The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1910-09-29

t"N HAt"t
The bivouac was nerve-rackinE The
old house apparently had a bounteeus
rodent population and the little beasts
scampered back and forth IN the walls
with spooky sambols. Every window
IN thee house ratified. and the pail OF
emptiness that always hangs heavily
In deserted human habitation rested
Ia dead weight-in the air.
Two blocks distant the elevated
trains rumbled duly By. and the
morning parade OF the milk wagons
had not yet begun-to touch the Wis
ions OF the night with the realities Of
the day.
This Is too much for me" cried one
Of the detectives. Let set out and
take breath
The little group. an except Johnny.
arose with alacrity. He stopped alone
IN the old house. and tried 10 keep his
eyes open and. falling. wondered why
he didn't advertise the Newspaper busl-
ness as cure for insomnla, and accrue
cash thereby. when
What's thatg" asked Johnny %
himself He heard with joyous ears
scraping and sliding In the closet op-
posite. where he had picked up the
gold and amethyst garter. Il sounded
as II tho dashboard were being fcrcl-
bly, removed. or. rather. as II someone
we're endcavoring 70 Aide II back. and
a. z the board were sticking IN an un-
accustomed and stubborn fashion
Johnny looked for convenient cor
ner IN which 70 duck He couldn't At
into the drawers OF the chifronler or
the bureau. and thu bed. stripped OF
all It's coverings. even OF the mattress
and pillows. was nat against the wall.
On a chance Johnny crawled beneath
Il, with one eye dxed steadily upon the
closet door.
He had not long 70 walt stealthfly
the door opened. and through the crack
came a CLEAN OF q pocket electric
nashlight The man who was holding
the light whiried Il hastily around tho
room, scanning Il closely as Il 70 make
sure he was unobserved
Oh zroaned Johnny. ana slunk
closer Into the corner. rolling himself
still more tightly into q ball and pull
ing his coat up over hia asry head The
intruder walked over 70 the bureau
drawers and began TO search hurried
y. They were empty. and At this dis
eovery IN each successive drawer the
man fung them shut with q gesture Of
disapp ointment
The voices Of Johnny's returning
companions echoed through tbs corrf-
doris and their footsteps sounded on the
stairway. The intruder put cut his
light and started for the closet The
dawn was now 50 far advanced that a.
he passed the window Johnny distin-
suished his features clearly He must
have been at least nifty years OF age.
rather stockily built man. OF good ap-
pearance. with . tired face and dark
hair. thiclxly streaked with gray. He
hurried into the closet and shut tho
ioor behind him. and Johnny heard !
again the struggle to slide the panel !
INTO place.
who called. SOM" asked the fat de-
iectivo. PECULIARLY. as he entered the
'oom- did they leave cards for ths
,u1 OF us7 Say. where Is that brick
op. anyway
Johnny. with considerable wrigEilns /
md squirming. came out from beneath
he bed
Funny how laundering much easier
{ Il 70 get under bed than out from
IT, he commented. rubbing
he dust from HIS knees
You didn't get chased there. ala
'ou. noWf- came the question Were
'ou seeing things. or what7-
4 saw enough" retorted Johnny.
Guess saw more than you did. and
/ didn't cost anything for the vision.
ither. Here. Farley. let's have q
lght; where's that pocket contrapticn
Z yours7"
Farley brought It out. and Johnny.
iorying IN the importancs Of knowing
omething that the others ala not. and
evelinR In the curiosity and impa-
lence OF his fellows. strobe majesfical-
? into the closet When Johnny had
nything tucked away iE his Uranium
hat he was crazy 10 tell as other peo-
le were to hear. he pulled out TO he
imensions Of the tabled frog. That
Tas the time when Johnny was really
1nny. and more provocative Of risfbil-
y than any Of his ever-ridicuious
arms
Entering the closet he scanned its
alcimined sides closely. running his
ender. long-naiIed fingers carefully
own the wall Then he hit the base
oard. The group around watched m
.nse silence
~Oh. John. cut Il out and open up
1arled CORN CORN was one Of
,hnDy's best friends.
(To Be- continued)