The Jasper news., 1920-05-27
CHAPTER "

CHAPTER "
A Message In Cipher.
While Kate listened to what Curly
had 70 tell her the dark eyes OF the
girl we're fastened upon the trembling
little woman standing near the door.
do you mean that she is going to
let my father be killed rather than tell
what she knowsr Her voice was
sharply incredulous, touched with a
horror scarcely realized.
"I--I don't know anything about II. !"
the haraesed woman iterated.
What's the use Of saying that when
we know you dot And you'll not get
out Of II BY sobbing. You've got to
talk. You've got to tell-you've just
got to-" Kate insisted.
The little woman shrank before the
energy OF a passion so vital. No
strength was Il, her to flght But she
could and did offer the passive resist
ance Of obstinate silence.
Curly had drawn from his pocket the
newspaper found In the cellar His
eyes had searched for the date line to
use as cumulative evidence, but they
had remained fastened to one story.
Now he spoke imperatively.
"Come here. Miss Kate. I believe
this is message to u.s."
"A messagef"
From your father, perhaps"
"How could Il be?"
Il found the paper in the cellar
where he was. See how some Of these
words are scored. Done with finger
nail, looks like"
This was the paragraph upon which
his gaze had fastened. and the words
and letters were scored sharply as
shown below, though in the case Of
single letters the mark ran through
them instead Of underneath, evidently
that no mistake might be made as to
which was meant:
J. P. Kelly Of the ranger force
reports over the telephone that by
unexpected good luck he has sue
ceeded in taking prisoner the
notorious Jack Foster OF M{rmo.
siilA and the kincons notoriety
and il now bringing him to Sag.
uaehe where he will be locked up
pending a disposition OF his case.
Kelly succeeded in surprising him
while he was eating dinner at a
Mexican road-house just this. side
of the border.
"Do you make II out7" Maloney
asked, looking over their shoulders.
Curly took a pencil and an envelope
from his pocket. On the latter he jot-
ted down some words and handed the
paper to his friend. This was what
Maloney read:
.............,..,.. .....,,.....s..
....s.............. luck ..........
>. prisoner -. Jack. of He. =. "A
....R. t......s now ..........
Saguache 1900. locked up pending
disposition OF his case. g. sue
ceeded In surprising him ..........
............ ''....s.......,....
............'...
"Read that right ahead"
Dick did not quite get the idea, but
Kate. tense with excitement. took the
envelope and read aloud:
.Luck-prisoner--Jack OF Hearts
now aguache--locked up pending
a disposition of his case-succeeded
In surprising him." She looked up with
shining eyes. Hes alive somewhere.
Well save him now"
Curly spoke to her in low voice.
''You have q talk with Mrs. WylIe
alone. Wen pull our freights. She'll
tell you what she knows" He smiled
In his gentle, winning way. "She's sure
had tough time Of II II ever won.
an had. ! reckon a little kindness Is
what she needs. Let her see we're her
friends and will stand by her. that we
won't let her come to harm because
she talks"
II was an hour before Kate Joined
them. and her eyes. though they were
very bright. told tales OF tears that had
been shed.
"That poor womani She has told
me everything. Father has been down
in that cellar for days under guard.
They took him away tonight. She
doesn't know where. II was she sent
the warnings to Sheriff Bolt She
wanted him to raid the place. but she
dared not go to him."
Because Of BlackwellT"