Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-07-03

aluminium frying pan. So bright was
the dish that she was holding 1t be-
fore her face and smiling ut the re-
flection which she saw within it, and
satisfied that she had not observed
him the man sneaked back to the
window Of the living DON Silently
sliding the window a short distance
aside he fixed the notch of the ar
row to the string and bent the bow,
his cold ayes fastened upon the un-
%suspecting one at the table.
As the arrow head pointed itself at
the middle Of Davis back, Ethel,
wholly unaware of what vas taking
place quietly entered the room with
the shining pan. Seeing John at the
table absorbed In his writing, and sud-
denly possessed with the mischievous'
idea of thrusting the pan between his
face and the paper so that he would
Unexpectedly be confronted by his own
image, she advanced daintily on tip
toe toward him, the utensil thrust
out.
Close behind the back Of Davis, front
the side Of her eye she caught a
glimpse of the man at the window
with the drawn bow and deadly ar
row point aimed with murderOus in
tent. Quick as a flash she leapeK
forward with the intention Of inter
posing her own body between the point
and the unsuspecting one and as she
did so Hawk loosed the shaft. Whiz-'
zing, It sped upon its errand, encounter
Ing the outthrust metal pan and pierre
ing it to half the length of the long
head.
Aroused by the involuntary cry of
the girl Davis sprang to his feet just
in time to catch Ethel, as overcome
by the shock of 1t all, she fell for
ward unconscious in his arms. Nor
gan, seeing that his design had failed,
threw his coat and bow aside, and.
whipping the handkerchief from his
face, drew his pistol and deliberately
fred a shot at his own forearm, then
two more into the air. Then running
around the house he once more APP
peared before the front door where he
picked up the bow and coat, and
with a face apparently much worried.
burst into the room where Davis was
still supporting the girl.
"Are you all safer he demanded
quickly. Davis nodded.
Eyes. why? What happened" The
Hawk drew q long breath.
81 saw a man, face covered by a
handkerchief, standing at that win
dow drawing a bow. Just as he let
20 I fred. He dropped the bow,
whipped out a gun and returned the
shot. Then he ran. l fired. but he
got away leaving the coat and how"
He held out his left arm with a laugh.
"He just raked my arm, but it
doesn't amount to much" The girl
gave a cry.
I'll heal it for you. But that coat
and bow-one belonged to Uncle and
the other to Rainface. They were
kept In the harness room"
Somebody must have stolen them
in my absence" said Morgan coolly.
you and I had better stick together.
Davis. Maybe it was the mysterious
stranger of last night"
yes" responded John very soberly.
1T looks as though we might need each
others help"
That afternoon when John and
Ethel were in the stable looking at
the horses, Morgan crept into the cell
lar beneath the cabin. Examining the
ceiling his eye alighted upon a knot
hole in the floor, and carefully he
noted its location. Then drawing a
short and heavy automatic he thrust
the barrel into the hole, aimed 1t care
fully at a given point in the room
above, then wedged 1t fast in place.
Then tying q stout cord to the trig-
ger he ran 1t along the ceiling toward
the front Of the house and forced it
through the front wall. Running as it
did along the cellar ceiling and up the
slanting door. it vas not visible to
anyone coming back from the stable
or barn.
Entering the cabin the Hawk ex-
amined the place of the knot hole in
the floor, carefully calculated the d.
rection which the bullet would take,
then placed a table and chair where