Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-01-03

clll'Teu. on may XIII mel shall
welcome that but you yourself
will infallibly be killed d moment
later"
THAT may be-" said Crochard
lightly, but ] ann not so sure of
1T. AT any rate, if M. Ward is ready.
ann prepared to make the trial"
~ am ready!' cried the inven-
tor, and sprang to his feet.
Crochard rose and moved the
chair from before the door. Pach-
mann, with a steady eye, meas
ured the distance between him
self and the Frenchman.
But Ward, his eyes blazing.
stepped III front of the admiral.
so this is your reward!' he
sneered. "You, who would have
betrayed me. who would have
made me infamous, shall yourself
be Infamous. Now it is Frances
turn-for her | will produce a new
instrument.
THAT is not necessary, M.
Vard.' broke in Crochard. There
need not be even that small delay.
have the old one here" and he
tapped the pocket of his coat.
The old one!'' echoed Ward.
But Kasia destroyed it,''
lit was not destroyed. | will ex-
plain. Are you quite ready Then
pass out before me and await me
IN the outer ROOM"
Still staring, Ward opened the
door. Then he sprang to the table
with a glad cry, and caught up the
box which stood there.
1T is complete again!" he
cried. "It is
With a hoarse shout, Pachmann
lcapcd at Orchards throat. But,
IN mldair, a spatter of liquid broke
against his face, and his body hur-
tied onward to the floor.
And then, from the floor below,
came AN answering shout, a shot,
The chatter OF heavy feet II $50
With shining eyes. Crochard
dropped on II knee beside his add
vefsar,y, and bent for a moment
above The body. Then he sprang
10 his feet and switched off the
light.
HStand herc!.'' he said.
anatched the inventor to one side.
and stood facing the outer door.
Bat il did not open. No further
SQUAD reached them.
"Cowards..' mnttered Gro
cl.ard. They wait in ambush
Well, lct us sec,' and stealing to
Die door, he opened it softly. soft
iN. hraclng his knee against it.
Stl!l there was no sound.
Cautiously he pecrcd out. The
hasl was enpty.
No:sclessly lie crawicd to the
stair head and looked down. He
eo.ld G no one. But where were
Iachmann mcn- hiding some
where in the hall below, waiting
Tor him to appear
lie drew back with a little ex-
c'amation, for from somewhere
below came the groan of IA man
in pain.
For a moment Crochard sat with
bewildered face, trying to under
stand. Then he sprang to his feet
and went rapidly from door to
door in the upper hall. All of them
were armed with heavy outside
bolts, but only one was fastened.
He drew the bolts and peoncd the
door a crack.
lis any one here?" he asked.
There was no response, and,
feeling for the switch, he turned
on the lights and looked in. The
room was empty. But in an instant
his eye had seen three details
the shattered furniture, the dis
ordered bed, the open window.
AT the window, the corner of a
sheet vas tied securely to a hinge
of the heavy shutter, which had
been pried open. Crochard touched
it thonghtfully and nodded. Then
he peered down into the we'll like
court on which the window open
ed. But he could see<no movement
there.
He retracted his steps to the
hall, and again peered cautiously
from the stair head, and again