The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-08-05

confronted. Tie situation Was fairly
clear. yet there were strange lights
and shadows In IL | found hard %
reconcile. Moreover. what should I
dor How could ] serve best-by i'm
medlately telling my story to the Of.
ficers Of the law. and thus washing nv
hands clean? or by continuing 20 en-
net the role Of Harry Daily. and In this
way entrapping these fellows red
haDdedi ] had had fully enough Of
Harris for the present. His boastful-
ness and pride of crime disguised me.
l had no desire 10 be associated with
the fellow. or pretend. even for a
worthy purpose. TO be his companion.
Yet, all this had happened so sudden
ny and unexpectedly I could not de
termine the best course TO pursue.
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 q night
latch, and we stood motfonless IN the
drizzle. BY that time was ready
with suggestion. but by good fortune
he took the Initiative.
ave better slip out Of here alone. 1
reckon" he whispered. "Tu 20 up
this way, and then You take a sneak
through the lumber yard. Likely we'll
catch the same car going down. II We
don't. look me up at Costigan's place
you know where that isf'
Sixth avenue, isn't itf'
"Sure. Ask for Parker, and Il will
be all right. II l amt ia, leave q 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. Yeu
walt 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. 20
long,"
He slipped out through the gate into
the dark Of the alley, leaving 1t slight
ly ajar for me to follow. l 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. l waited only long enough to be
sure he was safely out of the way, and
then followed, eager to be of. One
thing was certain, 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
a light showing In the houses, or a
moving fgure visible as far as
could see in the dimness of the str eet
lamps. The rain was steady, the pave
ment shimmering with moisture, the
only sound the pattering of the drops
as they fell. II any policemen were
abroad / saw no signs. and, with col
lar turned up to my ears. chose to
walk rather than seek the block to the
east and the possibility of street chr.
The factory district ended in row
of houses, dark and silent at this hour
but the walking was good, and I
pushed forward briskly, so buried in
thought as to become practically in
sensible to the unpleasant surround
ings. The night had been a full one,
far exceeding my expectations, vet
left me more puzzled than ever as to
my own duty. SO far l knew of no
act Of crime with which these men
could be connected; they were mere
~ proposing a future attack on neu-
trail government. II, however. con-
scented to play my part with Harris,
would not only be In ample time to
circumvent any danger Alva and his
gang might contemplate, but also gain
annie evidence for their conviction
and Expulsion from this country. In
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 to
pursue was to wait, and watch, ready
to act at any moment, but keeping my
own council until certain that the
specific moment had arrived.
Nor was l Oblivious to the strange
impression left spon me by my en-
counter with Marie Gessler. She had
interested me oddly. and could net
drive her memory from my thoughts.
Our moment Of conversation had been
peculiar, and her words and actions
remained as u cOnslr,iii. Why had
she stood there, her hand on the door,
and talked to me In that hooking
wayf Had she purpose IN aiml
Did she believe my explanation? or
was her suspicion aroused into de-
termination to verify It IN some way?
Although could not decide yet doubt
Lose tho lottor thoory u.5, tho ,,,o.A