Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-04

the street.
The Hawk crossed the road, and
slipped into the lane that was almost
opposite the station. This being ac-
customed ground to the Hawk, he
made his way quickly along in the
blackness, reached the first inter-
secting street. dove thru the doorway
of the dirty and squalid three STORY
building. the ground floor of which
was occupied by a saloon, and,
mounting the narrow staircase, en-
tered the room that was directly
over the saloon on the first landing.
The Hawk locked the door behind
him. If his temporary abode In Sell
kirk City could be so designated, the
Hawk was at home.
He switched on the electric light,
drew 81 chair up to the cheap and
somewhat dilapidated table that
stood against the wall opposite the
door, and from under his vest took
Joined a few minutes before He
spread it out eagerly before him on
the table, scanned it closely, and into
his dark eyes there came a halt
hooking, half triumphant CLEAN.
Il thought sol" murmured the
Hawk. He didn't dare telephone it.
thought the messages must be COM
ing pretty hot tonight-the other fell
low must have gone up to the East
End to shoot some mighty important
reply back, or else he'd never have
left his pal short handed. 1t s no
wonder l never tumbled to that lay
until the Ladybird opened the bag.
didn't recognize those news-coun-
ter fellows, did 1? Why should /?
They're new ones just breaking into
the game. or they'd never have pulled
a fool stunt like this!"
The Hawk bent over the paper. In
places the impression left by the
pencil was faint and, indeed, illeg-
ible, and had not come thru from the
upper sheet at all; but the Hawk
patiently and painstakingly settled
himself to his task. The first few
lines were but a confused and, to- all
outward appearances, meaningless
tumble of letters run together-one
"
And here, ii this had been all, the
Hawk would have been hopelessIy
astray; but lower down on the sheet
the man had decided the cipher, and
here, where letters and words were
too family impressed on the paper or
were missing altogether, the Hawk
was able to supply them by follow
ing the general sense OF the mes
sage. He began by tracing over the
impressions carefully with a sharp
lead pencil, and at the expiration OF
a few minutes was staring, grim
smile ON his lips, at the following:
Gold transferred to No. is at
Mornleigh. Keep away from Linn
tied. Probably big posse on No. Is.
Every man will join Number One on
Train is tonight. Those boarding
No. IS at SeIkirk must on no account
excite suspicion. All other details to
stand"
The Hawks remark, as he reached
into 2his inside coat pocket and
brought out several small slips of
paper, which he laid on the table in
front of him. was seemingly quite
irrelevant.
Yes said the Hawk. 1--WE been
curious ever since yesterday to get a
look ut that desk-lyes, l guess the
l.adybird's no fool"
The Hawk arranged the slips of
paper in what appeared to be "a sort
OF chronological order, and studied
them for q moment. Prefacing the
message he had just obtained, these
others. messages that he had inter-
cepteu at intervals during the pre-
ceding few days, made a complete
and decidedly enlightening record.
The first one, decided, read:
Reported movement of half mill,
lion in gold to be made from coast.
Number Three will proceed to coast,
verify, and secure Details,
The Hawk nodded shortly. Mum.
her Three was the Bantam. He
passed on to the next message:
Gold coming thru on Limited on
Thursday night Express car well
guarded. Numbers One, Seven, Eight,
Six and -Four will board limited at
different stopping points west OF
Mornlcigh, all others to hold them
selves in readiness at Selkirk."
Again the Hawk nodded. This was
Thursday night! Mornleigh was the
Limited's last stop west of Selkir1.
Number One was the Butcher. and
the others were--he shrugged his
shoulders. AS he had once face
tiously remarked, somebody, must
have left the door of Sing Sing open!
There was still another message:
Hold up train three miles east of
Echo Rock. Detach express car, and
run to Willow Creek bridge. Load
gold on wagon, and dispense
The Hawk consulted his watch. 1t
was quarter past nine. He took
out his pipe, lighted it, put his feet
up on the table, and gathering to-
gether the various slips of. paper alb
stractedly began to tear them into
shredS. 2. -s~
Pieced together, the whole affair
was quite simple. In a word, every
move that had been made by Lam
ton of the Secret Service men, and,
presumably, in particular, by one
Birks, was known to the Ladybird
and the Wire Devils. Lanson and
MacVightie had waited until the last
moment before making the transfer
at Mornleigh, the final stop before
Selkirk, but the Bantam was already
accompanying the gold east on the
Limited, and, added to the Bantam
by that time, there would have been
those others who were detailed to
board the Limited at the various
points still further west of Morn
leigh.
1t was very simple The Bantam
had not been asleep at Mornleigh,
and it was not the contents of the
express car alone that had been