The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-09
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going to prove anythinss The
Count been dead for hours. He
was all drifted--"
Broad was interrupted by the
Mocha Kid, who entered out of the
night at that instant with the an
nouncements We'll. they got him!
Rock found him, and he denies il,
but they've got him at the Barracks,
putin him through the third de-
gree. l don't mind sayin' that
Frenehman needed croakin, bad. and
they'd ought to give Phillips a vote
of thanks and a bronx tablet"
Mocha's words added to Rouletta's
terror, for it showed that other minds
ran as did hers. Already, it seemed
to her. Pierce Phillips had been ad-
Judged guilty. Through the murk of
fright, Of apprehension in which her
thoughts were racing there came a
name-'Poleon Doret. Here was
deep trouble. grave peril, a threat
to her new-found happiness. Pol
con, her brother. would know what
to do, for his head was clear, his
Judgment was unerring. He never
failed her. BEndly she ran for her
wraps, hurriedly she flung them on,
then plunged out into the night. As
she scurried through the street,
panic-stricken, -beset, one mans name
was IN her thoughts, but another's
was upon her lips. Over and over
She kept repeating: r'
Poleon! Oh, 'Poleon!"
CHAPTER XVII
The news of Count Courteau's
death travelled fast. 'Poleon Doret
was not long in hearing of it. and OF
course he went at once in search OF
Rouletta. BY the time he found her
the girls momentary panic had been
succeeded by a quite unnatural self
possession; her perturbation had
changed to an intense but govern
able agitation, and her mind was
working with a clarity and a rapid
ity more than normal. This power
Of rising to an emergency she had
doubtless inherited from her father.
"One-armed" kirls' had been a man
Of resource, and, so long as he re.
NAMED sober, he had never lost hi.
head. Swiftly the girl told OF tho
instant suspicion that had attached t1
Phillips and Of his prompt appre
hension.
Who done dat shootin' IL l..
don't" Doret inquired. quickly.
Joe McCaskey-or Frank" Rou
letta answered with positiveness
Poleon started. Through the gloom
he stared incredulously at the
speaker. ...\. .......,
I'm sure of it, now that I've had
time to thir.k," the girl declared
That's why I ran for you. Now
listen promised not to tell this,
butt must. Courteau confessed to
his wife that he and the McCaskeys
trumped up that charge against
Pierce. They paid Courteau we'll for
his part-or they promised to-and
he pejured himself, as did they.
Hilda got the truth out of him while
he was drunk. Of course he denied
it later. but she hrota him down
and TINS evening, Just before we got
home. be promised to 20 to Colonel
Cavendish and make a clean breast
of everything. He went out for
that purpose. but-evidently he
lacked courage to 60 through with
it. Otherwise how did he come to
be on the back street? The Nc
Caskeys live somewhere back yon-
der. don't they?"
"Surew 'Poleon meditated, brief
~: "Mebbe 50 you're right" he
Il know I'm right" Roulette cried.
THE first thing to do is find them.
Where are they?"
u don see 'em no place"
Then we must tell the colonel to
look them up"
But Doret's brows remained puck
cred in thought. Waltz he ex-
claimed. II got idea of my own
If dem Teller kill Courteau dey ain't
frs Ting" .
ITO Hunker? Perhaps-"
: 'No., For de Bounty" 'Poleon
slapped his thigh in sudden enlighten-
ment. BY golly! OATS why I don
see 'em no place. You stay here.
MAX sure"
He turned and strobe away, but
Rouletta followed at his heels.
Pm going, too," she stoutly as
serted. Don't argue. I'll bet ten
to one we find their cabin empty"
Together they made their way rap
idly out Of the brightly illuminated
portion of the town and into the
maze Of blank warehouses and snow
banked cabins which lay behind. Al
this hour of the night few lamps
were burning even in private resi-.
dences, and, inasmuch as these back
streets were unliehted, the traveller.
had to feel their way. The wind
was diminishing. but even yet the
air was thick with flying flakes. and
new drifts seriously impeded prog
ress. Wadinx knee-deep in, places,
stumbling in and out of cuts where
the late snow had been removed,
clambering over treacherous slope.
where, other SHOWS lay hard packed
and slippery, the two pursued their
course. s -
Poleon, came to = pause It length
In the shelter of pole provisioh.
cache, and indistincty took. his ,beass
inks. Silently he pointed Is tht
premises and vigorously nodded his
head; then he craned his neck for
= view of the stove-pipe overhead.
Neither sparks nor smoke nor heat
was rising from it. After . eau.
Eious journey Of exploration he e.
turned to Rouletta and spoke aloud:
IN > 80 4 N s..,1