Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-02-18
CHAPTER xxv1.
THE FATE OF M. PIGoT.

slamming door had died away he was
beside the sergeant's desk.
Get out the reserves" he ordered,
and have the other wagon u
Phone headquarters to rush every
ma available up to the Day and Night
bank. and say It's from mel"
He stood chewing his cigar savagely
as the sergeant fastened to obey. In q
moment, the reserves came tumbl1ng
out, struggling into their coats; there
was a clatter of hoofs in the street as
| the wagon dashed up; the reserves
In beside them, Grady jumped to the
seat beside the driver, and we were off
at a gallop, our gong waking the echoes
of the silent street.
l chung to the hand rail as the wag-
on swayed back and forth or bound
ed into the air as 1t struck the car
tracks; and stared oEt lpt9 the night
frey be right? But of course he was
right. Some intuition told me that, and
yet how had Crochard managed to sub
stitute himself for the French detec-
tive? Where was Pigot? Was he lying
somewhere in a crumpled heap, with
g tiny wound upon his hand? But that
could not be-Grady and Simmonds
had been with him all the evening. And
could that aged Frenchman with the
white, fine, wrinkled skin be also the
bronzed and virile parsonage whom I
had known as Felix Armand? My
reason reeled before the seeming i'm
possibility OF it-and yet, somehow. I
knew that Godfrey was right.
The. wagon came to a stop SO sud
denly that I was thrown violently
against the man next to me, and the
reserves, leaping out, swept me before
them. We were In front Of the Day
and Night bank, Int at a word from
(lro6yy tho man urrao1 {~t~ ~1@.1
Gordon before the building.
Another police wagon stood at the
curb. with the driver still on the seat,
but as Grady started toward 1t, a fig
ure appeared at the door Of the bank
and shouted to us-shouted In inartic-
ulate words which I could not under
stand. But Grady seemed to under
stand them, and went up the steps
two at a time, with ar agility sur
prising in 80 large a man and which
/ was hard put to 1t to match. A lit
tie group stood at one side Of the vesti-
bule looking down at some one ex-
tended on a cushioned seat. And an
monds. lying on his back, his eyes open
and staring apparently at the ceiling.
But at the second glance I saw that
the eyes were sightless.
Grady elbowed his a savagely
through the group
WISIS > hellyt he
At the words, a white faced man In
uniform arose from a chair into which
he had plainly dropped exhausted.
"Oh, there you are" and Grady
glowered at him fe%rociously. Now
tell me what happened-and tell II
quick"
why, sir" stammered Kelly, there
wasn't anything happened. Only when
we stopped out there at the curb and
l got down and opened the door
there wasn't nobody in the wagon but
Mr.. Simmonds. | spoke to him and he
didn't answer--and her l touched
him and he kind of fell Overland ther
ton, but they said you'd already
started for the bank and then we wen
out n brought him in here-ane
that's all I know. sir"
You didn't hear anything-no SOUND
Of a s~truggle?"
Not a sound, sir; not a single
sound"
And you haven't any idea wher,
the other man got out?"
mo. sir"
Mr.. Simmonds had a little wallis
with him-did you notice it?"
Yes. sir, and I looked for 1t in tn,
wagon, but 1t amt there"
Grady turned away with a curse q
four or Ave men ran in from the stree
the men from headquarters, / toll
myself. I could hear him talking t
them in sharp, low tones, and the
they departed as suddenly as they ha,
come. The reserves also hurried away
and I concluded that Grady was try
Ing to throw a net about the terri
tory in which the fugitive was prob
ably concealed; but my interest 4
that maneuver was o~verahadowed, 70
the time being by my anxiety for Sim
monds. I picked up his right hand an
lrIooGnH OF ~. than r drouy q 1ncO I~~~rA
of relief. for 1t was uninjured.
"Has any n sent for a doctor?"
asked.
Eyes. SIR one OF the bank attache
answered. I'VE telephoned for one q
o~nce-here he is now" he added a
carrying the inevitably -identifyin
medicine 8
The newcomer glanced at the bod,
waved US back, fell on one kne,
stripped ava the clothing from tn
breast and applied his ear to the hear
drew down the lids, watched them sna
up again, and then hastily opened h,
case.
Lets have some water" he said.
Then he's not dead?" I questioned
as ono Of the clerks sprang to obey.
Dead? No. but he's had a taste
whiff Of something that has stoppe
the heart action"
With q queer, creepy feeling ovt
my scalp, ! remembered the little flas
half full OF blood-red liquid whic
Crochard carried In his pocket.
But he had not meant murder tn,
time. I remembered that Godfrey ha
said he never killed an adversary. tt
doctor worked briskly AVA and {
the end Of few minutes Simmond
eyes suddenly closed. he drew a Ion
breath, md rat erect Then his eys
opened and he sat swaying unsteadil
and staring amaxed1y about him.
Best lie down again" said the docte
soothingly. You're = little wobbly We
you know"
Where am IT' gasped simmond
Then his eyes encountered min
sLester!" ne aid. Where e he--Pigot
HsIstoppsd short. looked once arouu
~ the cleaning marble OF the banl
tumbled for something 1T hts hide, an
fell Genseless on he scat.
have no recollection Of how I g
back tO tho Marathon. I suppose ! mu'
have walked: but my nrst remembrant
sl.le OF nndine myself sitting In ~
sIlayorito chair. pipe lin hand. ~
pipe waD ~. 70 4 suppose ! must has
Ifightad Ii mechanically, and I four
tka4l had also mechanically change