The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-01-16

MI /%W||'||NN w
HamIin E|bowed His Way Into the
Street.
be going" She turned away, and then
paused to add over her shoulder:
Don't you think it would be just as
safe for you to attend to your own
business, Sergeant Hamlin?"
And let you alone?"
Exactly; and let me alone. l am
hardly the sort of woman it is safe to
play with. 1t will be worth your while
to remember that"
He waited, motionless, Until assured
that she had passed down the hall as
far as the door of the dining.room.
The sound of shutting chairs evil
denced the breaking up of the party.
in preparation to return to the ball
room. If Miss McDonald's absence
have to slip out now and rejoin the
others as they left the house. He again
turned down the light, and held back
the curtain.
THE way is clear now, Miss Molly"
There was no response, no move
ment He stepped outside, thinking
the girl must have failed to hear him.
The porch was empty. He stepped
from one end to the other, making
sure she was not crouching in the
Il vi 81, To
fact of her actual disappearance. This.
then, was why Mrs. Dupont had failed
to see any one when she glanced out.
But where could the girl have gone?
How gotten away? He had heard no
sound behind him; not even the rustic
of a skirt to betray movement. 1t
was not far to the ground, five or six
feet, perhaps; it would Re perfectly
safe for enc to lower the body over
the raj, and drop. The matted prairie
noiseless. No doubt that was exactly
the wsy the escape had been accom-
plished. Alarmed by the presence OF
those others, suspecting that the wom-
an within would insist on learning
whom Eanllin was attempting to con-
ceal, possibly overhea-ing enough CT
their conversation to become fright
ened at the final outcome, Miss Nc
Donald, in sudden desperation, had
surrounded the rail, and dropped to
the ground. The rest would be easy
to hasten around the side of the house.
and slip IN through the front door.
Assured that this must be the full
explanation, the Serseant's cheerful
ness returned. The company of OFF,
GERS and guests had already filed cut
through the hal; he could hear voices
laughing and talking in the street, and
the band tuning up their instruments
across in the dance hall. He would 60
over ana make certain of her pres
ence, then his mind would be at case.
He passed out through the desert
hallway, and glanced in at the din
ing-room, where number of men were
gathering up the dishes. Beyond this
the bar-room was crowded, riffraff
lined up before the sloppy bar, among
these a number in unifoym-unat-
tached officers who had loitered be-
hind to quench their thirst Hamlin
drank little, cut fingered a moment
just inside the doorway to observe
who was present. Unconsciously he
was searching for Dupont, half in
clined to pick a quarrel deliberately
with the fellow or with Connors, deter
mined if he found the little rat alone
to frighten whatever knowledge he
possessed out Of him. But neither
worthy appeared. Having assured him
self of their absence, Hamlin turned
to depart, but found himself facing a
little man with long hair. roughly
dressed, who occupied the doorway.
The hooked nose, and bright eyes.
peering forth from mass OF un.
trimmed gray whiskers, were familiar.
you keep the junk shop down by
the express Office, don't your"
YEP" briskly, seeming business in
the question. '1'm Kaplan; vot could
I do for you-hey?"
Answer a question II you will,
friend. Do you recall selling haver-
sack to traveller on the last stage out
for Santa Fe IN .JuDe?" ..,
vel, j do no; vas he a big fellow7
Maybe de Won vat vas killed-hey?"
YES; his name was Moylan, post.
sutler at Fort Marcy"
Maybe dot vos 1t. Why you want
to know-hey" s .r.a.a.
No harm to you, Kaplan," the Ser.
geant explained only picked it
up out there after Moylan was killed,
and discovered by some writing on the
flap that it originally belonged to =
friend OF mine. ] was curious to learn
how 1t got into your hands,
The trader shrugged his shoulders.
''Vud It be worth drink?" he asked
cannily.
"Of course. Frank, give Kaplan
whatever he wants. Now, IRE away"
VEL" and the fellow filed his glass
deliberately, 1T vas sold me six
months before by q fellow vat had Z
black beard
Il Dupont %
"Dat yos de name oy de sfellSr. yes.