The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-03-28
CHAPTER V.-(Continued).

CHAPTER v.-tcontinued).
had not looked at 1t in that light,
vet | felt that he was right. There
could not be a moment Of happiness
for the girl loved until the black
shadow that menaced her home ana
those she loved had been dispelied'
Yes. Davis was right. l would go to
Ardway that evening. I stopped only
long enough to telephone Louise OF
nv intention and to go to my rooms
for a bag.
eff Won have a revolver you'd better
take 1t with you" said Davis.
II never owned one in my life,'
replied.
He drew out his own and handed
It to me. 1t was of the hammerless
variety, fiat and almost square,
BE careful how you use it, he
warned me. Its a magazine gun and
goes off with a very light touch
What do o expect me to n IN
Ardway?" l asked him as a taxlcab
hurried US to the Hudson tunnel.
There are two things. First: n
out If Hugh Crandall is there, when
he arrived and what he has been DO
ing. Probably il he is at the hotel
he will be registered under an as
sumed name. Second: find out who
has Lock Box II. There is a list of
box-owners kept in every office, with
the names of the two references. FIND
out all you can without arouslng sus-
plcion. I'll be out and join you there
tomorrow evening. I'll come out on
this same train. III cave it to you
to find a plausible preteXt for ques-
tioning the postmaster
Tedious as the trip to Ardway would
ordinarily have been, so ABSORBED was
In puzzling over the mystery l hard
ly noted the passage of time and was
startled to hear h brakeman calling
nv station. had learned from the
conductor that 1t was a village or less
than two thousand inhabitants and
hat there was only one hotel, about
a block from the station. 1t proved
to be a country hotel of the better
sort, doing a thriving business in feed
ing motor-car folk who passed through
and in taking care of traveling-meI
and farmers supply agents who Wis
!, tied the neighborhood.
AS signed the register scanned
the names, hoping to see that o.
Crandall, but it did not appear. Ye'
registered the night before was {
name Henry Cook" that caught m.
eye. Something about the writing
made it as distinctively that Of a cit.
man as his clothes would have distin
r guished him from the country boy be
: hind the desk.
Where will l find the post-of1ce"
asked the clerk. Il want to get a spe
cial delivery letter off tonight
Its a couple of blocks up Mail
street" he told me, but you'd bette
;. 20 in and get supper. The dining
room closes at half past seven and tn
p~ost-oflce stays open until eight"
l took his advice and, after an ez
cellent meal, lighted my cigar an
walked in the direction he had ind
Gated. The streets were lighted afte
q manner by oil lamps at the corners
There was 10 moon and the villager
for the most part seemed to live in tn
,. rear part of their homes. Few Of tn
struggling stores had their window
lighted, SO 1t was with difficulty rea
lie the signs on the buildings | passed
yet l had little trouble finding tn
!. post-ofice. 1t was a one-story built
Ing that stood on q vacant lot In tn
middle Of the block. 1t evidently ha
been built by some local politician 70
the purpose, as IT. was not quartere
In the corner OF a cigar or grocer
store. as most country offices ar
7 Peering into the darkness l read tn
sign POST Office" and noted wit
: some surprise that the windows wer
without lights. drew out my waite
!, and striking a match looked at tn
= time. It was half-past seven. Fo
3 lack of something better to do
walked round the building. To m
, amazement when l reached the en-
away from the street l found the rec
door standing wide open. Thinkin
perhaps that the postmaster migl
merely nave gone to supper, relyin
On the honesty of his neighbors
leave things undisturbed. | loitered
! he vicinity for a full half-hour. 4
:. last. growing impatient. l entered tt
rear door and striking another mate
looked about me. As far as the unce
!, hin light permitted me to See. tt
kaaoe looked - Il the postmaster b.