The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-10-26

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not yet occurred to him that the men
who were pursuing would hardly be
likely to call In municipal aid In their
search, lest their own Implicitly would
be discovered. He reasoned that he
was dealing with desperate men who
would stop at nothing to get back the
original cipher paper. and stop his
mouth. He was well aware that only
death would be considered q sufficient
s~ilencer for him after what he had seen
at Mr.. Holman's dinner table, for the
evidence he could give would involve
the honor OF every man who a sat
there. He saw In a flash that the two
henchmen whom he was sure were even
now riding In the car on his right had
' been at the table for the purpose Of
4 silencing him II he showed my signs
Of giving trouble. The wonder was that
any Of them dared call in a stranger
OF a matter of such grave import,
which meant ruin to them all IL they
J were found out, but probably they had
reasoned that every nan had his price
and had intended to offer him a share
of the booty. 1t was likely that the
chief had caused II to be understood by
them that he was the right kind Of man
for their purpose. Yet. of course, they
had taken precautions, n now they
had him well caught. an auto on one
side. a motorcycle on h other, and no
telling how many more behind! He had
been q fool to get into this carriage. He
might have known 1t would only trap
him to his death. There seemed abso-
lutely no chance for escape now-yet
he must fight to the last. He put his
hand on his revolver to make sure 1t
was easy to get at, tried to think
whether II would not be better to chew
UP and swallow that cipher message
rather than to run the risk OF Its fall
Ing again into the hands of the enemy;
decided that he must carry 1t intact to
his chief IL possible; and finally that he
must make a dash for safety at once,
when just then the carriage turned
briskly into q wide driveway. n the
| attendant auto and motorcycle dropped
behind as IL puzzled at h move. The
carriage stopped short and o bright
light from an open doorway was
flung into his face. There seemed to
be high stone walls on one side and the
lighted doorway on the other hand evil
IDENTIFY led into q great stone building.
| He could hear the putting of the car
| and cycle Just behind. A wild notion
that the carriage had been placed In
front Of the house to trap him In case
he tried to escape. and that he had been
brought to prison, fitted through his
mand.
His hand was on his revolver q o the
coachman jumped down to fling open
the carriage door, for he intended to
fight for his liberty to the last.
He glanced back through the carriage
window, and the lights of the auto
glared in his face. The short, thick set
man was getting out of the car. and the
motorcyclist had stood his machine up
against the wall and vas coming to-
ward the carriage. Escape was going
to be practically impossible. A wild
thought Of dashing out the opposite
door Of his carriage, boldly Selling the
motorcycle and making off on 1t passed
through his mind, and then the door
carriage was Immediately surrounded
by six excited men In evening dress. all
| talking at once. Here you are at
last!" they chorused.
where Is the best man1' shouted
some one from the doorway. Hasn't
he come, eitherT" And rs IL in answer
one Of the men by the carriage door
he's comet Tell him-tell Jeff-tell
him he's come" Then turning once
more to Gordon he seized him by the
arm and cried: Come on quickly!
There isn't q minute to wait. The or
ganist Is fairly frantic. Everybody has
been just as nervous as could be. We
couldn't very well 60 on without YOU
you. It's all right now you've come.
Forget It, old man, and hustle" Dlmly
Gordon perceived above the sound Of
subdued hubbub that IN ryan was
playing, and ven as he listened 1t
burst into the joyous notes Of the we'd
ding march. 1t dawned upon him that
this was not a prison to which he had
come but q church-not q court room
but a wedding, and, horror of horrors!
they took him for the best man. His
disguise had been his undoing. How
was he to get out Of this scrape? And
with his pursuers just behind! "
Let me explain" he began, and
wondered what he could explain.
There's no time for explanations
begun the march. We're expected to
be marching down that middle aisle
this very minute and Jeff Is waiting
for us in the chapel. I sent the signal
to the bride and another to the organ
list the minute we sighted you. Come
late in coming In. You don't need to
explain q thing till afterwards"
At that moment one Of the ushers
| moved aside and the short, thick set
man stepped between, the light shin
ing fully Upon his face. and Gordon
knew him positively for the man who
had sat opposite him at the table a few
minutes before. He was peering
eagerly into the carriage door and Cor
don saw his only escape was into the
church. With his heart pounding like
q trip hammer he yielded himself to
the six ushers. who swept the little
pursuer aside as II he had been q fly
and literally bore Gordon UP the steps
and into the church door.
A burst Of music filled his senses,
and dazzling lights, glimpses of flow
ers, palms and beautiful garments be-
wildered him. His one thought was
for escape from his pursuers. Would
they follow him into the church and
drag him out In the presence OF all
these people, or would they be thrown
off tho track for a little while and
/! give him opportunity yet to get away?
He looked around wildly for a place
Of exit, but he was in the hands Of
the insistent ushers. One OF them
chartered to him In q low, growing
whisper, such as men use on solemn
occasion:
'Tt must have been rough on you,
being anxious like this about getting
here, but never mind now. It'll go all
right. Come on. Here's your cue and
there stands jefferson yer there. You
and he go in with the minister, you