The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-06-14
CHAPTER X-Continued


IL
"This is certainly rubbing 1t into
the house detective" Pelham grinned.
"What next, Junior? Do salute you
hereafter?"
1--WE begin our investigation at day
break" Junior continued. IF any
people are there, we shall have a bet
ter chance to surprise and overpOwer
them"
Does Dina known" Pelham asked.
"No. This is one of the few times
I've had secret from her. She would
worry. You know. old man, there may
be danger. You're deputy. 1t will
be up to you to arrest them. That's
why we are taking you along. Junior
wanted to do the stunt alone. Oh.
serve his sullen face. He thinks we
are going to steal his stuff"
THAT cheers me-" Pelham said.
"rm ready" He put a large hunt
ing-knife in his pocket. and some
cord. mo trained house detective
ever ventures on man-hunting ex-
petition without small Ak. Junior,
forget the difference in our rank, and
get me one"
When the boy had gone, he turned
to Handy.
eli, old top" he laughed, "I've
been id gloomy the last few days,
but honestly believe you've hit on
something good!"
81 don't know tbout good" said the
other slowly. IF the sanctuary holds
the key to the mystery. don't i'm.
agine we shall see poor Burton alive
again. You see, he bundered right
into the thick Of things. If I'm right
he ran into the bunch that killed Red
Kerr. I think that note was for
gerry"
The long, creeper-clad front Of the
Gray house faced the south.
The distance from the extreme
boundary of the building and the wire
that inclosed the thicket was not more
than fifty feet.
When dawn came slowly down the
skies, it found Handy cutting method
icaIly at the wire fence. When the
others had passed in, he twisted the
cut ends together, so that no passer-
BY would notice that an entrance had
been made.
Permitting impetuous youth to hear
the sbrunt OF the opposition offered BY
.Sh0i11u j n tli, 4 ne e. sssslcii i
pos Ed its way forward Ahead Of
them they heard the brook. and were
eager to con-, TO it. i
The three soon stood In an area
lighted from above by the early light
filtering through screen of leaves.
There was a chlorotic, eerie quality
about this illumination. The stream
flowed to them ont of the darkness,
and a few yards below 1t disappeared
into a black channel
Can we work upstream" Handy
asked. .,r
Junior made an examination.
ut seems impossible. This place
has been cleared out for some special
reason--probab.y because the brook
makes that sharp turn. and they had
to smooth it OFT"
Exactly. Sherlock" his father
gibed. "Even see that; but why2"
Junior, in answer, clutched the
others arm. He pointed upstream to
the tunnel from which the water
poured in unvarying volume.
whats tbat?" he demanded.
Peering into the shadows. the others
could see that the stream carried q
burden--a large dark mass that came
steadily toward them. Sometimes It
was completely immersed, and then it
seemed to lift itself from the water.
as If it were huge animal SWIM
ming.
"G-dp cried Handy. ats mans
body" The thing was now almost at
his feet. He nerved himself to stoop
down for closer inspection. ut
may be poor old Tom Burton! !"
Shuddering little, he turned the
corpse over so that its face could be
seen. The sightless eyes Of Adolf
Smucker stared up at him.
Death had not been kind to that
mean and evil face. Smucker had
come to his end In agony and fear,
and those emotions were craven on
the face at which the three stared.
His neck, in life thin and bony. was
now black and swollen. On his mar
row forehead was a purple bruise.
stretching to the roots of the sparse
hair.
lnstinctively Hilton Handy released
his hold, and the stream again took up
its burden.
''Thank God it wasn't Tom! Pei
ham whispered.
perhaps. If we wait long enough,
hell come BY" Handy said gloUmily.
He was depressed to think that he
had allowed Junior to come with him
There was no doubt now that danger
lay ahead of them. He knew he could
not expect his son calmly to leave his
father and his friend to face it alone;
and If anything should happen where