Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-11-26
little hotly. "I heard it quite plainly.

little hotly. II heard it quite plainly.
can't be far away"
TOO far for us to catch him" God
Trey retorted. and. torch in hand, pro-
the ground beneath it. There is
where he Stood" he added, II the
marks on the sill We're evident enough.
or course, he had his line Of retreat
blocked out" and he flashed his torch
back and forth across the grass, but
the turf was so close that no trace Of
footsteps was visible. We went slowly
back to the house. and Cod
frey sat down again to a contemplation
of the cabinet.
Its too much for me- he said, at
last. The only way l can find that
drawer, I'm afraid, is with an axe
Blu / don't want to smash the thing to
II should say not. 1t would be like
smashing the Venus de Milo"
Hardly so bad as that. But We
won't smash it yet awhile. I'm going
to look up the subject of secret draw
ers-rerhaps I'll stumble upon some
thing that will help me-
And then, of course" l said. dis
consolately. ut is quite possible a
there isn't any such drawer at all"
But Godfrey shook his head decidedly.
II don't agree with you there, Lester.
IN wager that fellow who was looking
in at us could find it in a minute
He seemed mighty frightened lest
you should
He had reason to be-" Godfrey re-
joined grimly. "Ill have another try
at 1T tomorrow. One thing we've got to
take care of, and that is that u friend
of the burning eyes doesn't get a chance
at it first
Those shutter are pretty strong" 1
pointed out. "And Parks is no fool"
Yes" agreed Godfrey, the shutters
are pretty strong-they might keep him
out for 10 Enthusiastically longer than
that. AS for Parks, he wouldn't last
10 seconds You don't seem to under
stand the extraordinary character OF
this fellow"
During your period OF exaltation last
night" I reminded him. you referred
to him as tke greatest criminal of mod
err times"
We'll" smiled Godfrey, perhaps that
was q little exaggerated. Suppose we
say one of the greatest-great enough,
aren't on guard. I think I would better
drop a word to Simmonds and get him
to send down a couple of men to watch
the house. With them outside, and
Parks on the inside it ought to be
fairly safe"
II should think SOL" 1 said. lone
would imagine you were getting ready
to repel an army. Who is this fellow,
anyway, Godfrey? You seem to DO half
afraid of him!"
I'm wholly afraid OF him, If he's
who I think he is-nut it's a mere guess
as yet, Lester. Wait a day or two. I'll
call UP Sinlmonds."
down again and looked at the cabinet
In a kind Of stupefacation. What was
the intrigue, of which it seemed to be
the center? Who was this man, that
Godfrey should consider him so formid-
able? Why should he have chosen
Philip Vantine for a victim?
Godfrey came back while [ was still
cropping blindly amid this maze of mys-
terry.
Its all right" he said. "simmonds Is
sending two of his best men to watch
the house, Ee stood for a moment
gazing down at the cabinet. TIN com
ing back tomorrow to have another try
gauntlef there on the chair, so IL you
fec. sSe having a try yourself. Lester
"EEsaFen forbid" I protested. "Bu,
perhaRs 7 would better tell Parks to
corp& here, Godfrey!"
so do I! But | don't believe you
will. Yes, tell Parks to let me il
whenever I come around. And now
about Rogers"
"Wllat about him 2"
II rather thought 1 might want tt
grill him tonight. But perhaps / woul6
better wait till I get a little more t.
go On" He paused for a moment
thought. Yes; I'll watt he said
finally. II don't want to run any risl
of calling"
We went out into the hall together
and l told Parks to admit Godfrey
Whenever he wished to enter. Roger
was still sitting on the cot looking sc
crushed and sorrowful that I could moi
help Ditying him. I began to thinI
that, If he were left to himself a day Of,
two longer he would tell all we wished
to know without any griIing.
confided this idea to Godfrey as we
went down the front steps.
Perhaps you're right" he agreed. ~
don't believe the fellow is really crook.
ed. Something has happened to him
something in connection with that wo-
man-and he has never got over it
Well. we shall have to find out what
1t was. Hello, here are Simmond's
men" he added, as two policemen stop
ped before the house.
Us this Mr.. Godfrey7" one of them
asked.
Yes" said Godfrey.
MT. Simmonds told us to report to
you. sir. If you were here"
what we want you to do" said God
frey. is to watch the house-watch it
from all sides-patrol clear around 1t
and see that no n approaches it."
Very we'll, sir" and the men touched
their helmets, and one of them Went
around to the back of the house, while
the other remained in 'front.'.
Continued next week.)