The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-04-05

ruined. am dead"
'aTut," said Milky, hopping his Gu
lip. IF you are dead, your spiri
speaks with an uncommonly lust
voice Come, get up. We present to
gether a shameful picture Of defeat.
/ But he raised Peter Niburg gentl,
from the ground and, finding his knee
unstable, from fright or weakness
stood him against house wall. Pete
Niburg, with rolling eyes, felt for hi
letter, and, the saints he praised
found it.
"Ahi" he said, and Strengthened up
"After all, it is not SO bad as I feared
They got nothing"
He made a manful effort to walk
but tottered, reeled. Milky caught
him.
Careful ~ he said. 1.-THE colossus
| was doubtless the one who got us
both, and we are likely to feel his
weight for some time. Where do you
live7
Peter Niburg was not for saying.
He would have preferred to pursue his
solitary If uncertain way. But Milky
was no half Samaritan. Toward Peter
Niburg's lodging, then, they made a
slow progress.
"These recent gentlemen" said Nix
ky, as they went along, "they are, per-
haps, personal enemies?"
Peter Niburg reflected. He thought
not. "But 1 know why they came" he
said unguardedly. "Some early MORN
ing, my friend, you will hear of a man
lying dead in the street. That man
will be l."
''The thought has moral" observed
Milky. "Do not trust yourself out-of-
doors at night"
But he saw that Peter Niburg kept
his hand over his breast pocket.
Never having dealt in mysteries,
Milky was slow at recognizing one.
But, he reflected, many things were
going on in the old city in these trou-
bled days. Came to Milky, all at once,
that this man on his arm might be one
Of the hidden eyes of government.
"These are difficult times" he ven-
-ured, 'for those who are loyal"
Peter Niburg gave him sidelong
glance. Difficult indeed" he said |
briefly.
81 think" Milky observed, "that,
lfter I see you safely home, shall
eport this small matter to the police"
But here Peter Niburg turned even
'aler. "Not-not the police!" he
hammered.
"But why? You and I, my friend,
7ill carry their insignia for some days.
have a mind to pay our debts"
Peter Niburg considered. He stop
ed and faced Milky. 81 do not wish
he police" he said. perhaps I have
aid too little. This is private mat
er. An affair of jealousy"
81 seew
Naturally, not matter for pub
city,"
Every WELL" Milky assented. But ..
e had stumbled on something. He
lrsed his stupidity that 1t meant, so
r, nothing more than a mystery to
m. He did not pride himself on his
telligence.
you were not alone, I think" r
Peter Niburg suddenly remembered q
erman, and stopped. u
"Your friend must have escaped" p
"He would escape" said Peter Nj II
rg scornfully. "Re is of the type b
at runs"
He lapsed into sullen silence. Soon d
paused before a quiet house, one U
the many which housed in cavernous q
pths uncounted clerks and other u
all fry of the city. "Good night to pl
IT," said Peter Niburg. Then, rather q
Oily. 'And my thanks. But for tf
j I should now" he shrugged his
)ulders. m
Good night, friend" said Milky. to
nd better keep your bed tomorrow" tn
lie had turned away and Peter Nj nc
e entered the house. w
Sikky inspected himself in the glow en
a street lamp. Save for some dust, DC
! a swollen lip, which he could not
, he was not unpresentable. Well en-
ugh, anyhow, for the empty streets. WI
t before he started he looked the tW
ise and the neighborhood over care re
y. He might wish to return to that 70
Use.
or two hours he walked, and re- an
led his interrupted train Of thought. thu
last, having almost circled the city, ex
came, to the Cathedral. 1t was lar
rly midnight by the clock in the Gu
b tower. He stopped and consulted be,
watch. The fancy took him to go
the high steps, and look out over drt
city from the colonnade. ov,
nee there, he stood leaning against for
olumn, looking out. There was ser
cone coming along the quiet has
cts, with stealthy, shuffling gait we
caught his attention. So, for in
ice, might a weary or a wounded Blu
drag along. Exactly so, indeed, his
Peter Niburg shambled into his car
Sc but two hours gone. ere
be footsteps paused, hesitated, bac
menced painful struggle up the slo'
mt. Milky moved behind his col \
!, and waited. Up and up, weary TIL,
after weary step. The shadowy ben
e, coming close, took a form, be- libe
e a man-became Peter Niburg. was
wv, indeed, Milky reused. Beaten tun
-