Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1914-11-13
CHAPTER XVII.
Setting Traps for Norton.

Setting Traps TOR MOTION. ~
The Black Hundred possessed three
separate council chambers, always in
preparation. Hence, when the one in
use was burned down they transferred
their conferences to the second coun,
Gil chamber appointed identically the
same as the first. AS inferred, the or
ganization owned considerable wealth,
and they leased the buildings in which
they had their council chambers
leased them for a number of years.
and refurnished them secretly with
trap floors, doors and panels and all
that apparatus SO necessary to men
who are sometimes compelled to make
a quick getaway. 45z:33
When the Atlantic City attempt was
turned INTO fiasco by Norton's timely
arrival ,Braine determined once more
to rid himself of this meddling re
porter. He knew too much, in the
first place, and in the second place
Braine wanted to learn whether the
reporter bore charmed life or was
just ordinarily lucky. He would att
tempt nothing. delicate, requiring
|, anesse. lie would simply wayiay NOR
ton and make "a commonplace end
OF him. He, would disappear, this re-
porter, that would be all; and when
they found him he might sor might
not be recognizable. ?. 'S'. Est
So Braine called conference and
ne and his fellow rogues went oyer q.
number of eXnedients and finally
agreed that the best thing to do would
be to send man to the newspa per,
/ : ostensihly} as a Ereperter looking for
ia situation. With. this excuse he would
be able to hang around the city room
for three or four days. The idea back
! OF this was to way'ay Norton on his
,.'ay to some, assignment which took
him to the suburbs 2
All this was arranged down to the
smallest detail and a man whom hey
were quite certain Norton had not
yet seen was selected to play the
| part. He had been reporter once,
n'ore's the pity; So there was no doubt
OF his being able to handle his end
of the GENE.
i want Norton, I want him badly
declared" Braine, land woe to you IL
ecu let booze play in between you and
the object of this move"
The man selected to act the re-
porter hung his head Whisky had
been the origin of his fall from hon.
est living, and he was not SO cal.
loused as not to feel the sting .oi
remorse at times. ~. ..ts3aIs:3ss5
More" went on Braine, II; want
Norton brought to 49, It's littlesofl
the beat, and we can handle Morton
as we please. When we get rid OF
this newspaper ferret there'n be an
other to eliminate. But he's a 1 FOX.
and fox must be set to trail him.
And who is that?" ~ IN
Jones, Jones, Jones!" numbered
Braine Hes the live wire. But the I
reporter first. Jones depends lot.
on him. Take away this prop and
zones will not be so sure of himself
There's man outside all this circle,
ana all these weeks of warfare have
not served to bring him into the
circle" Ill., =
"Hargreave is dead" said Vroon
stolidly. -.-
AS dead as am" snarled Braine
Two men went away in that balloon;
and I'll wager my head that one mar
came back. I am beginning to put
a rev things together that have
rot thought Of before VINO knoWsi
mat balloon may have been carried
out to sea purposely. The captain on
that tramp steamer may have lied
from beginning to end. tell YOU,
Hargfeave is alive. and wherever ne
Is he has his hand on all the wires
lie has agents, too, whom we know
nothing about. Hang the million! !
want to put my hands on Hargreave
Just to prove that | am the better
man. He communicates. with Jones, per
maps through the reporter; he has had