The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-07-08

ominous thudS a body rolled down
the stairs into the hall below.
"You fool" He heard L~akington's
voice, shrill with anger. you've
killed him. Switch on the light :"
But before the order could be car
ricd out Hugh had disappeared, like
a great cat, into the darkness Of the
passage above. As luck would have
1t the first room he darted into was
empty. and he Hung up the window
and peered out.
a faint, watery moon showed him
Il t~wcnty-foot drop onto the grass,
and without hesitation he flung his
legs over the sill. And at that mo
ment something prompted him to look
upward.
1t was n dormcr window, and TO an
active man access TO the root was
easy. Without an i~nstant's hesitation
he abandoned all thoughts of retreat
and when TIVE excited men rushed in
to the room he was firmly ~enSCOnCed
with his legs aStride Of the ridge OF
the window, not "A yard from their
heads.
Securely hidden in the shadow. he
watched the subsequent proceedings
with genial liberation. \ raucouS bel
low from the two men announced
that they had discovered his line of
escape; and, in half 4 minute the
garden was full of hurrying figures.
One, calm and impassive, his identity
betrayed only by the inevitable cigar,
stood by the garden door, apparently
taking no part In the game; Laking-
ton, blind with fury, was running
round in small circles, cursing every
me impartially.
"The car is stiIl there" \ man
came up TO Peterson, and Hugh heard
the words distinctly.
Then he's probably over at Ben
tons house. will 90 and see"
Hugh watched the thick-sct, mas
siye figure stroll down toward the
wicket gate, and he laughed gently
to himself. Then he grew serious
again, and with Il Slight frOwn he
pulled out his watch and peered at it.
Half-paSt one two more hours
before dawn. And in those two hours
he wanted TO explore the house from
on top; especially he wanted to have
Il look at the mysterious central room
OF which Phyllis had spoken to him
the room where darlington kept his
treasures. But until the excited
throng below went indoors, it was
unsafe To move. Once out of the
shadow, any one would be able to
see him crawling over the roof in the
moonlight.
At times the thought Of the help
less man for whose death he had in
one way been responsible required to
him, but he shook his head angrily.
1t had been necessary, he realized
you can carry someone upstairs in
q normal house without him having
his neck broken-but still $50. And
then he wondered who he was. 1t
had been one of the men who sat
round the table-of that he was toler.
ably certain. But which 49,? Was
it the frightened bunny, or the Rus
sian, or the gentleman with the blood
shot eye? The only comfort was that
whoever 1t had been. the world would
not be appreciably the poorer for his
sudden decease. The only regret was
that it hadn't been dear Henry.
He had a distate for Henry which
far exceeded his dislike OF Peterson.
Hes not over there" PeterSon's
we've wasted time enough rs 1t Is"
The men had gathered together in
a group. just below where Hugh was
sitting, evidently awaiting further or
ders.
ID you mean TO say we've lost the
young swine again?" said darlington
angrily.
Not lost-merely mislaid," muir
INJURED Peterson. "The more | see of
him the more do / admire his initla-
tive"
Lexington snorted.
at was that ID fool Ivolsky'S own
fault" he snarled; "why didn't he
keep still as he was told to do?"
"Why, indeed" returned Peterson,
his cigar glowing red. "And I'm
afraid we shall never know. He is
very dead" He turned toward the
house. That concludes the enter
tainment, gentlemen, for tonight. i
think YOU can all 60 to bed"
He disappeared into the house, and
the others followed slowly. For the
time being Hugh was safe, and with
a sigh Of relief he stretched his
cramped limbs and lay back against
the slOping roof. If only he had dared
to light a cigarette.
THREE.
II was half an hour before Drum
mOnd decided that II was safe to start
exploring. First he took off his shoes.
and tying the laceS together, he slung
them around his neck. Then, rs ST
lently as lie could, he commenced to
scramble upward.
IL was not ali easy operation; one
slip and nothing could have stopped
him sliding down and finally crash
ing into the garden beIow with a