The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-26

ton a dozen times, trying TO pump me
all the time"
'Strangers?" I said to the woman
"Of course we are. Tourists. Don't
know soul for many a mile about
here and not q soul Knows us. But
you needn't be afraid. We can pay
you;' and L took out a handful of
money and tossed a gold piece across
to her.
It was worth the money to see the
greedy ayariCiOus light that leapt i'm
her eyes. But VOlna looked puzzled
and a little alarmed at this act of
mine.
What a time that man is getting
the coffee" the woman said. L sup
pose he can't find it." and she went
out Of the room.
why did you do thatY' asked
Volna.
why not? It was the answer she
wanted, and it's quite relief TO be
able to tell the truth
do you suspect anything?
'I think the man is a long time find
ing such a thing as conee and i Won
der they don't keep it here with the
rest of their eatables;" and Volna
showed that she understood me.
The two came back wrangling; she
scoIding him for his delay; he protest
iLE ne Gl0H Z AAON NAAEAI sAAI 4A@ ~
things. They were clumsy actors, how
ever.
The woman made some coffee then
and set it on the table I'm thinking
where I'll put you to Sleep" she said.
You can have our bed and welcome
she added to Volna; but for your
brother. III have to make one up some
how. You see we're only poor folks.
But Wen manage. Come Ivan"
] e.
to my lips as they went out; and the
woman turned and saw me. This time
instead Of locking the door upon us,
/ they left it ajar
It was becoming as plain as print,
I set down the cup, untasteds OF
/ course, and talked in q fairly loud tone
about the kindness of the two and how
good the coffee tasted, and VOlna TAX
/ ing her cue from me agreed.
Then we all but emptied the two
cups into a jug and hid 1t away. and
went on talking unCOncernedly. Pres
emily ] stole to the door and listened
/ The two were in the upper part Of the
/ house.
Volna, I could see now, was begin
[ ming to grow nervous.
It's all right. We can act much bet
/ ter than they, and there isn't a thing
| to fear"
Her brow wrinkled. IT think Peggy
! doesn't want to be left alone Bob" she.
SAID.
You'll have to make shift with that
wooden settle; but you may 60 to sleep
without a thought"
What do you think they mean 70
do?"
They've half done what they meant
and we shall soon know the rest. The
coffee is drugged, Of course, and they
think we've drunk il. Now lie down
and just go off to sleep. I've dried my
| last three cigars and am going TO
! smoke one Of them"
I settled her on the wooden bench
and having lighted my cigar, rum
/ maged about and found an oily rag
with which I cleaned my revolver very
! carefully, reloaded it and kept Il az
/ hand.
I then sat down by the fire smoking
and thinking and waiting. It was evi-
/ dent enough that we had got into the
/ hands of some very ugly customers, I
/ recalled several strange tales OF dark
/ deeds done in these wild and lonely
] parts of the country; and the cirCum-
| stances now lent themselves readily to
| villainy.
They had got from rs the fact that
we were strangers, and I had purposely
made no hesitation In showing that We
/ had plenty Of money. That they had
I tried in their clumsy way TO drug US
I had no doubt whatever; and the only
I question was what they meant to do
next.
Continued next sunday,)