The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-07-25
CHAPTER XXI.
An Ominous MESSAGE.

MS suspense ana apprehension. BuSi
ness affairs took much Of his tim
but Mans situation took most Of hi
thought. For the first time he tolC
John Lefever the story Of Mans find
ing him on Music mountain. of he
aid in his escape, and the sequel OF
their friendship. Lefever gave it &c
Bob Scott in Jenri 3 Office.
What did ] tel you, JohnT' de.
manded Bob mildly.
mo matter what YOU told me-" re.
torted Lefever. The question is
What's he to do 10 get Nan away from
there without shooting up the Nor
gans?"
De Spain had gone that morning to
Medicine Bend. He got back late and.
after a supper at the Mountain house,
went directly 10 his room. The tele-
phone bell was ringing when he I'M
locked and threw open his door.
as this Henry de Spain?' came a
voice, slowly ~pronouncing the words
over the wire.
eyes"
~ nave n message for you from Mu-
sic mountain"
"GO ahead"
1.-THE message Is like this: Take me
away from here as soon as you cam"
Whom Is that message fromr"
II can't call any James,"
"Who are you?"
II can't tell you that. Goodby."
Hold on. If you're treating me
fair-and l believe you mean to-
come over to my room a minute"
mo"
Let me come to where you are?"
"No."
LET me wait for you-anywhere.
"No."
"Do you think that message means
what 1t saysT"
II know 1t does
"Do you know what 1t means for me
to undertaken"
II have a pretty stiff idea"
ibid you get 1t direct from the
party who sent it,"
Il can't talk all night. Take 1t or
leave 1t just where 1t is"
De Spain heard him close. He
closed his W instrument and began
feverishly signaling central. "This Is
1O1. Henry de Spain talking" he said
briskly. "You just called me. Ten
dollars for you, operator If you can
locate that call, quick"
There was a moment of delay at the
central Office, her the nswer ut
came from 234-Tenison's saloon"
"Give me your name, operator.
Good. Now give me %, and ring the
neck of the bell"
Lefever answered the call on No.
~. The talk was quick and sharp.
Messengers were instantly pressed
Into service from the dispatcher's Of
nee. Telephone wires hnmmed, and
every man available on the special
agents force was brought into action.
Livery stables were covered, the pub
lie resorts were put under observation,
horsemen clattered up and down the
street. Within al incredibly short
time h town was rounded up, every
outgoing trail watched, and search
was underway for anyone from Nor
gan's gap. and especially for the send
er Of the telephone message
De Spain, after %instructing Lefever.
FASTENED to Tensions. His rapid
questioning Of the few habitues of the
place and the bartender elected only
the Information that a man had used
the telephone booth within a few min
utes. Nobody knew him. or. II they
did know him. refused to describe
him In eny but vague terms.
Outside, Bob Scott in the saddle
waited with a led horse. The two men
rode straight and hard out on the
sinks. The sky was overcast, and
speed was their only resource. After
W. miles of riding, they refined up on
q ridge. and Scott, springing from the
saddle, listened for sounds. He rose
from the ground, declaring he could
hear the strides of a running horse.
Again the two dashed ahead. The
chase was bootless. Whoever rode
before them easily eluded pursuit.
Undeterred by his failure to over
take the fugitive. De Spain rode rap
Idly back to town to look for other
clews. Nothing further was found to
throw light on the message or mes
senger. No n had been found any
where In town from Morgan's gap;
whoever had taken a chance in de-
nvering the message had escaped un-
detected.
Even after the search had been
abandoned the significance Of the in
01AAnt ~nvnat~nH kn kA xynfuhnd M
Spain was much upset. A conference
with Scott. whose judgment In any
affair was marked by good sense, and
with Leftover, who. like q woman.
reached BY intuition q conclusion at
which Scott or De Spain arrived BY
process o. thought, only revealed the
ehct that all three, as Lefever con-
eessed, were nonplused.
IT'S one Of two things" declared