The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-01-08

ness in the armorer's face. But
why should Spantz wish him evil?
Again intuition, encouraged by
supplied him with
possible, even plausible explana-
tion.
The Anarchists! The Reds!
Olga was an avowed Anarchist;
she was almost prisoner in the
house of her uncle. Truxton's
guard sat up suddenly and felt
for his weapon when the captive
let out a bitter oath of under
standing and rage.
by CAD, they think I am de-
tective!" he added. light coming
to him with a rush.
Whats that?". snapped the
other. Truxton could almost feel
the others body grow tense de-
spite the space between them.
Are you a detective? Are you?
By God, if you are, I'll finish you
up right here. YOU"
NO! They're on the wrong
scent BY Jove. the laughs on
old man Spantz."
"Oho! So you do know what's
up, then? Spantz, Ell? Well,
what you've guessed at or found
out won't make much difference,
my fine young fellow. They've
got you, and you'll be worse off
than Danny Deever in the morn
in! Hello! Here they come.
Now we'll get out of this infer
nal bake-oven. Say, do you know,
you've been cuddlin' up against a
lint of warm stove pipe for nearly
an hour? Sh!"
The glimmer of light came
up from somewhere be-
hind Truxton; he could see the
shadows on the wall.
Two men crept into the room a
moment later. One of them car
ried a lantern; the other turned
Kings body over with his foot.
"You damned brute" grated
the captive.
Call damned BRUTE" grated
the captive.
Call him what you like, young
feller," said his first acquaint-
ance. HE can't understand al
word you say. Well, do we pull
out?" This to the man with the
lantern.
The roof was so low that they
were compelled to stoop in NOV
ing about. Truxton saw that the
three ruffians were great, brutal
faced fellows, with barred arms
that denoted toll as well as spoils.
Immediate" said the lantern
bearer. Come: we drag him to
he cave"
Drag? Nix; we en- carry him,
pard. I'm not for draggin' him
Town that passage. Grab hold
.here-you! Hey, get his feet,
iamn you!" The third man was
reluctant to understand. but at
asst grasped the prisoner by the
'eet, swearing in a language of
ais own. The Yankee desperate
.ook his shoulders, and together,
with earnest grunts, they follow.
I'd the man with the lantern,
rruxton knew not whittier except
that it was away from the wretch
ed sweat-hole.
He could see that they were
,rowding through low, narrow
passage, the earthern sides Of
which reeked with moisture.
Twice they paused to rest, resum-
ing the journey after season of
,ursing, finally depositing him
with scant courtesy upon the
rocky floor of what proved to be
4 rather commodious cave. The
breath was almost Jared from his
body. He had the satisfaction OF
driving his two heels viciously
against the person of the man
who had held them the last ter
minutes, receiving a savage kick
IN return.
Daylight streamed into this
convenient "hole in the WALL;
lying upon his side, Truxton
faced the opening that looked out
upon the world. He saw nothing
but blue sky. Near the opening,
ooking down as IL into the valley
below, stood the tall, gaunt fig
IRE of a man, thin-shouldered and
stopped. His back was to the
captive, but King observed that
the three men. with two COM
panions, who sat at the back of
the cave, never removed their
gaze from the striking figure out
lined against the sky.
Many minutes passed before
the watcher turned slowly to take
in the altered conditions behind
him. King saw that he was old:
and cadaverous, with
sharp. hawk-like features. This,
then, was the "old man." and he
was not William Spantz. Unlike