Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-10-02

Quickly he went to the corne o
the house. There vas a water pipe
He began to climb it, risking its pre-
carious support.
On the roof at last, the n~aturalis
crawled along, looking for some wal
Of getting into the house. But HI
could not seem to find any. Carefully
he srawled to the edge of the roo
and looked over. Below he coult
hear sounds, but could make nothing
of them.
From his pocket he took the leather
case and opened 1t. There was q pc
culiar arrangement, like some of the
collapsible arms on which telephone
instruments are often fastened to a
desk or wall, capable of being col.
lapsed into small space or of being ex-
tended for some distance. On the
thing was arranged a system Of mir.
rors, which the naturalist adjusted.
1t was a pocket periscope.
He thrust the thing over the edge
of the roof and down, and looked
through it. Below, he could see into
the room from which came the pecu-
liar sounds.
He looked a~nxiously. There he could
see Elaine endeavoring still to loosen
the cords and unable to do SO. Only
for a moment he looked. Then he
folded up the pocket ~periscope in the
case and showed it back into his pock-
ct. Quickly he crossed the roof again
and slid down the %rain-pipe.
At the door stood three of Del Mars
men waiting for Del Mar who had told
them he would follow Immediately.
The naturalist had by this time
reached the ground and was going
along carefully back to the house.
He drew his revolver and, pointing it
down, fired. Then he lodged back of
an extension and disappeared for the
moment.
Instantly the three men sprang up
and ran toward the spot where. it
seemed the shot had been fired. There
was no one about the side of the
house. But the wind had carried the
smoke into some bushes beside the
grove, and they crashed into the
bushes, beating about.
At the anne time, the naturalist,
having first waited until he saw which
way the men were going, dashed about
the house in the opposite direction.
Then he slipped, unopposed and unob-
served, in through the open front
door, up the stairs and along to the
room into which he had just been look
ing. He unlocked the door and en-
tered. Elaine was still struggling with
the cords when she caught sight of
the stranger.
Not a word!' he cautioned under
his breath.
She was indeed too frightened to cry
out. Quickly he. loosened her, still
holding his finger to his lips to enjoin
Follow mel" he whispered.
She obeyed mechanically, and then
vent out into the hall. On downstairs
vent the naturalist, Elaine still keep
ng close after him.
He looked out through the front
Ioor, then drew back. Quickly he went
through the lower hall until he came
o the back door in the kitchen, Elaine
ollowing. He unbolted the door and
'pened 1t.
Run" he said, simply, pointing out
t the door. They're coming back
he other way. I'll hold them"
She needed no further urging, but
arted from the house as he closed
he door after her.
=
1t was just at this point that Del
lar came riding along the main road
n horseback. He pulled up suddenly
he saw a a run in alongside the
bad.
That's Elaine's runabout," he NUT
cred, as he dismounted and tied his
How came it here?"
He approached the car, much wor-
by its unaccountable presence
instead of before the st. Ger
lain. Then he drew his gun and hur- !
ed up the side road. {
He heard a shot and quickened his
ace. In the woods Unexpectedly he
ame upon his three men still beating t
bout, searching with drawn revolvers G
r the person who had fired the shot. t
"Well?" he demanded, sharply,
all this?" h
Someone fired a shot," they ex- 3
aimed, somewhat crestfallen. a
1T was a trick, you FOOLS" he an
vered testify. Get back to your
isoner." a
Without a word they turned and e
toward the house, Del Mar S
flowing. you two go ill.," he or
red the foremost. "Ill go around a
Q house with Patrick"
AS Del Mar and the other man ran II
ound the corner they could Just II
tch a fleeting glimpse of someone O.
appearing into the trees.
1t was Elaine. 81
a hurried forward, blazing W
with his gun. is
Running, breathless, Elaine heard pl
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