The spectator., 1921-02-22
By ROBERT J. C. STEAD 
Aufhov of "Ths Cos1 PunchAy. Etc.

boy, Allan about whom he wrapped all the affection of his nature; and they had crumbled to dust even while he worshiped.
 He found flask thrown from som campers pack, and filled it with water at the mountain stream that rushed by a few rods below the cabin. He placed the liquid to the boys lips and fancied that some drops found entrance. He had stanched the wound as best he could with fragments torn from the lining of his coat, and he sat down again to watch. Until morning he could do nothing more. Then some camper, lumberman. or surveyor might happen along the road. If not, he would have to move Allan at all risks.
 It took time for him to realize the bitterness with which his plans had collapsed. As the night wore on he was able to weigh his disaster in a more balanced mind, but its magnitude grew in the weighing. From prosper ous ambition he had been swept in an hour to penniless ruin. His destruc- tion was almost complete. The old farm the scene of his labors-his and Mary's-was gone. If Allan should die there remained nothing more.
 Suddenly he fancied he heard the sound of horses hoofs in the clay road along the hill side, now softened with the light rain. The sound ceased as
 
 to him that it might be one of the rob- bers returning. The lantern was burn ing low, but as precaution he now turned it quite out. There were some cartridges in Allan's pocket; he felt for them and decided to bring the gun out of the cabin. But before he could put his decision into effect he observed the form of man moving silently but briskly toward the cabin. He held his breath and remained obscured in the bushes. Dimly he discerned the form stop at the door and peer into the darkness.
 There was no doubt in the mind of Harris as to the evil intent of the vis- itOr. He had come on horseback near the building, and had then dismounted and stole up to 1t on foot. That in It. self was sufficiently discriminating One who was riding through the mountains on legitimate errand. and who knew nothing of the nights affray, would take no such precautions. Unarmed as he was, Harris resolved that the robber. probably the murderer of his son. should not on any account escape him. With the blanket which he had brought to cover Allan was bag in which they had carried oats for their horses; this he found in the darkness, and stole after his victim. He over took him standing at the door, in ap- parent hesitancy whether to enter the building. Without an instant's warn ing Harris threw the bag about his head, and with quick twist of his powerful wrist had his prisoner se- curely gagged. Throwing him violent ly to the ground, he tied the sack in a hard knot. and. despite all struggles, dragged him back to where Allan lay. Here he relighted the lantern. and, cutting part of the blanket into strips with his pocket knife, securely tied his captive hand and foot. At first the prisoner tried to talk, but he could not speak inteligbly through the close drawn sack, and presently he gave up and lay in silence in the wet grass.
 And again the leaden night wore on, broken only by occasional gurglings in the throat of Allan or futile struggles by the prisoner. Harris felt little curi- osity concerning the identity of the man in gags before him. or the victim of Allan's gun iH the doorway. They were absolute strangers to him, and he even feared that if he should look into the face of the one that still lived his anger over the assault upon Allan would burst all bounds and he would kill his victim on the spot. He was slowly forced to the conclusion that Riles and Gardiner had also met with foul play, and that no help was now to be expected from that quarter.
 Just as the first bars of gray in the eastern sky proclaimed approaching dawn, the sound of horses hoofs came distinctly up the valley. Harris Crew himself into sitting posture and lis tened Allan was still breathing, and apparently with less effort than earlier in the night. The sound of the horse came nearer and nearer. At last it was in the road just below. and mo- ment later would have passed by had not Harris called out.
 Sergeant Gray instantly swung his horse from the road and. dismounting, proceeded in the direction of the voices