The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-09-29

pulling off his boots, socks and trous-
ers. Setting the lamp, with fame
turned low, so that the light would
not show on the window curtains. he
turned in without removing his under
clothing, though it was still wet Be-
fore retiring, however, he again fun.
bled about his waist with the same
nervous anxiety he had exhibited on
the brink of the flood and readjusted
some bulky object that showed its out
line under his shirt, completely en-
circling his body.
He had slept for some time when,
his senses alert to every suspicious
sound, he was wide awake and listen.
ing.
Enthusiastically the creaK of cautious
footsteps could be heard in the room
below. He listened, tense and staring.
His caller made slow progress. Ger
tain progress, though, it was, and
toward the stairway leading to the
hall into which his room opened. Fol-
lowing any unusually insistent COM
plant on the part of the flooring, all
sound would cease for a minute or
more. Then, treasured, it would begin
again.
The man, half sitting in the bed,
stared wildly before him, but without
seeing. His whole sense was hearing.
Precipitation stood beaded on his face
and hands. He was filed with fear
natural to the defenseless and cor
nered quarry.
But waiting was not to be tolerated
by man of his disposition to action.
He cautiously crawled from the bed
and stood looking about the dimly
lighted room, selecting the most prom
ising weapon of defense. There was
not much to choose from-a light,
cane-seated chair, a water pitcher and
wash bowl, the washstand and his
boots, besides the lamp. These ap-
peared to be all that was available
not very effective against firearms.
Wait! Besides these there was one
more object, but so insignificant
small bottle of red ink. This last,
however, caught his eye and, with al
most a trace of amusement in express
sion, he quickly pulled a fat money
belt from about his waist beneath his
shirt, rumpled up the bed clothing and
thrust the belt under the mattress.
He next made his way carefully and
quietly to the stand and secured the
ink bottle, on the way noiselessly
turning the chair on it's side and pull
ing the curtain back as he passed the
window, exposing the half-open sash.
A broken pane of glass luckily added
to the general appearance of disarray
he plainly desired to produce. After
placing the wash bowl upturned on
the floor, taking the pitcher from the
stand, disarranging the towel that had
been spread neatly across it, he took
one further satisfied glance about the
room.
Carefully then he stretched himself
in the middle of the 9por, opened the
bottle of ink and poured some of it's
crimson contents on his breast and
throat and across his forehead just
below the hair. The rest he poured on
the floor near his head and neck and
then tucked the bottle under his shirt
where it would not be seen. He
rumpled his underclothing to make it
appear to have been pulled aside by
the tearing away of the money belt,
and finally lay with head thrown back
and eyes fixed on the ceiling, and wait
ed. 1t was a bold bit of acting. Would
it work?
He did not have long to wait, for.
although he had made his preparations
as rapidly as possible, consistent with
silence, he had hardly completed the
tableau setting before he heard muf-
fed whispers at the door. There was,
then, more than one caller They were
deciding on the mode of entrance. The
door was light one, offering but
slight obstruction to a strong man.
Though aware of this they apparently
hesitated before taking so noisy a
method. Carefully the knob was
turned. but only to confirm what they
must have expected-that the door
was locked
Another interval of silence and then.
yielding to a quick pressure from a
broad shoulder, the lock snapped with
sharp report and man sprang into
the room, holding a revolver. He did
not stop until his feet almost touched
the PROSTATE body on the floor In the
dim light he made it out and shrank
back to the door with an oath.
What is it, Alp came in a whisper
from the dark Of the hall
Someone has been here before u.s.
was the answer, as another man joined
him in the doorway For moment the
two stood staring in disappointed rags
at the red-splotched object on the
floor They took in the signs of strug
gle and the open window through
which a murderer and robber might
have entered and made his escape.
'Ain't that hell?" and the other as
scented that it was.
We've got no business hanging
around here, and the quicker we cut
out the better. The other fellow got
the ten thousand, but we stand good
chance to get the rope"
This was sound reasoning, and few
later the callers were riding
away more hurriedly than they had