The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-01-14
CHAPTER XXII.-fContinued.)

CHAPTER XXII.-fContinued
The clerk reused up as Hope approach
ed his desk. He stared strangely, curl
ously at the disordered visitor.
Il have come here twenty miles on
hurried order,'' summa rized Hope.
He took a folded bit of paper from
his pocket.
do you know Warren? Warren, of
the Vulcan Coz" he aided, inquiringly.
"Why-yes," admitted the clerk, stand
ing up and rubbing his eyes.
DO you know his handwriting, also!'
81 think / do"
There's a specimen of it,
"Yes, it's" slowly and wonderingly
nodded the clerk, as he perused scrawl
ordering 1.-THE delivery to bearer of a
certain satchel in a certain closet in the
house. Queer to send for his satchel
that's been here so long. III get 1t for
you, though"
''Be speedy, then, and-careful."
En-
1T might hold some of his goods
see?"
"Oh. dynamite? Yes. but he knows
ly retorted the clerk.
Gideon sank into a chair, pretty well
exhausted. He felt a trifie grewsome as.
bearing a dust-covered satchel, the clerk
reappeared. His hand shook as he took
it. Strange thrills ran through his be-
ing. \ thousand deaths lurked in the lit
tie innocent looking leather receptacle,
he we'll knew.
lie breathed more freely as he again
reached the outer air. With the thought
fulness of a true man he took the middle
Of the road, alone anxious for the nonce
In getting the explosive far and quickly
from the proximity of human beings.
CHAPTER XXIII.
At the edge of the silent town Gideon
Hope paused. What should he do with
The dynamite to insure its harmlessness,
how that he had it?--that was the ques-
ton.
He recalled the explicit directions that
Warren had given him: TIE sink it in
Tome unfrequented water course, and he
remembered he had crossed a bridge above
! winding little stretm, about a mile from
the town.
Toward it Hope bent his course. He
had proceeded distance when dull
sound grew into momentarily augmenta-
tive resonance and distinctness.
Klappetty klop-klappetty klop-klap-
petty klop!
In the soft moonlight he observed APP
preaching two horsemen. An instant
suspicion assailed him. Suppose they were
allies of the mismated pair at the isolat-
ed house, securing the country for him?
I'll take no chances" he decided quiet
ly-"at least until the dynamite is dis
posed Of"
So he drew aside into some bushes
fringng the road. 1t was well that he
did so. AS the men passed him he was
positive he had seen them in the garden
of the private asylum-hired appendices
of that nefarious institution.
AS they rounded a curve in the road
out OF view, Gideon resumed his way.
About FIVE minutes later, as he was
nearing the bridge, almost noiselessly a
man mounted on a horse emerged from
the thickets and nearly ran him down.
He brought his animal to n shalp halt
he stared hard at Hope. Piece by piece
he seemed inspecting his clothing as ii
identifying him from description.
Gideon stood his ground. Soon he
started TO move on.
Click
Il want you" spoke the horseman
and he now held a revolver in his hand.
He ran his horse fairly upon Hope,
leaned oSer, and aimed n blow at him
with the weapon. Gideon lodged. Then
he grappled with the form leaning toward
him. He felt singing pain in one shout
der-the firearm had exploded.
But in wrath and strength he chung to
the fellow, dragged him from the stirrlps,
and giving him a mighty fling, sent his
head cracking across mass OF powders
The satchel he had carried strapped
across one shoulder. As the man lay
senseless. Hope started again for the riv-
err. He staggered. The horse, well train
ed, had not moved away. AS he began
to experience strange dizziness, Hope
pulled himself into the saddle. hurried by
shouts around the bend in the road.
The two horsemen in advance had prob
ABLY heard the shout, and were hurryins
back.
"Up-on.'' feebly ordered Gideon. but
in sheer weakness he almost fell across
the horses neck.
Then there seemed a lapse of sheer in
sensibility. Again his brain slightly
cleared, and he was conscious of being
borne at Flooding gait along a wildwood
bride path.
The steed must have taken a course out
of range of the regular road and the pur-
suing horsemen. Day was breaking. Gid
con knew that the bullet wound in his
shoulder was accountable for the great
weakness that made him even forgetful
of the fateful burden of dynamisS that
he still carried.
He lapsed into renewed Inconsistencies
again revived.
1t was broad daylight now. The horse
was browsing in sort of garden. Near
by was a house. Hope Strengthened up
i'm the saddle. tried to rally his confused
faculties.
He lifted his eyes toward the building
All its windows were closely shattered
but one. That was on the second floor.
and barred.
1ncTt SldHCt WIS TlNcteu. w as III
delrum, fancy? For the roseate dawn
illumined a figure. wonder eyed, gazing
down at him.
Claire.
CHAPTER XXIV.
This had happened: The horse that
had safely borne Gideon Hope to this
unlooked-for destination belonged, as he
had inferred. to the stables of the Sc
cluded haunt where his pursuit by Elita S
allies had begun.
Apparently the animal had made fire.
quent journeys between the two places,
and instead of returning home, had come
hither, with Hope helpless burden
across the saddle.
The truth, the fortune of this climax
burst over the mans soul with ardor Not
only had he escaped his enemies. but he