Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-06-26
CHAPTER vIII-continued.


"From what 1 hear the man Paul
was shot through the lungs. directly
from in front. The bullet went
straight through his body. He was
riding very rapidly down the road.
When he came to point not far
above the crossroads he was fired
upon 1t is safe TO assume that he
was looking intently ahead, trying to
make out the crossing. He was not
shot from the side of the road, gen
tlemen, but from the middle of it. The
bullet came from II point almost di-
rectly in front of him, and not from
Mr. Curtis property here to the left
or Mr.. Conley's on the right. The
chances are that Paul did not accom-
pany Room to the meeting place up
the road. He remained near the horses.
That's how he managed to get away so
quickly. 1t remained for the man at
the crossroads to settle with him. But
we're wasting time with all this
twaddle of mine. Let us be moving.
There is one point on which we must
Mi agree. The deadliest marksman in
the world fred those shots. No bun-
Cling on that score. bedad"
In the course of time the party. trav-
ersing the ground contiguous to the
public road. came within sight of the
green dwelling among the trees.
Barnes interest revived. His second
view of the house increased his Won
OIL cd
not actually located it among the trees
for him he would have been at loss
To discover 1t. although it was imme
diately in front of him and in direct
line of vision.
De Soto was seen approaching
through the green sea, his head APP
pearng and disappearing intermit-
tently in the pillows formed by the
undulating underbrush. He shook
hands with Barnes a moment later.
I'm glad you had the sense to
bring Mr.. Barnes with you, ODowd,"
said he. "You didn't mention him
when you telephoned that you were
personally conducting a sightseeing
party. l tried to catch you afterward
or. the telephone, but you had left the
Tavern. Mrs Collier wanted me to
ask you to capture Mr.. Barnes for din
per tonight"
Mrs. Collier is the sister of Mr..
Curtis" explained O'Dowd. Then he
turned upon De Soto incredulously.
-'For the love of Pat" he cried, whats
come over them? Why, l made so
bold as to suggest last night that you
were a chap worth cultivating, Barnes
and that you wouldn't be long in the
neighborhood-but to save your feel
ings I'll not repeat what they said the
two of them. What changed them
over, De Soto?"
"A chance remark of Miss Cameron
at lunch today. She wondered If
Barnes could be the chap who wrote
the articles about Peru and the Incas
or something of the sort, and that set
them to looking up the back numbers
of the Geographic Magazine in Mr.
Curtis library. Not only did they FIND
the articles but they found your pic
ture. ] had no difficulty in deciding
tuat you we're one anu tIe same. IHt
atmosphere cleared in a jiffy. It be
came even clearer when it was discov
cred that you have had few ances
tors and are received in good society
both here and abroad, as the late Fred
eric Townsend Martin would have
said. l hereby officially present thu
result of subsequent deliberation. Mr.
Barnes is invited to dine with us to
night"
Barnes heart was still pounding
rapidly as he made the rueful admis
sion that he didn't have thing II
wear" He couldn't think of accept
Ing the gracious invitation
IF they'll take me as / am" began
Barnes, doTbtfully.
II say" called out O'Dowd to tn
sheriff, who was gazing longingly a
the horses tethefe co at the bottom o