The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-07-01

strIpped of his shoes. md ran OUT
INTO the hall to the head of the stairs.
where he looked down and listened.
From here the sound Of some one NOV
ing nbouts came to him distinctly; ne
could see no light below. but when lie
ran down to the turn Of the stairs. 1t
i became plnin that there was a very
dim and tllckerlng light In the library.
He crcpt on farther down the stnir-
case, His hands were cold md moist
from his excitement. and his body was
hot and trembling.
Whoever 1t was that WINS moving
about downstairs. even II he was not
one who had 4 right to be there. at
least felt secure from interruption.
lie was going with heavy step from
window TO window; where he found a
shade up. he pulled 1t down brusqueiy
md with a violence which suggested
great strength under nervous strain;
n shade, which had been pulled down.
flew up, and the man damned II as
thougiPit had startled him: then, after
mn instant. he pulled 1t down again.
Alan crept still farther down and at
Inst caught sight Of him. lie WAS
big, young. looking man. with broad
shoulders and very evident vigor;
Aim guessed his age Mt thlrty-hve; he
wns hanls0me-he had straight
forehead over daring. deep-set eyes
his nose. lips and chin were power
fully formed: and he was extensively
and very carefully dressed. The light
by which Alan saw these things camo
from 4 fat little pocket searchlight
that the man carried In one hand.
which threw a little brilliant circle Of
light as he directed u; and now. rs
the light CHANGED to fall on his other
hand-pOwerfui and heavily muscletl
Alan recOllected the look and size
Of the finger prints on the chest Of
DRIVERS upstairs. He did not doubt
that this was the same man who had
gone through the desk: but since he
had already rihesi the desks. what did
he want here now? As the man moved
ont of sight. Alan crept on down as
fnr ns the door to the library: the
MN had gone on into the renr room.
and Alan went fnr enough into the
library no he could zee him.
He had pulled open one OF the draw.
ers In the big table in the renr room
and with his light held 80 high As to
show what was In II. he was tumhling
over its contents and examining them.
He went through one after another Of
the drawers Of the table like this:
inter examining them. he rose md
kicked the last one shut disgustedly
he stood looking about the room ques-
tIoningly, then he started toward the
front room.
He had. as yet. neither seen nor
heard anything to alarm him. and Ms
he went to the desk In the front room
and peered impatiently Into the druw-
ers, he slammed them shut. one after
another. He Strengthened and stared
about. .D-n Ben! On Ben I" he
calculated violently and returned to
the rear room. Alan. again following
him. found him on his knees In front
fof one OF the drawers under the book
cases! As he continued searching
through the drawers. his Irritation be-
came greater and greater. He jerked
one drawer entirely out Of its case
and the contents flew In every dIrec-
ton: swearing at It. he gathered up
the letters. One suddenly caught his
attention: he began reading II closely.
then snapped II back into the drawer.
crammed the rest on top Of 1t. and
went on to the next OF the dies. He
searched In this manner through half
dozen drawers, plainly finding moth.
ing at all he wanted: he dragged some
OF the bOOks from their cases. felt be-
hind them and showed back some Of
tho books but dropped others on the
floor and hlasphemy burst from him.
The beam Of light from the torch In
his hand swayed aside and hack anil
forth. without warning. suddenly 1t
caught Alan a. he stood In the dark
Of the front room: and as the dim
white circle Of light cleaned into Al
ans face. the man looked that way
and saw him.
The effect Of this upon the man was
NO strange and so bewiIdering to Alan
that Alan could only stare at him.
The big man seemed 10 shrink Into
himself and to shrink back and away
lTOu AMI. Ite IuNitNi uut ShhPthihk
In q below thick with fear and hor-
| ror; he seemed to choke with terror.
There was nothing In his look akin to
mere surprise or alarm at realizing
| that another was there and had been
seeing and overhearing him. The
light which he still gripped swayed
back and forth and showed him Alan
again. and he raised his arm before
his face as he recV,ed.
The CONSERVATION Of the man was
40 complete that 1t checked Aian's rush
toward him: he halted, then advanced
silently und watchfully. As he went
forward. and the light shone upon his
face again, the big nun cried out
hOarsely:
"D-n you, d-n you. with the hole
above your eye! The bullet got you
| And now you've got Benz But you