Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-01-05

scrutinized me with mingled indigna-
ton and interest. .
l seemed to- puzzle him, and his gaze.
swept me from head to foot severaE
times before he spoke. Then his eyes:
flashed angrily and he took a step to-
ward me.
"Who in the devil are you and what
do you want?"
my name is Donovan, and I don't
want anything except to get home.''
Where do you come from at this,
hour of the night?"
Il am spending the summer at Mr.
Glenarm's place, near Annandale."
That's rather unlikely; Mr.. Glen
arm is abroad. What were you doing
down there on the creek?"
Il wasn't doing anything until two
mer came along to kill you and I
mixed up with them and got badly
mussed for my trousse.@'
He eyed me with new interest.
'They came to kill me, did they?
You tell a good story, Mr.. Donovan"
"Quite so. I was standing on the
deck Of the houseboat, or whatever it
is
"Where you had no business to,
be"
Granted. I had no business to be-
there; but was there and came near
getting killed for my impertinence, as
l have told you. Those fellows rowed
up from the direction of the lake. One
OF them told the other to call you to-
your door on the pretense of summon
ing aid for broken motor car off
there in the road. Then he was to-
stab you. The assassin was an Ital-
ian. His employer spoke to him In:
that tongue. I happen to be &C.
quainted with it."
"You are very accomplished per-
son." he observed, dryly.
He walked up to me and felt my
pockets.
who fired that pistol?"
"The man in charge of the expedi-
ton. The Italian was trying to knife
me on the deck, and l broke away
from him and ran. His employer had
gone back to the boat for safety and
he took crack at me as I ran across
the platform. It's not the fault Of
either that I'm not quite out of bust.
ness"
An inner door back of me creaked
slightly. My captor swung round ut
the sound.
20 Rosalind! It's all right. A gen.
tleman here lost his way and I'm CIV
ing him his bearings
The door closed gently, and heard
the sound OF steps retreating through
the cottage. I noted the anxious look
in Holbrook's face as he waited for
the sounds to cease; then he adjj
dressed me again.
"Mr. Donovan, this IL 4 quiet neigh.
borhood, and l am peaceable man,
whose worldly goods could tempt no,
one. There were undoubtedly others.
besides yourself down there at the
creek, for one man couldn't have
made all that row; but as you are the.
one I caught I must deal with you.
But you have protested too much; the
idea of Italian bandits on Tippecanoe
creek is creditable to your magma
ton, but it doesn't appeal to my com.
mon sense. I don't know about your
being guest at Glenarm house
even that is fiimsy. A guest in the
absence of the host is just little too
fanciful. I'm strongly disposed to
take you to the calaboose at Tippe-
canoe village"
Having been in Jail several times in
IT. @E
anxious to add to my experiences in
that direction. Moreover, I hal come
to this lonely house on the Tippeca-
noe to gain information touching the
movements of Henry Holbrook, and
did not relish the idea of being thrown
into a country Jail by him. l resolved
to meet the situation boldly.
You seem to accept my word re-
luctantly, even after have saved you
from being struck down at your own
door. Now I will be frank with you.
I had a purpose in coming here"
He stepped back and folded his arms.
Eyes, I thought so' He looked
| about uneasily, before his eyes met
| mine. His hands beat nervously on
his sleeves as he waited, and [ re-
| solved to bring matters to an issue by
! speaking his name.
II know who you are, Mr.. Hol-
brook"
! His hands went into his pockets
again, and he stepped back and
! laughed.
you are a remarkably bad guesse>,
Mr.. Donovan. If you had visited NO
by daylight instead of coming like
thief at midnight, you would have
saved yourself much trouhse. Ny
name is displayed over the outer gate.
I am Robert Hartridge, the cazoe-
maker" y
(To BE CoNT1NuED)