River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-04-11

raised himself to a sitting posture.
Terror gave him strength. "Tye been
robbed" he said. Robbed. am
ruined. / am dead"
Tut" said Milky, hopping his cut
lip. ''f you are dead, your spirit
speaks with an uncommonly lusty
voice! Come, get up. We present to-
gether a shameful picture of defeat"
But he raised Peter Niburg gently
from the ground and, finding his knees
unstable, from fright or weakness,
stood him against house wall. Peter
Niburg, with rolling eyes, felt for his
letter, and, the saints he praised,
found it,
"Ah!" he said, and Strengthened up.
"After all, it is not so bad as feared.
They got nothing"
He made a manful effort to walk,
but tottered, reeled. Milky caught
him.
Careful =" he said. "The colossus
was doubtless the one who got US
both, and we are likely to feel his
weight for some time. Where do you
live?"
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 Mix
ky, as they went along, ''they are, per-
haps, personal enemiesw
Peter Niburg reflected. He thought
not. "But know why they came" he
said unguardedly. "Some early morn
ingsany friend, you will hear Of a man
lying dead in. the street. That man
will be l."
ssThe 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
tured, ''for those who are loyal"
Peter Niburg gave him sidelong
glance. Difficult indeed" he said
briefly.
81 think" Milky observed, shat,
after I see you safely home, | shall
report this small matter to the police"
But here Peter Niburg turned even
paler. 'Not-not the policev he
stammered.
"But why? You and I, my friend,
will carry their insignia for some days.
I have a mind to pay our debts"
Peter Niburg considered. He stop
ped and faced Milky. 81 do not wish
the police" he said. perhaps I have
said too little This is a private mat
ter. An affair of jealousy
81 sect"
Naturally, not matter for pub
Hcity."
every WELL" Milky assented. But
in his mind was rising dark suspicion.
He had stumbled on something. He
cursed his stupidity that it meant, so
far, nothing more than a mystery to
him. He did not pride himself on his
intelligence.
"You were not alone, I think?"
Peter Niburg suddenly remembered
Herman, and stopped.
''Your friend must have escaped"
"He would escape" said Peter Nj
burg scornfully. "He is of the type
that runs"
He lapsed into Sullen silence. Soon
he paused before a quiet house, one
of the many which housed in cavernous
depths uncounted clerks and other
small fry of the city. "Good night to
you," said Peter Niburg. Then, rather
tardily. "And my thanks. But for
you I should now" he shrugged his
shoulders.
"Good night, friend" said Milky.
"And better keep your bed tomorrow"
He had turned away and Peter Nj
burg entered the house.
Milky inspected himself in the glow
of q street lamp. Save for some dust,
and a swollen lip, which he could not
see, he was not unpresentable. Well
enough, anyhow, for the empty streets.
But before he started he looked the
house and the neighborhood over care
fully. He might wish to return to that
house.
For two hours he walked, and re-
sumed his interrupted train Of thought.
At last having almost circled the city,
he came to the Cathedral. It was
nearly midnight by the clock in the
high tower. He stopped and consulted
his watch. The fancy took him to go
up the high steps, and look out over
the city from the colonnade.
Once there, he stood leaning against
column, looking out. There was
someone coming along the quiet
streets, with stealthy, shuffling gait
that caught his attention. So, for in
stance, might weary or a wounded
man drag along. Exactly so, indeed,