The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-08-07

xiii.
By George Barr MI Cutcheon

CHAPTER XIII.
The Second Wayfarer Receives TWO
SIS Visitors 1t Midnight.
The coroner's inquest over the bod
les OF Room and Paul was held that
afternoon at st. Elizabeth. Witnesses
from Harris Tavern were among those
to testify. The verdict was Murder
at the hands Of parties unknown"
Sprouse did not appear at the Tav-
ern until long after nightfall. The Sc
cret agent listened somewhat indifer-
emily to the latter's account OF his
telephone experiences. At nine o'clock
he yawned prodigiously and announced
that he was going to bed, greatly to
the surprise Of Mi. Barnes, who fol-
lowed him, from the taproom and de-
n1anded an explanation.
people usually 60 to bed at night,
don't they?" said Sprouse patiently.
ut is expected, I believe"
"But. my dear man, WI are to IN.
dertake-"
II have some cause for believing
that one Of those chaps In there is
from Green, Fancy. Go to bed at ten
o'clock, my friend, and put out your
light. / don't insist o your taking
OF your clothes, however. I will rap
on your door at eleven o'clock. BY
the way, don't forget to stick your re-
volver in your pocket"
a few minutes before eleven there
came a gentle tapping on Barnes
door. He sprang to his feet and
opened It, presenting himself before
Sprouse fully dressed and, as the Sc
cret agent said later on, "ft to kill"
The night was as black as pitch.
Barnes, trusting to the little mans
eyes and hanging close upon his coat
tails, followed blindly but CALAMITY
In the tracks Of the leader. It seemed
to him that they stumbled along par
allel to the road for miles before
Sprouse came to a halt. 'This is the
short cut to Green Fancy" he whis-
pered, laying his hand on Barnes
arm. "We save four or five miles,
coming this way. Do you know where
we are?"
II haven't the remotest idea"
.About q quarter Of a mile below
Curtis house. Are you all right"
Zine as q fiddle, except for a
barked knee and a skinned elbow. a
couple. Of more or less busted ribs.
I've banged into more trees than"
''Shl" After a moment Of silence,
intensified by the mournful squawk Of
night birds and the chorus Of katy
dds, Sprouse whispered, did you
hear that3"
Barnes thrilled. This was real mel
odrama. "Hear what?" he whispered
shilly.
'.Listenl" After a second or two:
'sTherer"
'It's a woodpecker hammering on
the limb Of a."
"Woodpeckers don't hammer ct
night, my lad. Don't stir! Keep your
ear open"
sprouse clutcbed his companion's
arm and, dropping to his knees in the
thick ~underhrush. pulled the other
down after him.
Presently heavy footsteps ap-
preached. An unseen pedestrian
passed within ten yards of them. They
scarcely breathed until the sounds
passed entirely out Of hearing. Sprouse
put his lips close to Barnes ear.
Telegraph" he whispered. "It's q
system they have Of reporting to each
other. There ! two men patrolling
the grounds near the house. You see
what we're up against, Barnes. Do
you still want to go on with it,"
I'll stay BY you." replied Barnes
sturdily.
Several minutes went BY. There
was not q sound a v the restless pat
Ter of rain In the tree tops. At last
the faraWay thud OF footsteps came to
the ears Of the tense listener. They
drew nearer. louder. and once more
seemed to be approaching the very
spot where he crouched.
Then came the sound Of a dull.
heavy blow, Z hoarse gasp, q momen-
tary eommotion in the shrubbery.
and-Again silence. Barnes blood ran
gold. He waited for the next football
q TIE passing nan Il never came.
IA sharp whisper reached his ear38.
saOou0e here-quickw
HI Aoundafed through the brush and
almost fan proatrate over the kneel-
lng nspresM q man.
'Taks carsl Lend . hand" wills.
persd Gprouaa.
Dropping 70 his knees. Barnes felt
3or and touched va, coarse Garments;
and gasped:
NY Godi Have you killed him1''
temporarily said eprousA. %.
tween his teeth. Here unwind tn
ypupe I've got Ground my waist. Take
ne ~end--here. d6t Z kaiSsl Cut "a
section abont three feet long. TJ
ut The gag In his mouth while you'rl
0cinSgsM Hang1nen always CARRY theiI
own ropes" he concluded, with grew.
So1ne hau1nor. sGot Il cut1 Wall, cut
x1n610nA anrfanna aama