Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-06-12

metallic click of the latch. when the girl had shut herself in--and him out Now. some person or persons hnd fol lowed her. neglecting the most obvious precaution of a householder And why? Why but because the intruders did not wish the sound of closing to be audible to her-or those within?
 He reminded himself that it was all none of his affair. decided to pass on and go his way in peace and. i'm pulsivcly swinging about. marched strai~ht away fcr tnr use 's&ed door
 "'Old ard guvner,'
 kirkwocd halted on the cry. falter- Ing In indecision. should he take the plunge or withdraw? Synchronously he was conscious that n mans figure had detached itself from the shadows beneath the nearest portico Gnd was drawng nearer. with every indication of haste to intercept him
 Ere now. guvnes yer mykin' a mistyke. You don't live N.-e''
 .'How do you know?" dcmandrd Kirkwood crisply. tightening his grip on his stick.
 Was this the second shadow he had seemed 10 see-the confederate of him who had entered No. 3. sentry to forestall interruption? If SO. the fel- low lacked discretion. though his de. termination that the American should not interfere was undenIable. lt was with an ugly and truculent manner. If more warlly. that the man closed in
 ''I knows. You clear hout orr
 He flung out a hand wi.h the ylausi- lple design of grasping Kirkwood by the collar. The latter lifted his stick. dehecting the arm. and inconrine Itiy landed his other fist forcibly on the fellows chest. The man reeled back. cursins. Before he could recover Kirk wood calmly crossed the threshold. closed tue door and put his shoulder to 1t. In another instant. fumbling in the darkness. he found the bolts and drove them home.
 And 1t was done. the transformation accomplished. His inability to refrain from interfering had encompassed his downfall. had changed d peaceable and law abiding alien within bri. isl shore into busybody. Il trespasser, a mis- demeanant. dyes. for all he knew to the contrary. in the estimation of the law. Il burglar. prime candidate for a convict's stripes.
 The deril.' he whispered. What an ass. what an utter ass, am!'
 Behind him the knob was rattled shutfing on the stone. and immediate ly. if he were to make d logical deduc ton from the rasping and scraping sound within the door casing, the bell pull was violertly agitatsd without however. educing any response from the bell itself. wherever that might be sitnate. after which. as if in de. spair. the outsider again rattled and jerked the knob.
 Be his status what 1t might. whether servant of the household It's caretaker or night watchman. the man was palpably determined both to get him self In and kirkwocd out and yet. curious to consider. determined to gain his end without attracting undue at tention. KirkwoOd had expected to hear the knockers thunder as soon as the bell failed to give tongue. but 1t did not sound. although there was q knOcker. kirkwOod himself had re- marked that antiquated and rusty bit of ironmongery affixed 10 the middle panel of the door. And 1t made him feel sure that something surrcptitious and lawless was in process within those walls: that the confederate with out. having failed to prevent a stran- ger from entering. left unemployed q means so certain sure to rouse the oc cupants.
 But his inferential analysis of this phase of the proceedings was summa. rily abrupted by that identical alarm In trice the house was flied with flying echoes. wakened to sonorous riot by the crash and clamor of the knocker. and kirkwood stood fully two yards away, his heart hammering