The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-03-30

| lett the decanter there, and took the
whisky into the library across the hall.
Then-he broke into a desk, using a
paper knife for jimmy"
Good Lord, Hotchkiss,' 1 exclaim-
ed; why, it 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
brary fire"
He probably had dozen pairs
where he could get Them" I scoffed.
And while you and 1 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. Il did not say he was gone.
Don't jump at conclusions. 1t is fatal
to reasoning. AS a matter of fact, he
| didn't relish night on the mountains
any more 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 if l know the Alice
| sit-by-the-fre 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"
10 hoI
that the traditional hero is always
armed, and that Hotchkiss as the low
| comedian should have had a revolver
| that missed fire. AS a fact, we had
| nothing of the sort. Hotchkiss car
ried the fire tongs, but my sense Of
humor was too strong for me; l de-
clined the poker.
An We want is a little peaceable
conversation with him." l demurred.
We can't brain him first and con-
verse with him afterward And any
how while l can't put my finger on
the place I think your theory is weak.
If he wouldn't run 100 miles through
fire and water to get away from us,
then he is not the man we want"
Hotchkiss, however, was certain. He
| had found the room and listened out
side the door to the sleeper's heavy
breathing, and so We climbed past lux
| uriOus suites, revealed in the deepen
ing daylight, past long vistas of hall
and boudoir And we were both badly
winded when we got there 1t was
tower room, reached by narrow
stairs, and well above the roof level.
| Hotchkiss was glowing.
1T is partly good luck, but not all"
he painted in a whisper IF we had
persisted in the search last night, he
would have taken alarm and fed
Now-we have him. Are you ready?"
He gave a mighty rap at the door
with the fire tongs, and stood ex-
pectant. Certainly he was right; some
one moved within.
Hello! Hello there" Hotchkiss
bawed You might as well come out.
We won't hurt you, if you'll come
| peaceably."
Tell him We represent the law"
| prompted. That's the customary
/ lulHS, you huON.
But at that moment a bullet came
| squarely through the door and fiat
| tened itself with a sharp psf against
| the wall of the tower staircase. We
! ducked unanimously, dropped back out
of range, and Hotchkiss retaliated with
a spirited bang bang at the door with
/ the tongs This brought another bull
! let 1t was a ridiculous situation. In
/ der the circumstances, no doubt we
/ should have retired, at least until We
/ had armed ourselves, but Hotchkss
/ had no end of fighting spirit, and as
for me, my blood was up.
Break the lock" l suggested, and
Hotchkiss, standing at the side, out of
range retaliated for every bullet by a
smashing blow with the tongs The
| shots ceased after half dozen, and
the door was giving, slowly One of
us on each side of the door, we were
ready for almost any kind of desper-
ate resistance. AS it swung open
| Hotchkiss poised the tongs; | stood,
bent forward my arm drawn back for
a blow.
| Nothing happened.
There was not a sound. Finally, at
! the risk of losing an eye which | just
| ly value, | peered around and into the
room There was no desperate there:
Only a fresh-faced, trembling-lipped
servant, sitting on the edge of her
| bed, with a quilt around her shoulders
and the empty revolver at her feet
We were victorious, but conquered
army never beat such a retreat as ours
down the tower stairs and into the
refuge of the living room. There,
with the door closed, sprawled on the
divan, | went from one spasm of mirth
into another becoming sane at inter-
walls, and suffering relapse again every
time | saw Hotchkiss' disgruntled
| countenance. He was pacing the room,
the tongs still in his hand, his mouth
pursed with irritation. Finally he
| stopped in front of me and compelled
my attention.
when you have finished cackling,"
he said with dignity, Il wish to justify
my position. Do you think the-er-
young woman upstairs put pair OF
number eight boots to dry in the H.
brary last night? Do you think she