Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-05

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faint CLEAN of light among the trees.
1t disappeared almost instantly.
"Poachers," said Tankerlane to
himself. He stopped and listened.
There was sound of someone NOV
ing in the underground and the noise
came nearer and nearer to him. 1t
was quite evident that the man. who
ever he was, had no wish to avoid
him, or else was ignorant of his pres
ence.
In a few moments someone came
crashing out Of the bushes, and stun
bled into his very arms with cry of
terror. Tankerlane gripped him by the |
collar. The fellow was small and help
less in his powerful grasp. But 1t was
possible that he had knife about |
him.
"Poaching, eh?" said Tankerlane,
swinging the man off his feet and
forcing him face downwards on the
ground Something tinkled on the
stones.
'Poachin'?" the man spluttered.
mo swelp me bob, guv'nor. OF tell
yer strife. oi'm an honest man. Leave
go. yer chokin' me. Can't pore, ard
working Teller tike shelter from the
bloomin' rain. Leave go, | say, and
he squirmed and struggled helplessly
In the mud.
Tankerlane knew at once from the
mans accent that he was not ma
tive of those parts. Then he caught
sight of a tiny yellow CLEAN on the
ground mere speck Of light in the
darkness. He stretched out his left
hand and touched the hot metal Of a
small lantern. He picked it up by the
handle, and, thrusting it into the
mans hand hauled hi INTO his feet.
! "a dark lantern, eh?" he exclaimed.
Turn the light on and let me see who
you are. am the owner of these
woods, and you have no business in
them at this time of night"
Il tike my oath, guv'nor," the man
whined
"Turn on the light" Tankerlane
said sternly 81 shan't hurt you, and
I'll give you a job and half a sover-
eign if you'll do it."
The man turned round the slide Of
4 the lantern and shaft of yellow
light streamed out into the darkness.
1t fell on Tankerlane's face and
small circular patch of wet bushes
and sparkling raindrops. Tankerlane
took the lantern from the mans hand
and examined his prisoner.
The fellow was a thin, understood
specimen of a man and he presented
a miserable appearance as he stood
shivering in his ragged and soaking
clothes. His face was pale and ugly
and covered with three weeks
growth of dirty yellow hair. His small
bloodshot eyes blinked nervously in
the light His whole aspect was that
of man caught in the act of com
, hitting a felony. Tankerlane noticed
piece of thin wire sticking out from
, one of the torn pockets.
"a snare, chr" he said. "Well. II
/ doesn't matter I've horse here JUS
| behind me- The devil won't move =
: frightened Of something. III give 70,
: half sovereign If you'll stand by hin
} till | send groom up from the court.
The man did not answer, but hi
: teeth chartered as he looked nervous
: ly behind Tankerlane in the dark
ness.
"Well, you scoundrel?" said Tanker
lane, giving him a shake to quicker
2 his powers Of speech.
5 Make it quid, guv'nor," the maj
$ whined.
"Be hanged to you," replied Tar
|, kerlane. "You may think yourself
g lucky I'm not giving you over to tn
4 police"
!, "The 'orse stopped, did 'e?" sal
i the man. "Oh, the 'orse stopped. TIL
a L. - 30 rxrs IN III
'uman beings; e stopped there, by tn
I rile the broken rile. Oh, g stopped
did e, and you arsk me to stay Their
J. for arr thick 'un, where the bloom
n in 'orse seed 'im?"
!. what are you drivveling about, 20
!. IDIOT" said Tankerlane, sternly. y
s you don't go and stand by the horse
u I'll take you down to the police at.
. ton"
d The man cringed and covered b.
g fore Tankerlane's angry voice.
Its wort a quid, guv'nor," he r
5. peated with chattering teeth; III 20
q bloomin' rile, you'd mike 1t a quid.'
s. Don't be fool" replied Tanke
3 lane firmly. But his words belied h
u feelings. Fear came TO MIN out or tE
ct darkness and laid her cold HAND
W upon his heart. Perhaps the man
terror was infectious. Perhaps WI
Is liam Tankerlane was afraid Of som
le thing more tangible than the gho
v of dead man.
is "And what do you know about tt
le rail- he continued, that l do NJ
IS know, that everyone does not know
lie Ben Holland, half drunk, fell again
'e it last night, and 1t broke away wit
rs his weight. We all know that. b.
is only a miserable, whining hound iii
d, yourself would be afraid to wait ha
e. an hour by the place where man m
p with an accident"
I'd "An haccident, guv'nor,' said Il
trembling wretch with sickly gri
N ''What'd yer say, If it were no blool
le in haccident, after all?"
I'd A look of fear came into Tanke
as lans dark eyes, but his face was
tn the shadow, and the poacher So
he nothing.
IN 81 should say" replied Tankerlar