Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-24

said no, with strong exhAlation d
relief. Il knew II must be. And yet
we'll. ono never 10 absolute In Ger
tainty. And II I'd been wrong, I'think
Frank. We could profitably have used
that gun on ourselves. You can drop
/. It, now. Come over here"
Courageous though Sedgwick was.
his nerves were Of highly sensitive
order. He shuddered back. Il don't be-
lieve can do II, Chef"
you must. Az witnesA Come!
Brace up!"
Setting the bull's-eye lantern down.
Kent produced pocket knife. 6edg-
wick drew q long breath, and walking
over. crouched, steeling his nerves
against the revelation that should
come when the cords should be cut
and the swathings reveal their con-
tents. III I keel over, don't let me
T, tumble into the grave" he said simply,
and choked the last word Oft from be
coming a CRY Of horror 40 he behead
his friend drive the knife blade TO the
Init in the body, and then whipFstt
across and downward with q long srip-
ping draw under which the haEsh cloth
sang htdeously.
open your eyes! Look! Look
cried Kent heartily.
! A strong trickle Of sand flowed ont
Of the rent In the sack and srrs4d
upon the ground.
That 10 an" said Kent.
| Relief clamored within Sedgw1ck Tor
expression. He began to laugh In short
choking spasms. sEss
"Quiet!" warned Mr.. Blair, IN
broken tone Of appeal. You've found
] oss< hM aAAp~< fl4A IpuAAvn yusha< .vfssSt1v
lido with It. But there are Innocent peO-
pie in the house. sec light stirring
there now. Wei must do what may
to shelter them"
| IA glimmer shone from the ground
i floor OF one Of the wings. Thither Mr.
Blair ran. calling out as he went
! When he returned, his face was Mke
q mask.
Nov" said he, what. 10 this mat.
ter? Blackmail?"
Kent's face withdrew. a. 1t wore, be-.
hind his inscrutable half smile. Peace.
IT, you WILL" said he. "A truce, st
least
Il should like to know Just how
much you know"
| IAN offer. will tell you whenever
! you are ready TO tell me all that you
know. think we are mutually IN need
Of each other"
/ II wish you were at tho Bottom %
that pit" retorted the other grfmly.
You and your scoundrel Of friend
with you"
Thank you for myself" said seds-
wick. IF you were twenty wears
4 younger | would break every bone in
/ your body for that" 'as ' MI NE
STEADY. frank" put In Kent.
Judge no man by his speech who has
been through what Alexander Blair
has been through tonight. Mr.. Blairg
he added, you've refused my offer.@It
IL still open. And as an extra, Il will
undertake, for Mr.. Sedgwick and my.
self. that this nights affair sh9ll b.
kept secret. And now, the next thing
lis to cover the evidence. spaAeV.
! Frank"
4 The two men took up their tools. 1t
, "1'il spell you" said Alexander
Blair. d. .ss.y
4 While the sheriff, mourning softly
over his fractured wrist, sat watching
the house In case Of alarm, the
scientist, the painter and the trust mss
nate, sweating amid the nameleAs
graves, hurriedly reinforced the sack
of clean sand which bore the names'of
Wilfrid Blair.
And now" said Chester Kent, pct
ting his blistered palms. a. the last
shovelful Of dirt was tamped down,
'Tll take you back with me, MI.
Sheriff. to sedgwick's place, and do
the best can for you TIL the morning.
About 8 o'clock we'll find you un.;
conscious below the cliffs where Yen
fell IN the darkness. Eh?'' sS
Despite his pain the sheriff grinned.
II guess that's 40 good - thesnexk
lie," he acquiesced. You fight faiY.
Professor"
Then answer me q fair question.
What were you doing at Hsdgsrow
House tonight1''
"Why, you see," drawled the Off
cial, II saw you fishin' that stream,
and It come TO my mind that you was
|cas&in' around for moro than tyo6t
that wasn't there. But I didn't hardly
thing you'd come 70 soon, and I w4e
asleep when the noise Of the spade on
the coffin woke me-" sts.
"Bad work and clumsy commented
Kent with scowl. "Come along NY
car will carry three. Sedgwick can 1T
on the floor. Good night. Mr.. Blair. All
aboard. Franz"
what became of Sedgwick?" de-
handed Kent.
eHe was here half a minute ago:
I'll swear to that" muttered the
sheriff.
i Kent stared anxiously about him.
Frank! Frank" he called, half under
his breath.
i mot too loud" besought Alexander
4 Blair. 4e sas
The clouds closed over the moon.
Somewhere in the open twig
4 cracked. Sedgwick had disappeared. y
CHAPTER XVI. sss'
The Meeting.
4 Hops had surged up, sudden ana
| fierce, In Sedg~ick's heart, at the
CLEAN OF the candle in Hedgerow
4 House. He was ready for any venture
after the swift climax OF the night and
his hope hardened into determination.
Faithfully he had taken Kent's orders.
But now the enterprise was concluded.
i to what final purpose he could not