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About Mt. Scott herald. (Lents, Multnomah Co., Or.) 1914-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1919)
got away with the only dress In the lot that cost more than tuppence,” she CHAPTER t-TKmu K. Barns«, said, smiling again. “Lord knows what wealthy New Yorker, on a walking trip would have happened to me If they through New England. Is caught In * had dropped down on us at the end of storm mllea from his destination At s crossroa Is point he meets a girl In the the first act. I was the beggar's daugh same plight. While they discuss the sit ter. you see—absolutely in rags. Glad uation an automobile, sent to meet the girl, arrives and Barnes Is given a lift to to have met you. I think you'll find Hart's tavern, while the girl Is taken on to h.-r destination which she tells everything nearly all right. Good night, Barnes is a place called Green Fancy. air." She closed the door behind her, CHAPTER II—At the tavern Barnes falls In with a stranded troupe of "harn- leaving him standing in the middle of storming” actors, headed by Lyndon the room, perplexed but amused. Rushcroft, and becomes interested in them. “By George." he said to himself, still staring at the closed door, "they're CHAPTER ITT—As the storm grow«. Barnes finds himself worrying over the wonders, all of them. I wish I could safety of the girl, traveling over the mountain roads at what he considers dan- do something to help them out of—" Rrous speed. He learns tnat Green He sat down abruptly on the edge of incy Is something of a house of mys tery. Two mounted men leave the tavern the bed and pulled his wallet from his In a manner which arouses Barnes' curi pocket. He set about counting the osity. bills, a calculating frown In his eyes. “Kind o' curious about ’em?” he Then he stared at the celling, sum ming up. "I’ll do It," he said, after a drawled. “It never entered my mind until this moment of mental figuring. He told off a half dozen bills and slipped them Instant to be curious,” said Barnes. “Well, it entered their minds about I into his pocket. The wallet sought its an hour ago to be curious about you." | usual resting place for the night: Un- ; der a pillow. said the other. He was healthy and he was tired. Two minutes after his head touched CHAPTER IV. the pillow he was sound asleep. He was aroused shortly after mid An Extraordinary Chambermaid, a Midnight Tragedy, and a Man Who night by shouts, apparently just out side his window. A man was calling Said “Thank You." Miss Thackeray was “turning down" i i a a loud voice from the road below; his bed when he entered his room after an instant later he heard a tremendous bidding his new actor friends good ¡■ounding on the tavern door. Springing out of bed. he rushed to night. He was staggered and some what abashed by the appearance of the window. There were horses in Miss Thackeray. She was by no iront of the bouse—several of them— means dressed as a chambermaid nnd men on foot moving like shadows should be. nor was she as dumb. On {t.mong them. Turning from the window, he un- the contrary, she confronted him in the choicest raiment that her ward II 'i ked and opened the door into the robe contained and she was bright and l alt Some one was clattering dowu cheery and exceedingly incompetent. the narrow staircase. The bolts on It "was her costume that shocked him. the front door shot hack with resound Not only was she attired in a low- ing force, and there came the hoarse necked, rose-colored evening gown, lib jumble of excited voices as men crowd erally bespangled with tinsel, but she ed through the entrance. Putnam wore a vast, top-heavy picture hat Jones’ voice rose above the clamour. whose crown of black was almost “Keep quiet 1 Do you want to wake wholly obscured by a gorgeous white everybody on the placeF he was say feather that once must have adorned ing angrily. “What's up? This Is a the king of all ostriches. She was not fine time o’ night to be— Good Lord! at all his idea of a chambermaid. He What’s the matter with him?” started to back ont of the door with “Telephone for a doctor. Put—damn' an apology for having blundered into quick! This one's still alive. The the wrong room by mistake. other one is dead as a door nail up at “Come right in.” she said cheerily. Jim Conley’s house. Git ole Doc “Til soon be through. I suppose I James down from Saint Liz. Bring should have done all this an hour ago. Mm in here, boys. Where's your lightT but I just had to write a few letters. I Easy now ! Eas-ee I” am Miss Thackeray. This is Mr. Barnes waited to hear no more. His Barnes, 1 believe.” blood seemed to be running ice cold He bowed, still quite overcome. as he retreated into the room and be “You needn't be scared." she cried, gan scrambling for his clothes. The observing hfs confusion. “This Is my thing he feared had come to pass. Dis regular uniform. I'm starting a new aster had overtaken her In that wild, style for chambermaids. Did it para senseless dash up the mountain road. lyze you to find me here?” He was cursing half aloud as h^ "I couldn’t believe my eyes.” dressed, cursing the fool who drove She abandoned her easy, careless that machine and who now was per manner. A look of mortification came haps dying down there in the taproom. Into her eyes as she straightened up “The other one is dead as a door nail,” and faced him. Her voice was a trifle kept running through his head—“the husky when she spoke again, after a other one.” moment’s pause. A dozen men were In the taproom, “You see, Mr. Barnes, these are the gathered around two tables that had only duds I have with me. It wasn't been drawn together. The men about the table, on which was stretched the figure of the wounded man. were un doubtedly natives: Farmers, woods-* men or employees of the tavern. At a word from Putnam Jones they opened up and allowed Barnes to advance to the side of the man. “See