The Bossier banner., 1922-07-06

- 0SNesa6 eAu VASt Va NQ2 k3Hs
taO you set on it. and had all the -.
pers drawn up. when ! discoveries tha,
among us we had made serious om,..
sion. You will remember that, / soo,,
many years ago. when you were tai.
ing on some fresh obligations. yon
transferred the homestead into vnn,
wife's name. | assured the purchases,
that there would be no difficulty ahore
getting title from your wife, but az .l,
the buildings are on the hornesteas
quarter he would agree 10 nothing bet.
ter than paying $4,000 for the resa
OF your land, leaving the homestead
quarter, with the buildings, stock ana
implements out Of the transaction. 4,
bis price seemed fair one for IL
balance Of the property, and as / -
sumed your need of the money w,e
urgent. closed deal on that basis
cashed the agreement and renittA6
the proceeds to you at once By wira
] trust my actions In the matter me-
with your approval.
"Yours sincerely,
GEORGE BRADSHAWs
Harris placed the letter In the
hands Of his wife. She tried 10 read
It. but q great happiness enveloped
her as a food and the typewrittsn
characters seemed to swim before her
what does II mean. John? r she asked
noting his restrained excitement
What does Il mean?"
1T means that the homestead uuan
ter was not sold-after all--that II IL
still yours, with the buildings, and ma.
chinery. and stock. and this year'a
crop just ready for cutting"
She raised her eyes tc his. ~Sull
ours. John. you mean. Still ours"
In the rapid succession Of eventa
everyone seemed to have forgotten, of
disregarded, Gardiner. But at this
moment the doctor came rushing ont
of the house.
Gardeners gonel" he exclaimed.
as he came up to the men.
Some OF the party removed their
hats.
'Oh. not that way-not that wayls
exclaimed the doctor. II mean he,a
gone e-skipped-beat It. II you under.
stand. Most extraordinary! was
taking his pulse. 1t was about normal
and he seemed resting easier, 30 /
slipped downstairs for the antidota.
When ] went back was only zone 1
moment-there wasn't q sight or sound
Of him."
Sergeant Grey conducted SWIM
examination, not Of Gardeners room,
but OF the one In which Allan was b.
ing. he was rewarded BY finding he
little slip Of paper. with few crys-
tails Of powder still clinging to It. The
coroner examined the crystals through
his magnifying glass; then. somewhat
dubiously. raised them on 4 moistened
finger to his tongue. and after 4 mo-
ment's hesitation swallowed in an I'M
pressive. scholarly fashion.
"Saccharum album r. he exclaimed
Common white sugarl Most extraor
dinaryi"
But Sergeant Grey was at the open
window. It was only an eight-foos
drop to the soft earth, and to the %.
hceman there was no longer any mys
tery In Gardeners disappearance Ths
mock suicide was a carefully planned
ruse to be employed by Gardiner Il ~
worst came to the worst.
II want all Of you men, and hosss
for each" said Grey. quickly. turning
upon them like a general marshaling
his officers. There are dozen differ-
ent trnils he may follow, and we must
put man on each. ! will give imn,e-
diate pursuit, in the hope Of riding
him down before he can throw as "a
the scent and will leave It to you,
Mr.. Arthurs, to organize the posse and
scour the whole country until be u ~
Gated"
Grey knew that the main road. Il
followed far enough, dwindled into Z
pack trail, which In turn semed to lose
itself In the Businesses Of the noun
tains. but In reality opened into pass
leading through the range. he gave
Gardiner credit for knowing as much,
and concluded that the fugitive would
make bolt straight through the
mountains
An hours hard riding brought him
into tremendously rough country.
where the trail at times was nothing
more than narrow defile or ledge.
| and sheer walls of rock rose thou
sands Of. feet above. their giant edges
cutting the blue sky like the teeth q
/ mighty saw. Far below. q ribbon Of
green and white. the river rolled In It's
canyon. Here and there thin stream
Of water sprayed down the mountain
side. cutting damp. treacherous belt
| across the trail. But ut one such spot
| Grey's heart leaped within him. f0f
there. Enthusiastically clear In the thin
| soil and soft rock. were the marks Of
horses shoe. not an hour old. A
few minutes later he saw Gardiner
swinging round q spur Of rock half 2
mile further. up the pass.
Suddenly. at turn in the path. DIS
1 eve cn,i1hf a sight which made MIN