Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-02-12

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bred and fifty yards and then brought
us up short with sharp Hist" As
we strained our eyes into blackness
we made out the shape Of an ,automo-
bile just ahead. It's lights had been
extinguished and it's engine was dead.
"Wait here" Davis again command
ed as he crept silently toward 1t to
make sure that the tonneau was un-
occupied. He was back with us In
minute. Z. l,5 I !
"Let me have that lamp of yours,
Kent" he whispered. at the same time
lighting a cigarette.
us that safe q exclaimed in sur
prise, amazed that he would dare to
smoke when he had been taking such
precautions against our being discov-
cred.
Sure" he replied laconically. who
ever was in that automobile is at least
half mile away by now. The glass
on the front lamps is nearly cold.
want to see the number. though. We
may find 1t useful"
I Taking my little electric lamp he ad-
vanced toward the machine again,
flashing the light for a second on the
number, and then peering by its light
into the tonneau, exclaiming as he
Strengthened up: II thought so.
If 1t was safe for him to smoke, the
constable and Jfelt that it was safe
for us, too, to relax our precautions,
and together we had advanced until
we were beside him.
What did you fnd?" ! asked, won.
dering at his exclamation.
What expected" he replied en-
| igmatically. AK.
The manner of his answer provoked
me and determined then and there
to have it out with him.
| LOOK here, Davis" said; II
brought you into this case and do not
like the way you have acted about it.
I have freely told you everything I
have discovered and have aided you
in every way / can. Before go step
farther on this trip want to know
more about it."
What is 1t you wish to know" he
asked. The constable edged nearer
for fear he might miss something Of
our conversation.
First, where are we gOing?"
ITO what Is known as the deserted
cottage, about a half mile farther on,
at the edge of this clearing. a shack
that was built for shelter for lum-
bermen or quarrymen-which was 1t,
Dodds 2"
"a Built for one and used by t'other."
the constable replied, but faint been
used by either, SO far as l know, for
dozen years. H..
How do you know the missing post
master is there?"
Traced him.
| Il "How?"
..a"Bicycle tracks, he answered with
d chuckle. You were not the. only
person who discovered that Rouser.
when he disappeared. went on bicycle.
In fact, Kent, you are a little slow as
a detective. By the time you had as.
certained that much, ascertained
where the bicycle tracks led to and
had even gone SO far as to have Dodds
get warrants for Rouser and his ac-
complete"
II still do not see how you got evil
dence enough to get warrant for
Crandall. Did you find him out here
with the missing postmaster ?" "A IN
II didn't say had warrant for
Crandall, :" replied the inspector sharp,
ly. did you. ever hear Of John Doe
warrant ?"
"How do you know they are out here
now 2" asked.
We'll soon find out. Come on" he
answered, starting across the clearing
almost at a dog-trot.
There were many more questions
wanted to put to him, but there was
no opportunity, and, besides. l doubted
much If he would have answered them.
At first he made little effort to move
quietly. but after we had gone a
! quarter OF a mile or more he called
back in whisper, Quietly now" 4.
We had come to path which led
us through short thick growth Of un-
i UCA "a u6As kao AOAoCACo6Ay % AAOAuAo
following trail we felt our way along,
the silence broken now and then by
the sound OF. a 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 it." whispered Dodds.
SSH" answered Davis. wait
here!"
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 in 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 ,ene on
which we were standing and another
leading of at about right angle.
AS we looked and listened l heard a
sharp crack, like the breaking OF
twig that had been stepped on I
The sound, SO far as could Judge,
came from the other path, apparently
a hundred feet away from the cottage.
!. I turned toward Davis and saw that