Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-07-12
Come here he ordered me.

Oh MS NhllCf SCI ldNts
ave found it," he told me simply.
At once it seemed to me that
Ernest had left his boyhood far be-
hind him, and was a man. The voice
was mature, steady, perfectly calm.
He spoke SO low | had to strain to
listen.
1t wasn't the sort of tone that
had expected. | had supposed that
if we were able to find the tracks
they would have cleared up the mys-
terry in a perfectly satisfactory man.
ner; and we would have a good joke
to tell when we came to Southley
Downs. Only, of course Ernest would
tell il, not /. My hours for joking IN
the old manor house were done. In
stead of triumph, his tone limited that
cold futility with which men tell of
their worst personal tragedies.
"The track, Ernest?" | asked.
"The rains have washed out-all
but one. This one is on a high place
in the road, and is almost gone, too.
But you can't mistake it,"
| lowered my light to see, but he
caught my arm.
81 guess not, Long" he said quiet
ly.
"Why not?"
"You really don't want to see it.
1t wouldn't do you any good. 1t
would just give you unpleasant mem
cries to carry away with you-and
besides, it can't be true. It's not
there, Long"
LET me see"
"No use, doctor"
Get out Of the way, and let me
see it," | ordered.
But instead he suddenly leaped at
a shadow in the muddy sand. He
dug for an instant with his feet, and
splashed the water. And when
looked again the track had been hope
lessly obliterated.
Little fool" | told him.
at wasn't there, Long," he an
swered in a PARKWAY voice. at was
some trick Of the rain-or a mirage.
1t wasn't possible hat it could be
there"
at doesn't help-to lie."
1t must have been almost one
o'clock when | got to my room. There
were plenty of things to think about.
One was that on the morrow | would
say good-by to Southley Downs. The
meeting of the girl in the sleeping
car had come to nothing, after all.
| thought about Alexander Pierce,
and all that he had told me. | had
been at Southley Downs almost a
week, and its problems had grown
more complex, rather than simplified.
Still | didn't know why the mar
whom Alexander called Roderick had
offered the reward for trace of the
elder Southley. / couldn't explain
why my host had gone under an as
sumed name for years, or had adopt
ed an alias now. The relation of the
Haywards with the Southleys, the
creeping figure on the golf green, the
track in the muddy road, still remain
ed as mysterious as ever.
thought about some stealing fig
ure that was in the corridor just out
side my door.
How | knew he was there is a mys-
terry still. | certainly could not have
heard him above the thunder of the
rain. Perhaps it was the jar Of his
footsteps on the floor, or maybe q
sixth sense hat sometimes warns 9
man he is being Swallowed. 1t seem
ed to me that he was coming STEALTH
ly down the hall-and he had halted
just outside my door.
Then | heard a voice. 1t is g
strange thing that | didn't recognize
it at first. My ears are usually SHARP
for such things. The only possible
explanation is that the voice was
somewhat changed.
"Dr. Long?" somebody called soft.
ly.
"Yes?"
| unlocked my door. Ernest stood
in the shanow of the corridor. He
carried a candle. He came in very
quietly and closed the door behinC
him. He put his candle on the table
1t is strange how the mind works
My first observation was the peculiar
resemblance to his sister that | saw
in his eyes. They were dark, JUS
Ike hers. He sat down on the edge
of the bed. saw that he was alst
partly undressed.
"Have you got a p~istol?" he asked
eyes. 1t is in my bag" ,
81 wish you'd get it, doctor. In
not sure-but that we'll need it."
| opened my bag without question
and drew out my automatic.
Can you shoot with the thing?'
he asked.
Fairly WELL"
"Then you'd better keep it. | don
think | could hit the side of a barn
We might need cool shooting. Long
we've got a hunt on our hands to
night"
| looked at him as coolly as | could
"What have we got to hunt?"
"That / don't know, except that it.
the thing that left the track. It's i
the house"
GLOW do you know"
Glow do | know? My dear old boy
I'd love to say I didn't know, but un
fortunately | do. 1t has got beyon
the legend stage. If our lightin
system was only in order! You can
see anything with these candles-an
yet | saw plenty. Are you ready?
Eyes"