The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-06-02

heard sounds in the distance. Just muf-
fed. confused noises Of knocking and
stamping. What caused them | could
not conjecture.
soon after they had ceased the foot
steps came again into the passage. and
a moving streak of light shonc through
the door of our room. This time some
thing wcighty was set down with a
heavy bump just outside tho door, a
most una%ccountablc rustling followed,
and then the two whispered together.
In the pause d pungent Odor of paraftln
came from the lamp they had.
All sorts of weird con,iccturcs crowd
cd into my thoughts as to the possible
mcanin. of this development. Nolna
had heard it all and looked at me in
bewildermcut. motioncd her to keep
silence.
Another journey was made up the
crcaky staircase. 1t was the man who
went. and while he was away the wo-
man looked i'll upon us. saw. to my
surprise. this time that she wore her
bonnet.
AS the mans tread was on the stairs
again she drew back. and in Il whisper
loud enough to reach us she said: Its
all right. you coward. They're both off
fast enough. You al II" it safely
now. The man first, minh.'
The next the door was push
ed wide open, and they both entered
stealthi|,y.
The suspense OF the two ur three mo-
ments which followed the entrance of
the pair constituted an nrdca not I"
be forgotten. That N"lna mastered
herself sufficiently TO pass through it
without q sign or sound was the great
est proof of her courage she could have
given.
1t was less trying for me. I had
witnessed the woman's former visit
and. despite her ominious whisper to
her husband. had roune to the conclu
sion that no attempt was To be made
on our lives. Moreover. | vas armed
But Nolna knew nothing OF this.
had ONLY been able to whisper Il hur
ricd and very indefinite warming to her
calculated. despite my assurance, t.
work up her fears to a high strain.
They stood still for some moments
the man slightly in front OF his wife
who set down behind her a candle she
was carrying. The faces of both tlcr
caught tho rod CLEAN from the emhcr>
of the fire. and $" evil looking Il coupl,
| hope never 10 SOC again.
The mans long. thin. cunning face
was strained and intense, and his mar
row. trcarhcr"lS eyes glanced from
me TO Nnlna and back from Nolna I,
me-. as if in doubt which TO ATTACK
first. lust behind him stood the tall
gaunt and angular form of the woman
melting him. her eyes cleaning Will
excitement. her lips parted and drawn
in a Snarl to one side and every line
cicatricc and scam of her Scared. rc
pulsjvc features brought into Stron.
relief by the r1l'ldy CLEAN of tho los
fire. She looked a vcritahle hag o
evil, utterly dctcstahlc, deadly ant
loathSomc.
..Thc man first" she whispered. jog
cling her a~cromplirr.
He glanced half around to her ir
ritably. and then | saw that he wa:
CARRYING Il length of cord.
He began to creep slowly toward m
until Nolna. ~ she confessed after
ward, could endure it no longer. Sh'
srran. up anil called mo.
In another l!""l"n' WAS on m
feet. and 'achn~r IT,, W. roI'l rerpNc
from their :>tuHi>hnlent | S,iany VAS
them, slammed the door and set IN,
back against il, my hand on my re
volvcr.
"\ow. perhaps youth tell me wha
this mcanS:o
The woman Wu> Tor h-htln@ an'
stood at bay like Il beast Just robbed
of it's intended victim. Hut the MAJ
was of poorer stuff and covered. asher
white and specchlcSs.
"Mayn't we move about our owl