The Raymer enterprise., 1923-01-04
The CrOss-Cut
By Courtney Ryley Cooper
az snuJhb VI sBrwnAe
By Courtney Ryley Cooper
CHAPTER Xxx

CHAPTER Xxx
--16-
Quietly. as though nothing had hap
pened, the three men went down the
stairs, passed the sleeping night clerk,
md headed back to the sheriff's office,
where waited Anita and Harry, who
had completed his last duties In re-
eArd to the chalky-faced Maurice Ro-
6q1ne. The telephone tangled. It was
OOSer. Mason talked a moment over
tae wire. then turned to his fellow
elncer.
Aey've got Barnham. What's more,
@1ad close to million dollars In
3ency strapped around him. Guess
eN better stir up some horses now
a 4chase along, hadn't we7'
xe6rand get a gentle one for me-"
~ !oned Harry.
zhat goes for me, too," laughed
schIld.
md mel like automobiles bet
"a Anita was twisting her long hair
Ne braid, to be once more showed
1er her cap. The start was made.
"a detour, then the tracks led the
~ to the Ohadi road, and behind
4 "a came the pursuers, heads down
INST the wind, horses snorting and
\ 5ghi1g as they forced their way
4 ough the big drifts, each following
, another for the protection 1t at.
1 1fded. A long, silent, cold-gripped
10 hours-then finally the lights Of
Qbadi.
But even then the trail was not difii.
cult. The little town was asleep;
hardly a track showed in the streets
0eyond the footprints Of a horse lead.
Ing up the principal thoroughfare and
% out to the Georgeville road. On
ward until before them was the bleak,
rat-rIdden old roadhouse' which formed
IAura's home. and light was gleam-
Ing within.
Silently the pursuers dismounted
and started forward, only to stop
hort. A scream had come to them,
mint In the bluster of the storm, the
'facking scream Of a woman In a tenn.
pest Of anger. Suddenly the light
|oeemed to bob about In the old house
Il showed first at one window-then
|nnother-as though some one were
cunning from room to room. Once two
gaunt shadows stood forth-of a
'crouching man and woman, one
hand extended In the air, as she
whlrled the lamp before her for an
Instant and brought herself between
Its rays and those who watched.
Again the chase and then the
scream. louder than ever, accompa-
MED by streaking red fame which
spread across the top floor like wind
blow spray. Shadows weaved before
the windows, while the flames seemed
to reach out and enwrap every pOr.
ton of the upper floor. The stagger-
ing figure Of man with the blaze all
about him was visible; then a woman
who rushed past him. Cropping as
though blinded, the burning form of
the man weaved a moment before the
window, clawlng In futile attempt
to open 1t, the flames, which seemed
to leap from every portion Of his body,
enwrapping him. Slowly, a torch-like,
stricken thing, he sank out of sight,
and as the pursuers outside rushed
forward, the figure Of woman ap-
peared on the old veranda, half naked,
fshrleking, carrying something tightly
locked In her arms. and plunged down
the steps into the snow.
Fairchild, circling far to one side,
caught her. and with all his strength
resisted her squlrming efforts until
Harry and Bardwel had come to his
assistance. 1t was Crazy Laura, the
contents of her arms now showing In
the light Of the flames as they licked
every window of the upper portion Of
the house-five heavy, sheepskin-
bound books Of the ledger type,
wrapped tight In grasp that not even
Harry could loosen.
Don't take them from mel" the
insane woman screamed. "He tried
1t, didn't hel And where's he now
up there burning! He hit me-and
l threw the lamp at him! He wanted
my books--he wanted to take theIn
away from me-but l wouldn't let
him. And you can't have them-hear
me-let 60 Of my arm-let go!"
She bit at them. She twisted and
butted them with her gray head. She
screamed and squirmed-at last to
weaken. Slowly Harry forced her
arms aside and took from them the
precious whatever they
night be. Grimly old Sheriff Mason
wrapped her In his coat and led her
% a horse, there to force her to mount
and ride with him into town. The house
with Squint Rodaine-was gone.
a Rack in the office of Sheriff Rard.