Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-04
CHAPTER XIV.
His Wne's Father.

His Wife's F1ther.
I Jumped up and Seized the fire
tongs. The cats wall had reused
Hotchkiss, who was wide-awake at
once. He took in my offensive attitude.
the tongs. the direction of my gaze,
and needed nothing MORE. As no
picked up the candle and darted out
into the hall. I followed him. He made
directly for the staircase, and part
way up he turned OF to the right
through . small door. We were on
the gallery Itself; below US the fire
cleaned cheerfully, the cat was not
In sight. There "a no sign of my
ghostly visitant, but as we stood there
slid ove the railing and fell to the
floor. below.
Man or woman?" Hotchkiss In
CURED in his most professional tone.
"Neither-that is, I don't know. /
didn't notice anything but the eyes"
I muttered. "They were looking a
hole in me. II you'd seen that cat
you would realize my state of mind.
That was a traditional graveyard
yowl."
Il don't think you saw anything at
ALL" he lied cheerfully. you dozed
OF, and the rest is the natural result
Of . meal on a buffet car"
Nevertheless, he examined the Box
hara carefully when we went down,
and when 1 finally went to sleep he
was reading the only book in sight
"Elwell on Bridge" The first rays Of
daylight were coming mistily. into the
10 when he reused me. He had
his finger on his lips. and he whis-
pered sibilantly while I tried to draw
on my distorted boots.
Il think we have him." he said tri-
umphantly. I've been looking around
some, and I can tell you this much.
Just before we came in through the
window last night, another man came.
only-he did not drop. as o did.
He swung over to the stairN railing,
and then down. The rail is scratched.
He was long enough ahead of us to
go into the dining o and get a de-
cauter out of the %sideboard. He
poured out the liquor into a glass,
left the decanter there, and took the
whisky into the library across the hall.
Then-he broke into a desk, using a
paper knife for a jimmy"
Good Lord, Hotchkiss," I exclaim-
ed: why, 1t may have been Sullivan
himself! Confound your theories
he's getting farther away every min
ute"
1T was Sullivan" Hotchkiss re-
turned imperturbably. And he has
not gone. His boots are by the IL
brsry fire."
"He probably had a dozen pairs
where he could, get Them" l scoffed.
And while you and I 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. It is fatal
to reasoning. AS a matter of fact, he
didn't relish q night on the mountains
any mor than we did. After he had
Internationally frightened you almost
into paralysis, what would my gentle
man naturally do? Go out in the
storm again? Not IL I know the Alice
sit-by-the-fire 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. I am aware
that the traditional hero is always
armed. and that eHotchkiss az the low
A~~n4J{n~ ch~,,1aw 1o~~ hoA n ~r~,o1~1~
that missed IRE. AS q fact, we had
nothing Of the sort. Hotchkiss car
ried the fire tongs. but my sense of
humor was too strong for me; I de-
clined the poker.
"All we want Is a little ~peaceable
conversation with him." / demurred.
I'VE can't brain him first and con
verse with him afterward. And any
how, while I can't put my! finger on
the place. l think your, theory ID weak.
II he wouldn't run 100 miles through
ERE and water to get away from us.
then he is not the man We want"
Hotchkiss, however, RAJ certain. He
had found the room and listened out
side the door to the sleepers heavy
breathing, and 70 We climbed past lux
urious suites, revealed In the deepen
ing daylight. past long vistas Of hall
and boudoir. And We we're both badly
winded whom We got there. It was
tower room, reached tJ marrow
stairs, and well above the roof level.
Hotchkiss was glowing.
1T IL partly good luck, but not ALL"
he painted in . whisper. IF we had
persisted-in the search last night. he
would have taken alarm and ned.
Now-we have him. Are you ready?"
He gave . mighty rap at the door
with the nre 'tongs. and stood ex-
Dectant. Certainly he was right: some
one moved within.
Hello! Hello there!" Hotchkiss
bawled. you might as well. come put.
We won't hurt on, II you'll come
peaceably."
.'Tell him we represent the law.""I
prompted. That's the customary
thing. you know"
But 1t that moment . bullet came
squarsly through the door and fat
tened itself with q sharp psf against
the wall Of the tower staircase. We
Aucked unanimously, dropped back out
Of range, and Hotchkiss retaliated with
. spirited bang bang at the door with
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