Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1914-02-13

suers and discovered it first, lons
enough to see the two get out and &c
UP the marble steps.
One glimpse the pursuers had OF
their prey as the elevator shot up
ward. They managed to evade the
staircase without observation. BY
keeping on the alert, they discovered
that the elevator had stopped at the
second floor, so the people they were
tracking must have apartments there.
Lurking in the s~hadowy parts OF the
hall, they watched, and soon were re-
warded by seeing Durham come out OF
a room and hurry to the elevator. He
had remembered his promise to his
| mother about the ~engravers. AS soon
as he was gone, they presented them
selves boldly at the door.
Filled with the JOY that had come to
her and feeling entirely safe now In
the protection of her husband, Mary
Durham opened the door. She sup
posed, of course, it was the bellboy
with a pitcher Of ice water, for which
she had just rung.
"Ah, here you are at last, my pretty
cousin!" It was the voice of Richard
that menaced her, with all the stored
up wrath Of his long baffled search.
At that moment the man from the
motorcycle stepped softly up the top
stair and slid unseen into the shad-
ows Of the hall.
For an instant Ii seemed to Mary
Durham that she was going to faint,
and in one swift flash Of thought she
saw herself overpowered III carried
into hiding before her husband should
return. But with a supreme effort she
controlled herself, and faced her tor
mentor with unfiinching gaze. Though
her strength had deserted her at first.
every faculty was now keen and col
lected. AS II nothing unusual were
happening, she put out her cold, trem-
bling fingers, and laid them firmly
over the electric button on the wall.
Then with new strength coming from
the certainty that some n would
soon ONE to her aid, b opened her
lips to speak.
What are you doing here, Richard"
I've come after you, my lady. A
nice chase you've led me, but you
shall pay for it now"
The cruelty in his fac eclipsed any
lines of beauty which might have been
there.
II shall never go anywhere with
you" she answered steadily.
He seized her delicate wrist rough
ly. twisting it with the old wrench
with which he had tormented her in
their childhood days. None of them
saw the stranger who was quietly
walking down the hall toward them.
will you go ~peaceably, or shall l
have to gag and bind you?" said Rich
ard. Choose quickly. I'm in no mood
to trifle with you any longer"
Although he hurt her wrist cruelty,
she threw herself back from him and
with her other hand pressed still hard
er against the electric button.
Catch that other hand, Mike" COM
manded Richard, and stuff this in her
mouth, while l tie her hands behind
her back"
1t was then that Mary screamed.
The man in the shadow stepped up
behind and said in a low voice:
AK Oh ais AhSoAs
The two men, startled, dropped the
girls hands for the instant. Then
Richard, white with anger at this in
reference, answered insolently: 1T
means that his girls an escaped luna
tic, and we're sent to take her back.
She's dangerous, SO you'd better keep
out of the way"
Then Mary Dunham's voice, clear
and penetrating, rang through the
halls:
"Tryon, Tryon! Come quick! Help!
Help!"
AS II in answer to her call, the ele-
vator shot up to the second floor, and
Tryon Durham stepped out in time to
see the two men snatch Mary's hands
again and attempt to bind them behind
her back.
In an instant he had seized Richard
by the collar and landed him on the
hall carpet, while a well directed blow
sent the flabby Irishman sprawling at
the feet Of the detective, who prompt
Sd. Gu .a.c: and ric!ccea his arms
behind him.
How dare you lay a finger upon this
LADY," said Tryon Durham, as he
stepped to the side of his wife and put
a strong arm about her, where she
stood white and frightened in the
doorway
No one had noticed the bell boy had
come to the head of The stairs and re-
ceived a quiet order from the detec-
tive.
In sudden fear. the discounted Rich
ard arose and attempted to blum the
stranger who had SO un~warrantly in
terfered just al his fingers were about
to close over the golden treasure of his
cousins fortune.
Indeed. sir, you wholly misunder-
stand the situation" he said to Dun
ham, with an air of injured innocence,
though perhaps o a scarcely be
blamed. This girl is an escaped luna
tic. We have been searching for her
for days. and have just traced her. 1t
IL our business to take her back at
once. Her friends are in great dis
tress about her. Moreover, b 10 dan
gerous and q menace to every guest
In this house. She has several times
attempted to murder"
rStop!" reared Durham. in q thun-
derous voice of righteous anger. She
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