The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-08


 now, Mister. I've looked across q knife ct Q ragin' devil Of an 1rjun, and I'm alive to tell t. Guess I can do something bout this whatever it-is, that's kickin' up c Tuckus round nere.'A
 A faint smile touched Pats lips. I'm betting you can do just that" he told her.
 The shower was over now, and after what seemed an intermin. able wait, the doctor came, fol- lowed by Dallas. The man of medicine was . fat little person with Q cheery, red face, and an unpronounceable name. Immedi- ately hA took off his coat and went to work. Expertly the doc- tors gentle fingers moved over Bob's prostrate form to the ac. compartment of the little cluckS of sympathy. At last he strengthened up.
 "A bad rap on the head, that's all. Oh, yes, young man, he'll pull through okay. Don't look 50 downcast." He addressed Pat. Diving suddenly into his bag, he handed out . bottle. Here, take c swig of this. You look as though you needed it."
 Pat grinned sheepishly, but obeyed.
 T suppose he fell and hit his head on boulder or something" the doctor went on. Lucky you came on him when you did."
 When the doctor was ready to leave Claire asked the question that was uppermost in everybody's mind. Have you seen 7b in. the village today, Doctor7"
 NO, not for almost c month now" he answered. "The village church is closed for the summer you know, 50 Eb hasn't been com. ing down. He always drops into the drug store when he does show up, and since I'm apt to be there, I'm almost sure to run into him. I went down there early this A. M. to wait for some stuff I'd sent for, 50 I would have been certain to see him. Why?"
 We were just looking for him, that's all, Doc" replied Pat. That's how we happened to diss cover that Bob'd been hurt"
 well, keep the patient ahso- lutely quiet, and I'll come out to- morrow to see how he is." The doctor shook hands with Claire. And don't worry" was his final admonition as he breezed out the | door.
 Hum, easier said than done" Hannah grimly.
 Pat followed the doctor down. stairs. After the ancient car had chugged of down the winding | road he walked down toward Dan | Dallas cabin intending to demand | the gun. The bullet that Bob had | dug out of the cupola wall was now in Pats pocket, and he was | going to find out if 1t fitted the | rife. If 1t did, he would have e | showdown with Dan ct once. He | felt sure that Dallas knew more | than ne was telling. |
 But Pat did not reach the cabin. | As he made his way around the edge of the aspen grove, he saw something moving up the winding trail on Squaw Moun- tain. He stopped and watched. A man in white was plainly visi- ble, weaving his way in and out along the curving loops of the path. For minute SuSies fan- tastic story of the white miner rushed back to Pats mind.
 Apple saucel" He said 1t aloud. Then he started of at a brisk run to follow. If there really was Q white apparition he would soon know 1t.
 The steepness of the trail slowed down his impetauous pace to a steady effort. He had time to rec view again the events since the evening before.
 The old house, crouching Sphinx like in the shadow of the huge twin-topped pine. Murderous shots in the dark. Eb gone-and now Bob lying seriously injured. Things like that just didn't happen, not in this unromantic day.
 Pat had come quite a way. Those trees that had lowered above him a few minutes ago now were spindling tops. He looked across at the Fosdick house, think ing that the arrow mark in Lyman Fosdick's bedroom certainly pointed in this direction, too. Could 1t have meant. after all, something as far distant as Squaw Mountain? A gleam of white ahead made him bend his shoulders and once more take up the rocky trail.
 He began to save his breath and energy, stopping at brief intervals, then trudging on again. What ever else the man in white might be, he was sure bang-up moun- tain climber, Pat decided, after several more loops of the trail, in when he did not seem to be gain- ing on his quarry. What if, after all, he was following some image of his own imagination, infiamed perhaps by lack of sleep and anxiety over Bob2
 He shook the idea from his mind and peered ahead. Yes, m~m -.-~a -~ A~..Ak ~h...A .aamAa-~E