The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-16


not gone. His boots are by the Ii.
brary fire.
He. probably had dozen pairs
where he could get them," | scoffed.
And while you and sat and slept,
the very man we want to get our
hands on leered at us over that rail
ing"
Softly, softly my friend Hotch.
kiss said, as stamped into my other
shoe. II did not say he was gone.
Don't Jump at conclusions. II is fatal
to reasoning. AS matter of fact. he
didn't relish night on the mountains
any more than we did. After he had
unintentionally frightened you almost
into paralysis, what would my gentle
man naturally DO? Go out in the
storm again? Not If know the Alice
sit-by-the-fre type He went upstairs,
well up near the roof, locked himself
in and went to bed
And he is there now?"
"He Is there now"
We had no weapons | am aware
that the traditional hero is always
armed, and that Hotchkiss as the low
comedian should have had a revolver
that missed fire As fact, we had
nothing of the sort Hotchkiss car
ried the fire tongs, but my sense Of
humop was too strong for me, ] de-
clined the poker
"All we want is little peaceable
conversation with him. demured,
I'VE cant brain him first and con.
verse with him afterward. And any
how, while | can't put my finger on
the place, | think your theory is weak.
ls he wouldn't run 100 miles through
fire and water to get away from us,
then he is not the man we want
Hotchkiss, however, was certain He
had found the room and listened out
side the door to the sleeper's heavy
breathing. and SO we climbed past lux
urious suites, revealed in the deepen
ing daylight, past long vistas of hall
and boudoir, And we were both badly
winded when we got there. 1t was
tower room, reached by narrow
stairs. and well above the roof level
Hotchkiss was glowing.
1T is partly good luck. but not all,
he painted in a whisper. IF we hat
persisted In the search last night. he
would have taken alarm and fed
Now-we have him. Are you ready
He gave a mighty rap at the dool
with the fire tongs, and stood ex
pectant. Certainly he was right; some
one moved within.
"Hellol Hello there" IIotchkisi
bawled You might as well come out
We won't hurt you, ii you'll come
peaceably."
Tell him we represent the law
prompted That's the customar,
thing, you know"
But at that moment a bullet cam'
squarely through the door and fiat
tened itself with sharp psf agains
the wall OF the tower staircase w
ducked unanimously. dropped back on
of range, and Hotchkiss retaliated witt
spirited bang bang at the door witt
the tongs. This brought another bul
let. II was a ridiculous situation. Ur
der the circumstances, no doubt W
should have retired, at least until W
had armed ourselves, but Hotehkis
had no end of fighting spirit, and a
Tor me, MY blood was up.
Break the lock- ! suggested, an
Hotchkiss, standing at the side, out G
range, retaliated for every bullet by
smashing blow with the tongs TIL
shots ceased after a half dozen, an
the door was giving, slowly. One {
us on each side of the door, we wer
( ready for almost any kind of despe
ate resistance. As it swung ope
Hotchkiss poised the tongs; / stoo'
bent forward my arm drawn back fc
a blow.
Nothing happened
There was not a sound Finally, Z
the risk of losing an eye which | jus
" value. | peered around and into tn
room. There was no desperate there
Only a fresh-faced. trembling-lippe
servant, sitting on the edge Of hC
bed. with a quilt around her shoulder
and the empty revolver at her feet.
W. u.ara ,,fatorio,,c but nnunupyp
army never beat such retreat as ouI
down the tower stairs and into tn
refuge of the living room. Their
with the door closed, sprawled ON tn
diyan. | went from one spasm OF mirt
into another, becoming sane at int
walls, and suffering relapse again ever
time saw Hotchkiss' disgruntle
countenance. He was pacing the room
the tongs still in his hand, his moul
pursed with irritation. Finally !
stopped In front of me and compellt
my attention.
When you have finished cackllng
he said with dignity, "l wish to justil
my position. DO you think the--er-
young woman upstairs put pair
number eight boots 10 dry in the
, brary last night? DO you think 81
poured the whisky out Of that deca
ter?"
4rhey have been known to do IT,
put IN, but his eye silenced me
/, Moreover. II she had been the pc
son who peered ~ you over the "a
lery railing last night, don't You su
pose, with her err belligerent di
J position, she could have filled you
full OF lead as a window weight?'