The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-02
CHAPTER Xxx.
Confusion.

Confusion.
In his interest in what was going on
On the other side of the wall, Sweet.
water had forgotten himself. Day.
light had declined, but in the dark
ness of the closet this change had
passed unheeded. Night itself might
come, but that should not force him to
leave his post so long as his neigh
Dor remained behind his locked door,
brooding over the words of love and
devotion which had come to him, as it
were, from the other world.
; But was he brooding? That sound
Of iron Gathering upon iron! That
Emothered exclamation and the laugh
which ended it! Anger and deuern,in-
alton rang in that laugh. 1t had a
, hideous sound which prepared Sweet
water for the smell which now reached
I ing; this time the lid had been lifted
| from the stove with unrelenting pur-
pose. Poor Edith Challoner's touch
Ing words had met a different fate
from any which she, in her ignorance
Of this mans nature--a nature to
which she had ascrbed untold perfec-
tions-could possibly have conceived.
AS Sweetwater thought of this, he
stirred nervously in the darkness, and
broke into silent invective against the
man who could SO insult the memory
Of one who had persisted under the
blight of his own GOODNESS and mis-
understanding. Then he suddenly
started back surprised and apprehen-
sive. Brotherson had unlocked his
door, and was coming rapidly his way.
Sweetwater heard his step in the hall
Rnd had hardly time to bound from
his closet, when he saw his own door
burst in and found himself face to
face with his redoubtable neighbor, in
q state Of such rage as few men could
meet without quailing, even were they
Of his own stature, physical vigor and
prowess; and Sweetwater was small
man.
However, disappointment such as
be had just experienced brings with it
a desperation which often outdoes
courage, and the detective, smiling
with an air of gay surprise, shouted
out:
well, what's the matter now? Has
the machine busted, or tumbled into
the fire or sailed away to lands un-
known out of your open window!"
You were coming out of that
closet" was the fierce reioinder.
what have you got there? Some
thing which concerns me, or why
should your face go pale at my pres
ence and your forehead drip with
sweat? Don't think that you've de-
ceived me for a moment as to your
business here. I recognized you i'm
mediately. You've played the stranger
well, but you've q nose and an eye
nobody could forget. I have known
all along that had police spy for a
neighbor; but 1t didn't faze me. I've
a regiment of you fellows if you'd only
play straight game. But when it
comes to foisting upon me a parcel or
letters to which I have no right, and
then setting fellow like you to count
my groans or whatever else they ex-
pected to hear, have right to de-
fend myself, and defend myself will,
by God! But first. let me be sure
that my accusations will stand Come
into this closet with me. 1t abuts on
the wall of my room and has it's own
secret, I know. What is it? have
you at an advantage now, and you
shall tell"
He did have Sweetwater at an adj
vantage, and the detective knew it
and disdained struggle which would
have only called up crowd, friendly
to the other but inimical to himself
Allowing Brotherson to drag him into
the closet, he stood quiescent, while
the determined man who held him
with one hand, felt about with the 9th.
er over the shelves and along the
partitions till he came to the hole
which had offered such happy means
Of Communication between the two
rooms. Then, with laugh almost as
bitter in tone as that which rang from
lips, he acknowledged
that business had its necessities and
that apologies from him were in or
der; adding, as they both stepped out
Into the rapidly darkening room:
We've played q bout, we two: and
you've come out ahead. Allow me to
you, Mr.. Brotherson.
You've cleared yourself so far as am
leave this ranch tonight"
The frown had come back to the
forehead Of the indignant man who