Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1923-01-27
aRnt his partnerY,


be afraid of-just a butler with
cracked head. It's the other guy who
has got the brains Come on; let's
take a look cut in the alley
Their shadows vanished up the
stairs, the glow Of light disappearing,
and leaving the cellar in impenerahlc
darkness West did not venture to
move, however. content to wait until
thoroughly assured the way for es-
cape was clear He had ncr learned
much from this conversation. except
TO increase his convictions that a seri-
Gus crime was being consummated.
The fun nature Of this conspiracy was
as obscure as ever; rendered even
more doubtful indeed. by the active
participation Of Natalie Coolidge.
This was what puzzled and confused
him the most He could no longer
question her direct interest in the
affair, or heE willingness to assist
in overcoming his efforts Even with
out the free testimony of the men
this fact was sufficiently clear She
had deliberately lied to him. attempted
deceit, and then, when he refused %
yield to her efforts, had so reported
to Hobart, and left him to his fate
II was manifestly impossible for him
to believe in her any longer Yet what
could it all mean7 how could she hope
to benefit by such an association?
Why could she thus shield the muir
derers of Perciyal Coolidge? What
possible object could there be in the
commission of this crime, except TO
gain possession Of her own fortune?
1t was all mystery to his mind; a new
unanswerable question arising wher-
ever he looked
What strange influence could this
man Hobart exercise over the girl?
To Vests judgment he was in no
way the sort of man to appeal to Ma
talie Coolidge He was of a low, Gun
ming order, with some degree of out
ward polish, to be sure, vet inherently
tough and exhibiting marks Of
birthright which indellbly stamped
him of social class far below her
own. Surely. She could not love the
fellow, yet unquestiouably he pos
sessed a mysterious power over her,
difficult TO explain through any other
hypothesis. If West had net known
the young woman under different con
dltions, he might have accepted This
theory, and dismissed the whole mat
ter from mind But it was the haunt
ing memory of that earlier Natalie
Coolidge, the mistress Of Fairiawn,
which would not permit his complete
surrender. She had seemed all that
his dream Of womanhood called for
UnconsciousIy, he had given her his
heart. and he could not tear the re-
membrance from mind There was
something wrong. terribly wrong;
what it was he had no means Of know
ing, yet, there in the dark, he deter
mined he would know, would never be
content until he learned the whole
truth. All his hope, all his future de-
pended on the answer.
Hobart and Turner we're absent for
some little while; the sound Of their
voices ceased. but the distant flicker
Of the lantern enabled West to trace
their progress up the alley, and then
back again They returned in no
pleasant humor convinced that their
expected victim had escaped safely,
hut made no further effort to search
the yard. West, confident at last that
the way was clear wriggled out from
his place of concealment behind the
barrel, and stood erect. He felt
stronger now, and In less pain, con-
WINGED that his injuries were in no
degree serious. The darkness was so
intense he had to grope his way for-
ward. anxious to make no noise which
might betray his presence.
IN the Intensity OF the gloom, his
sense of direction failed, taking him
somewhat further back before he
finally located the exact position Of
those outer STEPS. Then as he turned
abruptly, his foos came in contact
with an obstacle on tie floor For an
instant be could not determine what
1t was: then, with a thru Of horror
he realized the presence e human
body. There was no sound, no move
ment. and West drew back .rom con-
tact with the object, shrinking 10
horror Then be grip2ed himself
sternly-whoever whatever this was,
he must know. Alive or dead he must
determine the truth. He bent over
feeling with hands In the darkness.
The flesh was warm; it was no cold
corpse he touched, but a living human
being; ayl tied Ike q mummy. IN
able TO move hand or foot. Then, as
suddenly. his cropping fingers. eager
enough now, discovered the cause Of
suence-~the man was gagged. cruelty
gagged. helpless to utter q sound
The situation once realized. West
worked rapidly If this bound man
was Sexton, the quicker he could be
released the better. Hobart had al
ready revealed hts plans. and might
appear at any moment for the pur-
pose Of executing them. II escape was
TO he achieved It must be accom-
pliehed at once In the darkness his
fingers could DO nothing with the