The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-02-25


to. But wait here till WE come
back; we may have to do some
more talking He turned TO VIII
liams and gave a jerk of his head
toward the hall. Come on, we'll
go up there now
He walked to the door, Williams
following him. As it shut after
them Bassett went to her and bent
over her chair. She held him off
with a hand on his breast and
whispered:
where are they going?'
upstairs. TO the top story"
She clutched the lapels of his
coat.
He's there, he's up there"
"He-who?"
joel"
Bassett stared into her eyes,. He
thought her senses were giving
way.
"Anne, darling, what's the mat
ter? Joe's not here-you've just
said so yourself"
II said what wasn't true-he's
there"
He caught her arms and drew
her 10 her feet:
what do you mean?'
Il know it, I've seer him."
Seen Joe himself?"
Last night when | came down
for the book. He's hiding up there
i thought he was safe. And now
they'll find him"
II saw the launch go without
him and l vas going to speak TO
you. but Shine was there and ]
couldn't. Then she was killed and
! didn't know what to think, where
he'd gone. anything! But that
night I heard them say there was
a man on guard at the causeway,
and | came down 10 tell him in case
he was here and would try to get
across. And then I saw him."
"Where?"
I'm the living room. He came
from the door into the kitchen wing
and ! whispered it,"
Did he say anything?'
"No-just ran the way he'd come
in. And then l knew" she stopped
and closed her eyes. ooh, l didn't
know it but ] thought it. Can it
be true-could he have done it?
One minute I'm sure and then /
can't believe it: and / don't know,
I don't know
Drawing away from him she ran
TO the door, and opening it, stood
listening. He followed her and
with pauses for that tense listen
ipa chn cold him Of hnY. xicif m
the top floor.
"Will you help me?' she whiS-
pered. "Will you help me what
ever happensf"
He nodded, there was no time
now for words. He motioned her
to sit down, and moved back from
her, listening to steps which were
crossing the living room, entering
the hall. Were they louder than
they had been going up, were there
three pair of feet where there had
been two? They stopped at the
door; it opened and Rawson and
Williams entered.
Rawson spoke to Anne:
"You can go upstairs, Miss
Tracy. Well put off the rest of
our talk till tomorrow. You better
try to get some rest. And kindly
remember TO stay in your Don |
don't want any mistakes about that
tonight"
She murmured words of compli-
ance and rising with pale compos-
ure left the library.
When the door shut on her Bias
sett said: you got nothing up
there at allf'
"Not a thing" answered Raw
son. But we were at a diSadvan-
tage; not enough light, and it's a
good-sized place. Wen comb il
over tomorrow morning by day
light. OF course he could have got
out on the island-all that kitchen
wings kept open. He might have
been lying low up there all yes
terday and have come down last
night. All quite possible. but
well, we'll know tomorrow He
walked to the window and looked
out. Ozark as a pocket" He turned
to Bassett: "When the tides full
out could a person get across thai
CiidIlieI except W the NdusSh d9 :
''There are places where they
might swim the stream in the mid
die. It's a deep, strong current. but
a good swimmer could do it."
HE might try it-he must be
pretty keen about getting off here.
You know this shoreline. Suppose
you 90 down and take up a station
below the boathouse among those
Juniper bushes. That's a place a
person might use as a sheltered start
for a getaway. You can't see but
you can hear. Take Williams gun,
and If there's a sound, challenge, If
there's nc answer shoot. I'll come
down with you, l want TO take a
look at Patrick and I'll stay round
myself for a while"
He stepped to the sill of the win
dow, but Williams, feeling for MS
revolver. stopped him:
Hold on a minute. I got an idea
that I thinkH help a bit. I've been
thinking of it all day and If I'm
not mistaken it'll land your man
or your woman neater and easier
than lying in wait for them outside
where they know by this time
we've got a guard
Rawson turned back into the
room.
Let's hear tive want TO clear
this UP tonight. But, Mr.. Bassett,
you 90 on. Stop and tell Patrick
what you're doing and see that he's