River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-07-03

TO eaten the SOunQ OF an ASH Ialllng
into the ash-pit
His next move was to test the depth
of the partition by inserting his finger
in the hole he made. He found 1t
stopped by some obstacle before it
had reached half it's length, and anx-
ious to satisfy himself of the nature
of the obstacle, he gently moved the
tip Of his finger to and fro over what
was certainly the edge of book.
This proved that his calculations
had been correct and that the open
ing SO accessible on his side, was
completely yelled. on the other by the
books he had seen, packed on the
shelves. He had even been careful
to ASSURE himself that all the vol
umes at this exact point stood far
enough forward to afford room behind
them for the chips and plaster he
must necessarily push through with
his anger, and also-important consid-
eration-for the free passage of the
sounds by which he hoped to profit.
But it was days before he could
trust himself so far. Meanwhile their
acquaintance ripened, though with no
very satisfactory results. The detec-
tive found himself led into telling sto-
ries of his early home-life 60 keep
pace with the man who always had
something of moment and solid in
terest to impart. This was undesir-
able, for instead of calling out cor
responding confidence from Brother
son, it only seemed to make his con-
versation more coldly impersonal.
In consequence, Sweetwater sudden
ly found himself quite well and one
evening, when he was sure that his
neighbor was at home, he slid softly
into his closet and laid his ear to the
opening he had made there. The re-
suit was unexpected. Mr.. Brotherson
was pacing the floor, and talking soft
ly to himself
At first, the cadence and full mu-
sic of the tones conveyed nothing to
our far from literary detective. The
victim of his secret Vaccinations was
expressing himself in words, words
that was the point which counted
with him. But as he listened longer
and gradually took in the sense of
these words, his heart went down
lower and lower till it reached his
boots. His inscrutable and ever dis
appointing neighbor was not indulg-
ing in self-communing of any kind
He was reciting poetry, and what was
worse, poetry which he only half re-
membered and was trying to recall
an incredible occupation for a man
weighted with criminal secret.
Sweetwater was disguised, and was
withdrawing in high Indignation from
his vantage-point when som ething oc.
Cured of a startling enough nature, to
hold him where he was IN almost
breathless expectation.
The hole which in the darkness of
the closet was always family visible,
even when the light was not very
strong in the adjoining room, had
suddenly become bright and shining
loop-hole, with a suggestion of move
ment in the space. beyond. The book
which had hid this hole on Brother
sons side had been taken down-the
one book in all those hundreds whose
removal threatened Sweetwater's
schemes, If not himself
For an instant the thwarted detec-
tive listened for the angry shout or
the smothered oath which would nat
urally follow the discovery by Broth
erson of this attempted interference
with his privacy:
But all was still on his side of the
wall. A rustling of leaves could be
heard, as the inventor searched for
the poem he wanted, but nothing
more. In Withdrawing the book, he
had failed to notice the hole in the
plaster back of it. But he could hard
ly fail to see it when he came to put
the book book. Meantime, suspense
for Sweetwater.
1t was several minutes before he
heard Mr.. Brotherson's voice again,
then it was in triumphant repetition
of the lines which had escaped his
memory. They we're great words
surely and Sweetwater never forgot
them, but TIE impression which they
made upon his mind, an impression so
forciDle that he was able to repeat
, hem, months afterward to Mr.. Gryce,
did not prevent him from noting the
tone in which they were uttered. nor
the thud which followed as the book
was thrown down upon the floor.
| FOOL" The word rang out in bit
ter irony from his irate neighbor' s
lips. What does he know of woman!
Woman! Let him court a rich one
| aud see-but that's all over and done
with. No more harping on that string,
and no more reading of poetry. I'll
never The rest was lost in his
throat and was quite unintelligible to
the anxious listener.
Self-revealing words. which an in
slant before would have aroused
Sweetwater's deepest interest! But
they had suddenly lost all force for
the unhappy listener. The sight of
that hole still shining brightly before
his eyes had distracted his thoughts
and reused his liveliest apprehensions.
If that book should be allowed to lie
where it had fallen, then he was in
for a period of uncertainty he shrank
from contemplating. Any moment his
neighbor might look up and catch
sight of this hole bored in the backing
of the shelves before him. Could the
man who had been guilty of submit
ting him to this outrage stand the
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