Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-09-19

deserted mouse.
lands hesitated there in the hall
Tiptoeing up the stairs was a mans
tall, lean form. lands only saw his
spare back and thin legs clad in black
trousers with loose raincoat dapping
about his feet.
AS the beam from the pocket lamp
shot athwart the wall at his right the
man leaped upward out Of range of it.
Although danger and perhaps death
lurked there at the head Of the stairs
Lands was determined to end the
mystery that had come upon him with
the burning of the car. He extin.
guished the lamp. and. with his re-
volver ready, he crept silently UP the
stairs. alert for q sound from the man
waiting above.
He saw nothing, heard nothing.
AS he reached the head Of the stairs
something rushed at him out of the
gloom-something that twined long
arms about him and tried to throw
him backward down the stairs.
let go or I'll shoot" warned Ian
dis as he struggled with the man.
There was no reply, only his assail-
ant took fresh hold Lean fingers
strOve to catch at the motorists throat,
but the heavy fur coat served Lands
a good turn now. He was enabled to
wriggle out Of it's folds, which he left
in the mans hands, while he plunged
recklessly into the darkness. He bang
ed into a solid wall. followed 1t down
to an open doorway and turned into a
room just as the man came running
lightly after him.
Lands snapped on his light and saw
square room with a closed door in
the rear wall. The door must lead to
another room, and there was a wooden
bar fitted into a socket that secured
1t. Two windows In the room were
without glass. and through them the
rain beat relentlessly, and the roar of
the river was very plain.
lands saw this In one sweeping
glance before his assailant appeared
In the dOorway-a tall, lean form of a
man with glaring black eyes and fierce
smile.
ROBINSON yelled Landis "You?
Why, man, what are you doing here :?
! was on my way to take the money
to you"
II know it," laughed the other fiend-
ishly. II know 1t. I've tracked you
from FOxboro. I'll take the money
now-now. Lands. Hand it over or
by heaven you'll never leave this
house alive!'
Lands stared. Was his friend mad :?
This Robinson was the man he was
going to serve-to lend him $4,000,
for which he had the cash in his peck
cts
You'll get the money In proper form
in Riverbank tomorrow morning, Jim,"
he said calmly.
"Ill have it now. shall never go
back to Riverbank. I'm going to
South America, and l need it to start
afresh with. If 1 make a pile you'll
get 1t back. If don't, you won't be
bothered with me again."
you're crazy" said Lands, turning
to the other door. "Come with me,
Jim. and forget your worries. You've
had a lot Of trouble, and guess you're
pretty nervous. Come along. and
walk back to Riverbank"-
"Never!" yelled the crazed financier,
leaping at lands, who ducked and
ran for the closed door.
Robinson was upon him instantly.
curved his long fingers around his ben
efactor's neck and chOked him into
half consciousness. Then when Lands
sank Imply to the floor, powerless to
check his assailant, the others fingers
searched his clothing for the $4,000 in
cash.
He snatched at Landis' leather wal
let, and the fallen man watched him in
helpless anger us the robber opened it
Still holding it in his hand, Robinson
kicked Lands away from the closed
door. thrust up the bar. opened the
door, passed through, slamming the
door behind him.
Lands thought he heard Robinson
yell once after that. but the wind and
rain and rush Of the river deadened all
other sounds.
The electric pocket lamp lay on the
door. its white glare lighting the bare
boards and throwing the upper part of
the room in deep shadow. Lands lay
there for several hours before he could
arouse himself from the stupor which
had resulted from Robinson's brutal at
tack upon him.
Then the first gray light Of dawn
gave him courage to rouse himself and
investigate. The first thing he did was
to open the closed door to find where
his assailant had fled.
As it swung inward Lands uttered
a startled cry and stepped back.
The door opened into empty space.
1t overhung the rushing river, and the
balcony that had once adorned that
second story room had fallen Off no one
knew when.
Jim Robinson, his false friend, had
stepped through that door into eter-
nifty.
lands leaned forth faint and sick