Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-11-07
"oh, You Mean Hope? Do You Know Herr"


boots. skipping about on one tOot
amid much profanity. That the boot
conquered was evident when the man
| crawled into the creaking bed. an,
nouncing defiantly. IF the landlord
wants them boots off. let him come
an pull EN- off Across the hall
was a rattle of chips. and the voices
OF several men. occasionally raised IN
anger. Now and then they would
! stamp on the floor as an order for
| liquid refreshments from below From
somewhere beyond. the Iongdrawn
melancholy howl of a distressed dog
greeted the rising moon.
Out from all this pandemonium
Keith began to unconsciously detect
the sound of voices talking in the
room to his left. In the lull OF OBJ
structing sound few words reached
| him through the slight open space be.
tween wall and ceiling
Hell. Bill. what's the use goin' out
again when we haven't the price,
oh, we might find Bart somewhere.
! and he'd stake us. guess know
enough TO make him loosen up. Come
on; I'm goin'"
Not me; this town is too near
Fort Hays: I'm liable to run into
some of the fellows"
A chair scraped across the floor as
| Bill arose TO bis feet: evidently from
| the noise he had been drinking, but
| Keith heard him lift the latch OF the
door
All right. Willoughby." be said.
| thlckly, "l'll try my luck. an If / see
Bart I'll tell him yer here. So long
he shufied along the hall and
went. half sliding. down stairs, and
| Keith distinguished the click OF glass
and bottle in the next room, He was
sitting up in bed now wide awake.
! obsessed with a desire to investl.
gate. The reference overheard must
| nave been to Hawley, and ii so, this
! WillOughby. who was afraid OF meet
| ing soldiers from the tort. would be
! the deserter Miss Hope was seeking
| There could be no harm in making
sure. and he slipped into his clothes.
and as silently IS possible. Unattached
! his door There was a noisy crowd at
the farther end OF the hail, and the
! sound OF some one taboriously mount
ing the stairs Not desiring TO he
seen. Keith slipped swiftly toward the
| door OF the other room, and tried the
! latch II was untastened, and ne
stepped quietly within. closing it be-
| hind him.
A small lamp was on the washstand,
| a half.emptied bottle and two glasses
beside it. while a pack of cards lay
scattered on the floor. Fully dressed.
except for a coat. the sole occupant
lay on the bed. but started up at
keith's unCeremonious entrance.
reaching for his revolver. which had
slipped to the wrong side of his belt
What the hell" he exclaimed.
startled and confused.
The intruder took one glance at him
| through the dingy hght-a boy OF
eighteen. dark hair. dark eyes, his
lace. already exhibiting signs of dis
sipation. yet manly enough in chin
and Eouth-and smiled
Il could draw while you were think,
ing about it,. he said. easily, but
am not here on the fight Are you
Fred Wil!oughby?"
The lad stared at him. his uncer-
tain hand now closed on the butt OF
his revolver, yet held inactive by the
others quiet assurance.
What DO you want 10 know fors
| Curiosity largely; thought Id like
10 ask you a question or two
"You-youre not from the tOrt?"
Nothing 10 do with the army; this
is a private affair
The boy was sulleu from drink. his
eyes heavy,