The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-05-16
CHARLES ]. BUTTON
Copyright ia1 BY Dodd. Mead q Co.. Ina.
CHAPTER vI-Continued.


He made a careful search of the
vault. The boxes lined the walls to
height Of six feet on all sides. A
Few cigarette stubs on the dirt fool
showed that some one had been smok
Ing, but there was nothing to indicate
whom he might have been. AS he
finished his examination, BARLEY said
Il guess we may as well go now"
had taken off my hat when 1 en-
tered the vault, and placed 1t on one
OF the boxes, and now when 1 looked
for 1t could not find 1t. 1t occurred
to me that 1t must have fallen behind
box; and, taking Bartley's torch,
climbed upon the box and flashed
the light into the niche behind the one
on which I thought l had laid 1t.
There 1t lay. AS 1 reached for 1t my
hand came in contact with something
CROPPED for the object, that 1t was a
revolver. Climbing down from the
box, went up to BARLEY.
Look what 1 found!" 1 exclaimed.
"Where did you get that?" he asked
excitedly as he took it 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 his next words
enlightened me.
THAT'S the gun that was In Sykes
hand this morning. 1 recognize the
worn place on the barrel"
"But how did 1t get there" asked
In wonder.
II don't know" was the reply. ut
looks as If the person that threw 1t
back Of the boxes, did it to hide 1t.
He may intend to come for 1t later"
To my surprise, he bent over sud-
denly and blew out the lantern. In
second the vault was in darkness.
Currie started to demonstrate, but
warning whisper from BARLEY stopped
him.
Both Of you get back Of that door
at once. There is someone outside.
Don't make a move or a sound.
think he Is going to come in"
1 heard Currie mutter in surprise
as we CROPPED our way behind the
door. At first 1 could hear nothing;
then on the other side Of the wooden
door I heard some one stumble and
hand tumble for the lock. What
could 1t mean? If the truck had come
back for another load we were in a
bad fix indeed. The men who had
fired 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 a
fight, the odds were heavily against
us, as BARLEY alone was armed.
Currie and myself had been placed
by BARLEY so that when the door
opened we would be hidden by 1t. He
took up his position on the other side,
crouching fiat against the. wall. 1t
was too dark to make out his figure,
or even that Of Currie at my side. l
listened to his uneasy breathing, and
for a second wondered what he was
about.
Whoever was opening the door had
no fear Of making a noise. He STUN
bled into the vault and swung the
door behind him with a little click.
Then a slit of light pierced the dark
ness and we crouched against the
wall, scarcely daring to breathe, ex-
pecting every moment that he would |
see us. Just what he had come for |
never knew. He played the light |
rather aimlessly along the walls, then |
turned in onto the floor. All at once
It paused, and 1 heard an astonished |
gasp. No wonder, for the light was
resting on Bartley's shoes.
The next second he had extin-
yuished it and was making for the
door. Almost before he had moved,
BARLEY had flashed on his own torch
md was saying, "Put up your hands.
have you covered"
The light in Bartley's hand had
'een focused on the mans body, leav-
ng his face in darkness. AS he be-
ran to move 1t upward to his face, the
nan made a swift, flying dive at
3artley's legs. The attack was so
udden that he was taken unawares,
md they fell to the floor together. AS
3artley went down, he struck the but
on of his torch and extinguished 1t,
eaving us In darkness We could
ear the two men thrashing about on
he floor, but could not tell who was
citing the best Of it. Then 1 remem-
cred the lantern and searched for
hat. Relighting 1t. 1 held it above
ny head so that the light fell on the
oor BARLEY was sitting on the man
hat had attacked him. his face and
,hite suit streaked with dirt and a
imp reddening over one eye, but he
-as smiling. He directed me to find
is torch, which had rolled half under
box, and relight 1t. When 1 had
he rose to his feet, and,
ulling the man up with him, told me
, throw the light on the face Of his
risoner.
Lets have look at this chap" I
We saw black, scowling face, and
-uel. shifty eyes that blinked angrily. |
Currie cried. "Why, It's Sykes t
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