River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-02-01

ing to Carson City the chance was too
good to be lost I'm not sure he meant
to kill him, but he did mean to have
those papers at any cost Probably
you know the rest-the girl was easy.
because she was so ignorant of her
parentage, and nothing prevented
Hawley from winning except that
Waite got mad and decided to fight.
That knocked over the whole thing.
They were outside now, and the
first touch of the cool night air, the
street, brought Keith 70 himself, his
mind ready to grapple with the prob
lem of Hopes disappearance. 1t
seemed to him he had already looked
everywhere, yet there was nothing to
do except to continue the search. only
more Systematically. The sheriff as
sumed control-clear headed, and ac-
customed to that sort of thing-call-
ing in Hickock and his deputies to
assist, and fairly combing the town
from one end to the other. Not rat
could have slipped unobserved
through the net he dragged down that
long street, or it's intersecting alleys
but it was without result; nowhere
was there found trace of either the
gambler or his companion.
They dug into saloons, bagnios.
dance-halls, searching back rooms
and questioning inmates; they routed
out every occupant of the hotel. in
vaded boarding houses, and explored
shacks and tents, Indifferent to the
protests of those disturbed--but with
out result They found several who
knew Hawley, others who had seen the
two together passing by the lighted
windows Of the Trocadero, but beyond
that-nothing. Convinced, at last, that
the parties sought were not alive in
Sheridan. and beginning to fear the
worst, the searchers separated and
began spreading forth over the black
surrounding prairie, and by the light
of lanterns seeking any semblance of
trail There was no lack of volun-
teers for this work, but it was Gay
light before the slightest clue pre-
sented itself Keith, with the sheriff
and two or three others. had CROPPED
their way outward until, with the first
flush of dawn, they found themselves
at the opening of small rocky ra-
vine, near the foot of Boots HILL"
Peering down into its still Swallowed
depths, they discerned what appeared
like a body lying there motionless.
Keith sprang down beside It, and turn
ed the rigid form over until the dead
face was revealed in the wan light
it was that of the red moustached
Scott He staggered back at the rec
ognition, barely able to calculate.
Here, Sheriff! This is one of Haw-
ley's men!"
The sheriff was bending instantly
above the corpse. searching for the
truth.
''you krow the fellow"
Yes. bis name was Scott"
Well, he's been dead some hours.
at least six ] should say: shot just
above the eyo. and good Heavens!
| look here, Keith. at the size of this
bullet wound; that's no mans gun in
this country-no more than a So I'd
say"
Miss Waite had a small revolver.
She must have shot the fellow. But
| why did they leave the body here to
be discovered"
The sheriff arose to his feet. prowl-
ing about in the frightening glow OF
| the dawn.
They were in a hurry to get away.
and knew he wouldn't be found before
morning. A six hours start means
good deal. They did drag him back
out of sight-look here. This was
where the struggle took place. and
here is where the man FELL" tracing
it out upon the ground. The girl
put up a stir fight. too-see where
they dragged her up the path. From
the footprints there must have been