Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1922-05-11

Alan stopped quickly, unlaced ant
stripped Off his shoes, and ran GU
into the hall to the head Of the stairs
where he looked down and listened
From here the sound Of some one NOV
Ing about came to him distinctly; hi
could see no light below, but when hi
ran down to the turn of the stairs, /,
became plain that there was very
dim and Pickering light in the library
He crept on farther down the stair
case. His hands were cold and moist
from his excitement, and his body was
hot and trembling.
Whoever it was that was moving
about downstairs, even If he was not
one who had right to be there, al
least felt secure from interruption
He was going with heavy step from
window to window; where he found q
shade up. he pulled 1t down brusquely
and with a violence which suggested
great strength under a nervous strain
a shade, which had been pulled down,
flew up, and the man damned it as
though 1t had startled him; then, after
an instant, he pulled it down again.
Alan crept still farther down and at
last caught sight of him. He was o
big, young-looking man, with broad
shoulders and very evident vigor :;
Alan guessed his age at thirty-fve; he
was handsome-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 came
from a fiat little pocket searchlight
that the man carried in one hand.
which threw little brilliant circle Of
light as he directed it; and now, as
the light CHANGED to fall on his other
hand-powerful and heavily muscled
Allan recollected the look and size
of the finger prints on the chest Of
drawers upstairs. He did not doubt
that this was the same man who had
gone through the desk; but since he
had already rified the desks, what did
he want here now? AS the man moved
out Of sight, Alan crept on down as
far as the door to the library; the
man had gone on into the rear room,
and Alan went far enough into the
library so he could see him.
He had pulled open one Of the draw
ers in the big table in the rear room
and with his Tight held so high as to
show what was in it, he was tumbling
over its contents and examining them.
He went through one after another Of
the drawers of the table like this;
litter examining them, he rose and
Kicked the last ore shut disgustedly;
he stood looking ABOUT the room ques-
.ioningly, then he started toward the.
front room.
He had, as yet, neither seen nor
heard anything to alarm him, and as:
le went to the desk in the front room.
md peered impatiently into the, draw
ers, he slammed them shut, one after
mother. He Strengthened and stared
lbout. "D-n Benz On Bent" he
.jaculated' violently and returned to.
he rear room. Allan; again following
lin, found him on his knees in front
# one OF the drawers under the book
asses. As he continued searching
through tie drawers, his Irritation be-
anne greater and greater. He jerketf
me drawer entirely out of its case:
md the contents flew in every direc>
ion; swearing at II, he gathered up.
he letters. One suddenly caught hts
he began reading it. closelN
hen snapped it back into the drawer.
the rest on top Of it; and
vent on to the next Of the files. He
earched' In this manner through half
! dozen drawers, plainly finding MOTH
ng at alrhe wanted he dragged some
Il the books from their cases, felt be-
lind them and showed back some. Of
he books but dropped others on the
loor and blasphemy burst from him.
The beam Of light from the torch in
lis hand swayed aside and back and
orth. Without warning; suddenly it
'aught' Alan as he stood in the, dark
# the front room; ana as the dim
White, circle Of Fight cleaned into Al
ms face, the man looked that way
Ind saw him.
The effect of thisalpsn, the man was
70 strange and' so bewildering to Alan.
hat Alan could only stare. at him.
The big man, seemed to shrink into
himself and to SHRINK back and away
rom Alan. He roared out something
n, below thick with fear and hor-
OF; he seemed to choke with terror.
There was nothing. In his: l0ok akin, to
mere surprise or alarm at realizing
hat another was there and had been
'eeing and oveJhearing him. The
light which he still gripped swayed
rack and forth and shaved hira. Alan
again, and he raised his arm before
lis face as he recoiled.
The conservation Of the Eaan was
10 complete that it checked Alan's rush
owara him; he, halned, then. advanced
silently and Watchfully. AS he went
'orward, and the Fight sho1e upon his
ACE again. the big man cried out
'sD-n you, d-n you, with the hole
above your eye! The bullet got you!
And now you've got Ben! But you