The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-01-01

I'm with you, sor," said Corson
heartily. I'm hopin' there's some
heads to be cracked"
| had not counted on the police.
mans aid, but / was thankful to accept
the honest offer. In the restaurant !
found FIVE of my men, and with this
force / thought that I might safely at,
tempt an assault on the Den.
The Den was a low, two-story build.
Ing OF brick, with a warehouse below,
and the quarters of the enemy, ap.
preached by a narrow stairway above.
"Step quietly" I cautioned my men,
as we neared the dark and f~orbiddins
entrance. Keep close to the shadow
of the buildings. Our best chance 10
in a surprise" u
There was no guard at the door that
stood open to the street, and We halted
a mQment before 1t to- make sure Of
our Rlaris III iass iaf -
"It's'a bad hole" whispered Corson
"a fine place for an ambush" l re
turned obviously.
well, there's no help for it," said
the policeman. Come on!" And
drawing his: club and revolver he stole
noiselessly up the stairs.
We We're not two.thirds the way ur
the flight before a. voice shot u Of
the darkness. tit >7A*s
Who's there ?"':i4@"-T
There was no more need for silence
and .Corson and / reached the landing
just as a door opened that let the light
stream from within. Two men had
sprung to. the doorway. and another
could be seen family outlined in the
dark hall.
The two men jumped back into the
was upon them before they could
swing it shut. Four of my men had
followed me close, and with a few
blows given and taken the two were
prisoners.
Tie them fast" I ordered, and
hasteneh itu.seerhow:9orson Jared.
Il metAtie worthy policeman in the
hair, blown but exultant. Owens was
following him. and 'betweentthem they
half-dragged, ~half-carfied Gthe man
who had given the alarm.
Aren't there any more, about?" ]
asked. There were more than three
left in the gang" &.
"If there had been more OF us, you'd
never have" got m" growled one of the
prisoners.
"Where's Barkhouse2" l asked.
""Find him!" was the defiant reply.
We began the search, opening one
room after another. Some we're sleep
ing rooms Some the meeting rooms
while the one we had first entered ap
peared to be the g%uardroom.
Hello! What's this?" exclaimed
Corson tapping an iron door, such a.
c1osessa warehouse iasainst{fire.
It's locked sursa enough" sait
OVENS after trial.
TT must be the place we are look
ing fort, i,;safd; xssSearch those mel
for! keys III y fF't
The search was without result.
It's q sledge we.:must :get," salt
Owens. starting TO look about for one
"HouId on" said CorsQn, 81 wa
near forgetting. s'1.ve5got asmaster-ke,
that fits mostfof these locks. IT.
handy. for. closing up a jwarehous'
when some clerk with his wits avian
dering forgits his job. So, like enough
it's good at unlocking"
It needed a little coaxing, but thu
bolt at last slid back and. the heav.
r, door swung opeAv.-The ronm was fur
nished with large table, a big desl
and a dozen chairs, which :sprang GU
of the darkness as I4struck a mattel
and lit, the gas. 'Tt Was evidently thu
council room of the enemy.
This is iligant," said the police
MAN. looking around with: approval
but your man isn't here, I'd say"
We'll, it looks as though Their,
might be something here of interest,
I .replied, Selling eagerly, upon thu
papers, that lay scattered about upol
the desk. Look in the other roon
while I run through these"
A rude diagram on the topmos
paper caught my eye. 1t representet
a road branching thrice. On the thir,
branch was a cross, and then at in
tervals four crosses, as If to mari
some features of the landscape. Un
defnes;h was written:
From B-follow IN M. Take thir'
roads, or g." I
The paper, bore date of that day, ant
l guessed that it meant to show tn,
way TO ting; supposed hidtng-place o
the bOy..a ~ ~
Then, as / looked again, the words
and lines touched a cord OF memory
Something / had seen or known be
for .Was vaguely suggested. 1 gropet
in the obscurity fora moment, vainl,
reaching for the phantom that danced
juat beyond the. grasp Of; my menta
fingers 5sAslS ~
There was no time to lose in spec
ulatingss.aRdI turpedsato the work tina
4 pressed before u But as I thrus
the papers into my pocket to rcsum,
the search for Barkhouse. the elusiv,
memorv Aashad IN me Tho diagram