The Connecticut labor news., 1921-03-04
CHAPTER xi-continued.

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 linQuished his sudden and unexpecteu advantage. But Gardiner's head was again in command; he rushed tnroush the door, half falling over the obstruc- ton as he went and in an instant was lost in the gloom of the night.
 | For some minutes Harris lay on tho l floor. recovering his breath. AS the oxygen welled back into his lungs he began to realize that, save for his choking, he was unhurt. With return Ing strength his thought reverted to Allan, and, calling the boys name' he sprang to his feet. The first thing was to get light. He found matches ln his pocket, struck one, and peered ea- gerly into the gloom as its htcker1ng flame beat back the darkness. A blan- ket. rolled and stained, lay in the door way, and within was a figure that mighr once have been a man. Harris heart almost stopped at the sight: Al lan," he gasped, my boy, Allan !" He tiptoed across the crumbling floor to- ward it, holding the match before him. A mans boot and part of trouser leg protruded from the mass. He held the match downward, leaning over them. T2sey were not Allan's.
 Thank God," he murmured, swell Ing with a great hope, thank God Tor that"
 He struck another match and found the lantern. When he had lighted 1t he surveyed the little building, and saw Allan's gun lying at the end far thest from the door. Not until that moment did he think of the money. Allan had been uppermost in his mind, and when he thought of Allan money was no consideration. But now great wave of understanding rushed in upon him. Yes, the bag was gone. They had been attacked by robbers. Knowl- edge of their expedition had in some way got to evil ears, and while he slept Allan had been set upon. The boy had emptied his gun-the huddled mass in the doorway told that tale plainly enough-but other robbers had seized the cash and Allan had pursued them empty handed. They had fired at him as he rushed from the building that was the flash he saw few sec onds after the first loud report. He was not quite clear as to his own share in the fight, but he saw the gen. eral plan of it plainly enough. He be- gun to wonder what had happened to Gardiner and Riles. Had they been shot down as they wound through the woods? This was evidently the work of a gang prepared to stop at nothing. Harris never for moment suspected his old neighbor of treachery. He was himself a hard, grasping, money-seek loo l1J of none the less, and within its limitA- lions none was more honorable than he. To have done what Rifles had done would have been quite impossible for John Harris, and because it was inn possible for him its possibility for Riles never suggested itself
 Harris had not yet fully realized the loss of his money. It was overshad- owed by the more tragic events of which one evidence lay before him. His anxiety for Allan loon.ed larger In his mind, although he had little doubt the boy would take proper care of himself. and, even if unar1ned would come back with the money and perhaps with a prisoner. The fact that Allan had not taken his gun was reasSuring; if there had been any great danger he would not have left it behind. But he must get out now and aid in the search.
 AS he reached this decision his eve caught a gleam of something shining on the floor. He walked to it and found a revolver, fully loaded except for one chamber, which had been dis charged. "This ix evidence" said he
 
 all the Old Ontario contempt for this kind of weapon, and knew compara- lively little about it, but he concluded from its appearance that it was al- most new. As he examined it his eye fell on the initials, "J. IT," cut in the grip.
 U. IT," he said to himself "J. T. Those initials seem familiar. I'll just leave this thing where I found it, un- til the police see it."
 Replacing the weapon on the floor, he stole out the cabin, avoiding the silent obstruction in the doorway. Out side he stood for a moment undecided The circle of light from his lantern might beacon Allan back to the chan- ty. but it would also prove signal to IIIO IODDCIS, Il lIISy were Sllll III tllC FI- cinity. The roar of water came up from the valleys, but above or through that roar suddenly he fancied he heard sound from the bushes near at hand. He held his breath and listened in- tently. Yes, there it was again-a hu- man sound, beyond question, half groan, half gurgle. He turned in the direction from which 1t came and stole quietly forward Half-a-dOzen yards from the building the light revealed, first a shadow, and then figure lying on the ground. With some trepidatiOn Harris approached. The mans arms had been extended when he fell, and his coat was thrown over his head. Harris stopped and drew it down over the shoulders exposing the face.
 It was Allan.
 The first shock of the.revelation al- most stopped the hs of the old farmer and he sat ah as one dazed, unable to accsH Testimony of his cm certainty, as Fen upon the boy, groping will E his heart, and at last pressi bon 1t in an agony of fear. es' the beat was there, faint anl s1even, but unmistakable. With 1en surge of returning hope he br It his ear down to the open T TS-.I,L