The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-07-06

| more uIuUC, 81 dS " ONChp osNs
| piece together as best | might this
fabric OF villainy with which l was
| confronted. The situation was fairly
| clear, yet there were strange lights
| and shadows in 1t l found hard 70
reconcile. Moreover, what should
do3 How could l serve best-by i'm
mediately telling my story to the Of
ficers of the law, and thus washing my
hands clean? or by continuing to en-
net the role Of Harry Daily, and In this
way entrapplng these fellows red
handed? I had had fully enough Of
Hurris for the present. His boastfui-
ness and pride of crime disguised me.
| I had no desire to be associated with
| the fellow. or pretend, even for a
worthy purpose. to be his companion.
Yet. all this had happened so sudden
ly and Unexpectedly l could not de-
remained dazed and confused, the
only clear decision being an eagerness
to bring him, and these others also, to
justice.
We were the last to leave the place,
and emerged from the building into
the deserted yard, leaving all in ST.
lence and darkness behind us. The
door closed tightly, secured by a night
| latch, and we stood motiOnless in the
drizzle. BY that time l was ready
with suggestion, but by good fortune
he took the Initiative.
.,vl, 80
reckon" he whispered. "I'll 60 up
this way, and then you take sneak
through the lumber yard. Likely we'll
catch the same car going down. If we
don't, look me up at Costigan's place
you know where that is3'
"SiXth avenue, isn't it?'
"Sure. Ask for Parker, and 1t will
be all right. If amt in, leave a note
where l can hunt you up. got to
keep my eye on Alva tomorrow, so he
don't get away with the stuff"
you expect him to drawn"
"Not before night; but, just the
same, want to know for sure. You
wait here five minutes, for I've got the
longest trip to make. You'll show up
all rightT
"You can't lose me; it looks too
good"
He chuckled and patted me on the
shoulder In an excess Of friendliness,
evidently feeling to some extent the
whisky he had been imbibing so freely.
"That's the talk, DAILY. Well. 60
long,"
He slipped out through the gate into
the dark Of the alley, leaving it slight
ly ajar for me to follow. sheltered
myself behind the high board fence
and listened to the soft slush of his
feet in the mud. The sound vanished,
and all about was silence and dark.
ness. waited only long enough to be
sure he was safely out of the way, and
then followed, eager to be off. One
thing was certain, l would make no
effort to join him on the car; would
use the remainder of the night to de-
eide the future, working out the prob
lem alone.
To make certain that avoided any
possibility of encOuntering the fellow
again, passed directly through the
deserted lumber yard before emerging
| upon Cans street. This thorOughfare
was at this hour desolate enough, not
light showing in the houses, or a
moving figure visible as far as l
could see in the dimness of the st,
lamps. The rain was steady, the pave
ment shimmering with moisture, the
only sound the pattering of the drops
as they fell. If any policemen were
abroad l saw no signs, and, with col
lar turned up to my ears. l chose to
walk rather than seek the block to the
east and the possibility of street car
The factory district ended in row
of houses, dark and silent at this hour
but the walking was good, and
pushed forward briskly, so buried In
thought as to become practically in
sensible to the unpleasant surround
ings. The night had been full one
far exceeding my expectations, YET
left me more puzzled than ever as tC
my own duty. So far knew of nc
act of crime with which these mer
could be connected; they were mere
~ proposing future attack on q neu
tral government. If, however. l con
scented to play my part with Harris,
would not only be in ample time Il
circumvent any danger Alva and hi.
gang might contemplate, but also gair
ample evidence for their conviction
and expulsion from this country. Ii
addition to this would be in position
to block the daring plans of this inter
national thief. Altogether 1t seemed
to me that the wiser course for me t
pursue was to walt, and watch, read,
to act at any moment. but keeping m.
own council until certain that tn
specific moment had arrived.
Nor was l Oblivious to the strnng
impression left upon me by my en-
counter with Marie Gessler. She ha'
interested me oddly. and l could no
drive her memory from my Thoughts
Our moment Of conversation had bee
peculiar, and her words and action