The Springdale news., 1912-11-08

Built for one and used by t'other." the constable replied, but 'taint been used by either, so far as I know, for a dozen years"
 How do you know the missing post master Is there?"
 Traced him."
 How"
 Bicycle tracks," he answered with chuckle. You were not the only 1 person who discovered that Rouser. when he disappeared. went on bicycle. In fact, Kent, you are a little slow as detective. By the time you had as eertained that much, l ascertained where the bicycle tracks led to and had even gone so far as to have Dodds 1 get warrants for Rouser and his ac- complice."
 T still do not see how you got eyi- denee enough to get warrant for Crandall. Did you find him out here with the missing postmaster"
 T didn't say I had a warrant for i CSandall" replied the inspector sharp i ly. Did you ever hear of John Doe warrant 2"
 How do you know they are out here now?" asked
 We'll soon find out Come on," he answered, starting across the clearing almost at a dog-trot.
 | e were many more questions I wanted to put to him, but there was no opportunity, and. besides, I doubted mLzh if he would have answered them. Al first he made little effort to move quietly. but after we had gone quarter of mile or more he called back in whisper, Quietly now
 We had come 10 path which led Us through a short thick growth of un- derbrush. As noisclessly as Indians following trail We felt our Way along, the silence broken now and=then by the sound of bough bent back, or a rustling leaf. Soon the path brought Us out on some rising ground. Not fifty yards ahead of us appeared the de- serted cottage.
 That's il, whispered Dodds
 Ssh!" answered Davis Wait herei"
 We stopped there just at the edge of the underbrush, peering into the darkness, straining our eyes to see and our ears to hear From the one window i'll the side Of the one.story log hut dim light shone, proving that the place was either occupied or had been Very recently. As We became more and more accustomed to the darkness could see that there were apparently two paths, the one on which We were standing and another leading off at about right angle.
 As We looked and listened I heard a sharp crack, like the breaking of t~ig that had been stepped on.
 The sound, so far as l could judge, came from the other path. apparently hundred feet away from the cottage he, too, had heard it. He was stand ing with his whole body tense, his head bent forward a little as if ready 10 spring at any instant Almost un- consciously my hand went into my pocket and brought out my revolver I felt that affairs were rapidly approach ing a crisis.
 
 to our ears. At first indistinct, il quickly took the rhythm of footsteps hurrying along the path. man walk ing rapidly l decided. The hurrying footsteps came nearer and nearer. Da- wis now was erouching like a runner about to make a hundred-ya dash
 IL was only a minute of suspense and yet the effect on my nerves was indescrfbable. I wanted to scream like hysterieal girl; wanted to run, forward or back, 1t made no differ ence; wanted to do something, any thing-anything but stand there and wait in the darkness
 All of a sudden the form of a man hurrying along the other path became visible. He seemed 10 be carrying something. Davis took two or three noiseless steps forward and stopped abruptly. From the shadows, from nowhere it seemed, the figure of an other man appeared directly in the path of the oncomer.
 Hold on herei" it said, or some thing like that.
 With curse the first man dropped Whatever he was carrying and start ed te run. The second man stared after him With not more than ten paees between them the pursued man suddenly wheeled A revolver flashed and the pursuer with a muttered curse fell headlong in the path The hunted man turned and, with headlong speed, plunged down the path.
 At the revolver shot Davis had leaped forward. and, needless to say. podds and 1 Were not far behind him. Fast s the fugitive was vanishing Da- wis was even faster With the move ment of trained runner lie, the wry inspector, quickly outdistaneed Dodds and myself and was close on the heels of his man.
 As l ran breathless behind him, hoping to arrive in time to help him l in his capture, saw the man ahead halt and turn. Instinctiyely knew he l VI. .ac oh