The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-02-09
CHARLES J. BUTTON
Copyright req by Dodd. Mead q Co.. ins.
CHAPTER vI-Continued.

Natbs ~ UoACS t4litu lUt Wills [
a height Of six feet On all sides. 4.
few cigarette stubs on the dirt foo
showed that some one had bcel smOk
ing. hut there was nothing to indicate
whom he might have been. As H.
finished his examination. BARLEY said
II guess we nay as well go now"
had taken Off my hat when I en-
tered tne vauIt, and placed It on on,
of the boxes. and now when | looked
for II ] could NOT find II. II occurred
to me that it must have fallen behinc
q box; and. taking Bartley's torch.
climbed upon the box am flashed
the light into the niche behind the one
on which l thought I had laid IL
There il lay. AS | reached for 1t my
hand came in contact with something
hard. knew. ever as my fingers
CROPPED for the object. that 1t was u
revolver. Climbing down from the
box. | went up to Barley.
"Look what | found :" | exclaimed.
"Wlere did you get fhat?" he asked
excitedly as he took II from me.
! told him of my hat falling behind
the boxes, and how the revolver had
been in the niche back of them There
seemed no reason for his being so ex-
cited over the find, but Ills next words
enlightened me.
THAT'S the gun that was in Sykes
hand this morning. ! recognize the
worn place on the barrel"
"But how did 1t get there?" / asked
In wonder.
81 don't know" was the reply. I'll
looks as If the person that threw II
back of ~ boxes, did ii to lide II.
He may intend TO come for 1t later.
70 my surprise. he bent over sud
denly and blew out the lantern. In II
second the vault was in darkness
Currie started TO demonstrate, but a
warning whisper from BARLEY stopped
him.
Both Of you get back Of thai door
at ace There Is someone out ide.
Don't make a move or n sound !
think he Is going TO come in"
] heard Currie mutter in surprise
as we CROPPED our way behind the
door. AT first | could hear nothing;
then On the other side of the woclen
door heard some one stumble and
o hand tumble for the lock. What
could II mean? If the truck had come
back for another load we were in n
bad fix indeed. The men who had
fred at us before would not hesitate
to shoot to kill this time, and when
we were missing no one would think
to search for us In this vault. In II
fight, the odds were heavily against
us. as Barley alone was armed.
Currie and myself had been placed
by Partley so that when the door
opened we would he hidden by ii. lie
took M his position on the other side.
crouchirg fiat against the wall. Ii
was TOO dark to make out his figure.
or even that Of Currie at my side. |
listened to his uneasy breathing. and
for n second wondered what he was
thinking about.
Whoever was opening the door had
no fear of making n noise. He STUN
bled into the vault and swung the
door behind him with n little click.
Then n slit of light pierced the dark
ness and we crouched against the
wall scarcely daring to breHthe. ex-
every moment that he would
see us. lust what he had come for
] never knew. He PLAYED the LIGHT
nimlessly along The walls, then
in unto the floor. All at once
II paused and | heard nm astoniShed
gasp. No wonder. for the light was
on BartIey's shoes. {
TIE next second he had extin-
II and was making for the
door. Almost before he had moved
had flashed on his own torch
was saying. Put up your hands.
have YOU coveredr "
The light in Bartley's hand had
,een focused on the nuns body. leav. I
ny his face in darkness. As he be I.
to move II upward to his face, the ;,
nan made a swift. flying dive AT !"
3arflev's legs. The ATTACK was So F"
hidden that he was taken unawares. y
nd they fell to the floor together. As
went down, he struck the but :
on OF his torch and extinguished IL. q
us in darkness. We could !
ear the two men thrashing about on u
he floor. but could not tell who was u
the best Of it. Then | remem. s.
the lantern and searched for "a
hat. R%elighting II, I held 1t above u
~ head so that the light fell on the u
oor. FARLEY was sitting ON the man te
nj had attacked him his face md p'
'hite suit streaked with dirt and n u
imp reddening over one eye. hut he ne
MS smiling. He directed me to find u
Is torch. which had rolled half under Sc
box. and relight II. When ! had IN
,nnlied. he ros to his feet, md.
1lling the man up with him. told me- 81
throw the light on the face of his ki
fsoner.
"T.er's have a look at This chap nc
We saw n black. Sowing face, and WI
ueI. shifty eyes that blini;ed angrily. lie
Crrrle cried. "lyhy. it's Sykes te'
taureurr M
The MN did not deny 1t. hut stood
|anf and pfOwerfnv r-cman,hprfpr nn