Willmar tribune., 1909-06-09

than murder. I decided % let nslnssA
shape themselves and only endeavos
to keep out Of sight.
The men blundered about tho room
for awhile, the lantern rather handi.
Gaping than aiding them in their
search. 1could hear every word they
said and the ,uneasiness they showed
was certainly . suspicious circum.
stance.
Finally they stopped short Dis
tance from my place Of concealment.
could see their feet. about which
the lanterns light concentrated, and
they were facing away from me, which
gave me little more hope OF o..
Gaping.
Belden was speaking.
Il tell you," he said, 1T was some.
thing fell. It want anything else be-
cause know every door is locked. I
seen to 'em myself before we turned
in just as does every night"
THAT don't NATTER" retorted Mason
with warmth. I'VE can't take chances.
and we must find what made the
noise It we have to look all night.
Nothing could have fell If it hadn't
been pushed over and it takes some
thing live to push things over. I
hatnt liked the way that stranger has
been poking around here lately. I've
had my suspicious Of him all the time,
and I came near as anything taking Q
pot shot at him that day found him
hid out behind bowlder watching the
mouth Of the mine through his spy.
glass;"
"Why didn't you." queried Belden
in a sntering tone. I'D a done it, IL
I had been the one to find him.
What's the matter with you is you
don't want to do q thing but copper
your share Of the swag and play safe
all the time. Wish I'd "a found him.
He'd been wolf feed in less'n no time"
well, taint no use fussing about It
now," replied Mason. I'm glad I
didn't shoot him, for it would have
brought a lot of detectives and gov.
ernment men about here and would
have spoiled our game right off.
"Well, let's go back to bed," yawned
Belden, ignoring the taunt.
mot until we've found what made
that noise," answered Mason. you
wait here until I get the headlight
from the office. This blamed lantern
amt worth shucks."
"All right" grumbled Belden, and
Mason went towards the door, swing.
ing the lantern as he walked.
I had heard enough to justify me in
arresting the men and in going to any
length to accomplish it. Mason would
not be gone long. I we'll knew, 50 I
decided to capture Belden before his
partner returned.
I stealthily crawled from under tho
table, my stocking feet making no
noise upon the concrete floor, and
warily approached the unconscious
Relden. l could Just make out his
bulk, where he stood in a dark por-
t'on of the building, and could hear
the rustling Of his clothing. He
scratched match and I held my
breath. Fortune favored me. He was
lighting a corn-cob pipe, his back fair
~ to me. Like shadow I glided to.
ward him and with quick, sure
stroke brought my heavy revolver
down upon the back of his neck with
sickening, crunching impact.
He fell without groan and lay like
one dead. Nevertheless, I took the
iprecaution to slip pair OF handouts
upon his wrists, and then I sprans
towards the door through which !
could see the light of Mason's lantern
advancing. was not a second too
soon. AS Mason crossed the threshold
struck him heavy blow upon the
head and he went down like an Oh
in the shambles. I handcuffed him
and picked up his lantern.
Next, packed the unconscious men
into the room where they slept and
deposited them upon the bed, afte,
which set about restoring them t.
consciousness. This room opened into
the Office where was situated the
vault. After some little time Mason
groaned and sat upright.
well, pardner," was his crestfaller
greeting, when he had looked me ovel
carefully, Il guess you hold the trump
cards. What do you mean to dc
next?"
He showed no resentment and
seemed, at first, to think that I was
bandit. I showed him my badge
which had an electrical effect upor
him.
In my brief acquaintance with hin
I marked him as a man who woult
confess everything and endeavor tt
escape punishment by duplicating hi,
confederates, so I explained to htu
as much Of my suspicious as seeme<
expedient and made several guesses
This quite overpowered him, and aftel
it he was as plant as wax in m,
hands. He confessed everything ant
opened the big vault for me ant
showed me the books Of the company
had expected to have some difficult!
with, him and to have to do more
bluffing than proved necessary, bu
he did everything in his power t.
help me.
| He said that he, Belden, and Hud
son had turned the trick without as
sistance. They had conceived tn,
gigantic fraud when the mine begal
to fail, and had experienced little dit
ficulty in putting it into effect. o.
the fine showing the mine had made a
first, they succeeded in getting $1,000
900 invested in it, after which the!
had incorporated and begun to sci
stock. Thev took the money thew re