Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-03-07
CHAPTER xl
In the Dark.

IN the Dark.
THE room was In darkness-a Sly
4 gian blackness that was impene
trable. Peter concluded that the
blinds had been drawn against OBJ
serving eyes. because almost no light
filtered through the windows. He
closed his eyes to accustom them to
the lack Of light. When he opened
them again he could decry two rect
angles, lighter than the gloom about
him. The windows. They were to
his left. Swiftly he outlined q plan
Of battle. He must reach the wall
to the right, to prevent surprise
from the ear. Then, huggIng the
wall. he could move slowly forward
until his foe was silhouetted against
the faint glow of the windows.
With his thumb he released the
safety on his revolver. The slight
metallic noise of 1t sounded loud
against the hushed background of
the room. The faint tang of tobac-
co vas In the air. Where was that
wall? Peter wished fervently that
he had not advanced so far into the
room. He did not dare raise his
feet. ANY collision with unseen
furniture-any noise, no matter
how sllght-would betray his exact
whereabouts to his quarry. eau
tiously he slid his feet along the
floor, thankful for the thick silent
pile of the rug.
Below In the street a car changed
gears. Queer, how outside noises
drifted into the stiffness here. He
could even hear his own breathing.
Peter stopped then, holding his
breath. Perhaps he was close enough
to hear the telltale whisper of the
other fellows breathing.
There was no sound here-only
the muffled distant noises from out
side. Once more he moved cautious.
ly forward. Again he stopped. This
time 1t was the ticking of his own
watch which disturbed him. If he
could hear 1t, perhaps the other fel.
low could. too.
He 'crouched, u~nbuckling the
wristband, and slid the offending
timepiece along the floor, several
feet behind him, never once relin-
gushing his grip on the revolver.
Once more he peered about him,
his eyes straining to pierce the
b~lackness. Except for the barely
d%iscernlble outlines OF the windows.
there was nothing by which he could
get his bearings. He searched his
mind for some memory of the room,
some characteristic which might be
Of value to him now. He could
think of nothing. Still, he could not
be far from the wall opposite the
windows. Once there, his chance
Of finding the other man, without
himself being found, was much bet
ter. He resumed his cautious adj
vance. His foot struck something.
His grip on the revolver frightened.
He explored with his free hand.
1t was only q chair. He moved
around 1t and advanced again SLOW
ly, silently. And then he found the
wall. With a feeling of relief, he
backed against 1t, facing the room.
II he were surprised now, 1t would
not be from the rear.
Then, still taking every precaution
any sound which might be-
tray his whereabouts, he sided
along the wall, exploring the room
with slightly more success, now that
ne had the room silhouetted be-
.ween himself and the windows. Pc
.er moved on slowly.
His back struck a picture on the
wall. 1t scraped against the plaster.
put did not fall. He caught his
breath and moved more quickly. If
he fellow were tempted to shoot
1t the sound, it would be just as
veil not to be there.
Next he encountered a table
the wall. His progress here
vas blocked. He would have to
move around 1t, once more exposing
lis rear to attack. Again he paused
o listen. He was tempted to believe
hat his nerves had deceived him
hat there was no one else In this
Dom, after all. And yet he could
forget that click Of the light
witch, before he opened the door.
Vor the odor of tobacco. And then
here was the drawn blinds. Why
the shades of an office be
Irawn in this way? No, there was
ertainly some one here.
Peter thought of the picture he
Iad nearly knocked from the wall.
t had almost betrayed him. His
explored the table top. The
Incident had suggested a new
trategy. If he could, by some
means, cause the other man to be-
ray his whereabouts, the rest
hould be simple. He found a caIen-
pad. Still gripping the revolver,
e tossed the md ncrnoa Tho rnnnn