence and a thick plantation Of
trees at the other side. Kentish looked
at the footmarks, then at the door, then
down the lane, and finally back toward
the house. CHATS a licker!" he said.
"This is a quiet sort of lane" was
Hewitt's next remark. mo houses in
sight. Where does it lead?"
"That way it goes to the Old Kilns-
disused. This way down to a turning
off the Padfeld and Cation road"
Hewitt returned to the cinder path
again and once more examined the
footmarks. He traced them back over
the grass toward the house. Certain
ly," he said, "he hasn't gone back to
the house. Here is the double line of
tracks, side by side, from the house
Steggles' ordinary boots with iron tips,
and Crockett's running pumps. Thus
they came out. Here is Steggles' track
In the opposite direction alone, made
when he went back for the sweater.
Crockett remained. You see various
prints in those loose cinders at the end
Of the path where he moved this way
and that, and then two or three PAGES
toward the ~fence-not directly toward
the door, you ~notice-and there they
stop dead, and there are no more, either
back or forward"
Kentish stared gloomily at the tracks
and said nothing.