The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-03-21

out. For moment he considered the
night, not unaffected by its beauty,
then, turning from the window, he
moved his bundle and rifle to the
foot of the bed, where they would be
out of his way, kicked Off his trousers,
blew out the candle and lay down.
Yancy had become more and more
convinced as the evening passed that
Murrell was bent on getting him
drunk, and suspicion mounted darkly
to his brain.
Have drink with me-" cried Slos-
son, giving way to drunken laughter.
The captains dropped out, and l
low It's about time TO- these here
festivities to come to an end. I'm
thinking some of going to bed my
SELF" said Yancy. He kept his eyes
fixed on Murrell. He realized that II
the latter could prevent it he was
not to leave the bar. He never shift
ed his glance from Murrel's face.
Scowling now, the captains eyes
blazed back their challenge as he
thrust his right hand under his coat
Fair play don't know who you
are, but l know what you want" said
Yancy, the light in his frank gray
eyes deepening. Murrell laughed and
took forward step. At the same mo-
ment Slosson snatched up a heavy
club from the back of the bar and
dealt Yancy murderous blow. A
single startled cry escaped the
Scratch Hitler; he struck out wildly
as he lurched toward Murrell, who
drew his knife and drove it into his
shoulder. Yancy dropped heavily to
the floor.
How long the boy slept he never
knew, but he awoke with a start and
confused sense of things. 1t was
evidently very late, probably long
after midnight-but where was his
Uncle Bob?
He sank back on his pillow intent
and listening. A chilling terror that
gripped him fast and would not let
him go, mounted to his brain.
Where was his Uncle Bob? Why
didn't he come to bed? Memories OF
idle tales of men foully dealt with in
these lonely taverns flashed through
his mind
He slid from the bed, and for q
long moment stood cold and shaking,
his every sense on the alert. With
infinite caution he got into his trous-
ers and again paused to listen, since
he feared his least movement might
betray him. Next he secured his
pack, and was ready for flight.
Encountered by his belongings, but
with no mind to sacrifice them, he
stepped out upon the shed and made
his way down the slant OF the roof to
the caves. He tossed his bundle to
the ground and going down on his
knees lowered his rifle, letting the
muzzle fall lightly against the side OF
the shed as it left his hand, then he
lay fat on his stomach and, feet first,
wriggled out into space. When he
could no longer preserve his balance,
he gave himself a shove away from
the caves and dropped clear OF the
building.
AS he recovered himself he was
sure he heard a door open and close,
and threw himself prone on the
ground, where the black shadow cast
by the tavern hid him. At the same
moment two dark figures came from
about a corner of the building. He
could just distinguish that they car
ried some heavy burden between them
and that they staggered as they
moved.
They passed out of sight, and
breathless and palsied, Hannibal crept
about a corner OF the tavern. He
must be sure!
Presently he heard distant sound
"a splash-surely it was splash
A little later the men came up the
lane, to disappear in the direction OF
the tavern. Hannibal peered after
them. His very terrors, while they
wrenched and tortured hip, gave him
desperate kind of courage. AS the
gloom hid the two men, he started
forward again. He reached the end
of the corntield, climbed fence, and
entered a deadening of timber. In
the long wet grass he found where
the men had dragged their burden.
He reached down and swept his hand
to and fro-once-twice-th third
time his little palm came away red
and discolored.
There was the first pale Fremont
ton OF dawn In the sky, and as he
hurried on the light grew, and the
black trunks of trees detached them
selves from the white mist that filled
the woods and which the dawn made
visible. There was light enough for
him to see that he was following the
trail left by the men. He emerged
upon the bank of the Elk river, white
like the woods with its ghostly night
sweat.
The dull beat of the child's heart
quickened as he gazed out on the
swift current that was hurrying on
with its dreadful secret. Then the