The daily Alaskan., 1920-07-03

drlnR O Water.
 "How much longer were you up?"
 "Oh, maybe an hour."
 "No message for Miss Donovan up 10 that time?"
 "No."
 You left the door unlocked?"
 "Sure; them New York fellers was both out. I oughter waited till they come in, maybe, but I was plum tired out"
 "When did they come back?"
 "Oh, bout midnight, reckon. Bill Lacy an Matt Moore was along with 'em."
 q see! And these New York people they are stll here?"
 "They wus all three down ter break fast; ain't seen nuthin' of 'em since"
 What became ofHLacy% He's down in his saloon; he sed if you showed up, an asked fer him, ter tell yer that's whar he'd be-"
 "He told you thati He expected me to show up, then?" q reckon as how he did" and Tim mons grinned in drunken good humor. 'He's pretty blame smart, Bill Lacy is; he most allars knows whut's goin' ter happen" He leaned oyer the desk and lowered his voice. If yer do hunt him up, Jim," he said confiden- tially, you better go heeled."
 Westcott laughed. The first shock of the discovery of Miss Donovan's i disappearance had passed, and he was himself again. He must have time to think and arrange some plan and, above all, must retain a clear mind and proceed Coolly.
 "All right, old man." he said easily, 'rl try and look out for myself. l haven't eaten yet today. What can ! you find ine in the larder?"
 Although feeling the need of food, Westcott entered the dining-roOm of | the TimmonS' house more deSirous of being alone than for any other pur- nose. He realized that he was sud- denly brought face to face with most 1 serious condition. and one which must be solved unaided. So Bill Lacy. eS. pected him? Had left word where he was to be found? What was the prob able meaning of this? WeStcOtt did not connect this message directly with the strange disappearance Of Miss Donovan. Moore must have recoS- nized him during their fight, and re ported to his master who 1t was that had been discovered listening at the window. Realizing the nature of that conversation. Lacy naturally antici- pated being sought the very moment | WeStcott came to town. That was what this meant. All right, he would hunt Lacy as soon as he was ready to do so; and. as Timmens suggested, would go ''heeled." But the girl? What had really be- come of the girl? Westcott drew the brief note from his pocket, smoothed out its creaSes and read the few words over again. The writing was unqueStionably feminine, and he could recall seeing nothing Miss Donovan had ever indited, with which 1t could be compared. But would she have de parted, however hurriedly, without leaving him some message2 Uncon- sciously he still held the letter in his hand when the waitress came in with his breakfast. She glanced about to make certain they were alone and leaned over. her lips close to his ear.
 "Is that the note they say that New York young lady left?"
 "Yes, Sadie," in surprise. "Why"
 "Well, she never wrote 1t, Mir. Vest cott," hurrledly placing the dishes be- 1 fore him. that's all. Now don't yer say a word to anybody that I told yer; but she didn't go East at all she wus took in a wagon down the desert road. I saw 'em take her.
 You saw them? Who"
 "Well, don't just know that, 'cept 1t was Matt Moore's team, an he wuz drivin' 1t. I didn't see the others so es to be sure. Yer see us help sleep over the kitchen, an bout one o'clock I woke up. I thought l heard a noise outside, an got up an went to the winder. I couldn't see much, not 'nough so I could swear to nuthin'; but there was three or four men out there just across that little gully, you know, an they had q woman with 'em. She didn't scream none. but she was tryin' ter git away; wunst she. run, but they caught her. I didn't see no wagon then; it was behind the ridge, I reckon. After a while 1t drove off down the south trail, an little later three men come up them outside stairs !, back into the hotel They was mighty still bout it, too"
 You couldn't tell who they were?"
 ''They want like nuthin' but shad- ders: it was a purty dark night. Say, did you ever hear tell of a Mexican named Mendez?"
 "Well, rather; he's a cattle thief, or worse. Arizona has big reward out for him, dead or alive"
 That's the gink, I bet yer; has he got a hangout anywhar round this