If you c'n understand him. Mr. Barnes,” said the landlord. Perspira tion was dripping from bls long, raw- boned face. “And you, Bacon—you and Dlllingford bustle upstairs and get a mattress off*n one of the beds. Stand at the door there, Pike, and don't let any woman In here. Go away. Miss Thackeray ! This is no place for you.” Miss Thackeray pushed her way past the man who tried to atop her and joined Barnes. “It Is the place for me,” she said sharply. “Haven’t you men got sense, enough to put something under his bead? Where Is he hurt? Get that cushion, you. Stick it under here when I lift his head. Oh, you poor thing! We’ll be as quick as possible. There I” The man’s eyes were closed, but at the sound of a woman’s voles he opened them. The hand with which be clutched at his breast slid off and seemed to be groping for hers. His breathing was terrible. There was blood at the corners of his mouth, and “You See, Mr. Barnet, These Are the more oozed forth when his lips parted in an effort to speak. Only Duds I Have With Me.” With a courage that au^triaed even necessary to put on this hat, of course, herself, the girl took his band In hers. hut I did It simply to make the char It waa wet and warm. She did not acter complete. I might just as well dare look at It make beds and clean washstands in a “Merci, madame,” struggled from the picture hat as in a low-necked gown, so man's lips, and he smiled. here I am." Barnes leaned over and spoke to him She was a tall, plemant-faced girl in French. The dark, pain-stricken of twenty-three or four, not unlike her eyes closed, and an almost imper father in many respects. ceptible shake of the head signified “I am very sorry." he said lamely. that he did not understand. Evidently “I have hoard something of your mis he had acquired only a few of the fortunes from your father and—the simple French expressions. Barnes others. It's—it's really hard luck.” had n slight knowledge of Spanish “I call it rather good luck to have and Italian, and .tried again with no SYNOPSIS. oetter results. German was ms last resort, and he knew he would tail once more, for the mau obviously was not Teutonic. The bloody Ups parted, however, and the eyes opened with a piteous, ap|«eal- ing expression In their depths. It was appareut that there waa something he wanted to say. something he had to aay before he died, lie gasped a dozen words or more tu a tongue utterly uu- kuowu to Barnes, who In'iit closer to catch the feeble effort, it waa he who uow shook his head; with a groan the sufferer dosed bls eyes In deapulr. lie choked and coughed violently an In stant later. “Get some water and a towel,” cried Miss Thackeray, tremulously. She was very white, "but still clung to the man's baud. “Be quick I Bchlud the bar." Barnes unbuttoned the coat aud re vealed the blood-soaked white shirt. “Better leave this to lue," he said In her ear. "There's nothing you can do. He's done for. i’lease go away.” "Oh. I sha'n't faint—at least, not yet. Boor fellow! I’ve sceu hliu up stairs and wondered who be was. Is he really going to die?” “Looks bad." said Barnes, gently i openlug the shirt front. Several of the craning tuen turned away sud denly. “Who la he. Mr. JonesF “He Is registered as Andrew Paul, from New York. That's all I know. The other man put his uatue down us Albert Rixm. He seemed to be the boss and this man a sort of servant, far as I could make out. They never talked much and seldom came down stairs. They had their meals In their room." "There Is nothing we can do.” said Barnes, “except try to stanch the flow of blood. He Is bleeding Inwardly. I'm afraid. It's a clean wound. Mr. Jones. Like a rifle shot. I should say.” "That's just what It is." said one of the men. a tall woodsman. “The feller who did it was a dead shot, you c'n bet on that. He got t* other man square through the heart." “Lordy. but this will raise a rum pus,” groaned the landlord. “We’ll have detectives an’—" “I guess they got what whs cornin' to 'em," said another of the men. "What’s that? Why. they was rldin' peaceful as could be to Spanish Falls. What do you mean by sayin' that, Jim Conley? But wait a minute! How does it happen that they »ere up near your dad's bouse? That certainly ain't on the road to Span—" “Spaulsh Falls nothin’! They wasn't *oin’ to Spanish Valls any more'n I urn at this minute. They tied their horses up the road Just above our house," said young Conley, lowering his voice out of consideration for the feelings of the helpless man. “It was about 'leven o'clock. I reckon. I wan coinin’ home from slngln' school up at Number Ten. an' I passed the hosses hitched to the fence. Naturally I stop|>ed. curi ous like. There wasn't no one around, fer as I could see, so I thought I'd take a look to see whose hosses they were. I thought It was derned funny, them hosses bein’ there at that time o' night an' no one around. Looked mighty queer to me. Course, thinks I, they might belong to somebody visitin' in there at Green Fancy, so I thought I'd—” “Green Fancy,” said Barnes, start ing. “Was It up that far?’ demanded Jones. "They was hitched jest about a hun dre<l yards below Mt. Curtis' propity, on the off side o' the road. I hadn’t any more’n got to our front gate when I heard some one running In the road up there behind me. 'Fore I knowed what was happenin', bang went a gun. I almost Jumped out’n my boots. The runnln' had stopped. The horses was rarin’ an’ tearing' so I thought I'd—” “Where'd the shot come from?” de manded Jones. “Up the road some’eres, I couldn’t swear Just where. Must’a’ been up by the road that cuts In to Green Fancy. So I thought I’d hustle In an’ see If pa was awake, an’ git my gun. Jest then pa stuck his head out'n the win der an’ yelled what the hell’s the mut ter. You betcher life I sung out who I was mighty quick, 'cause pa’s purty spry with a gun an' I didn't want him takln* me fer burglars sneaking around the house. While we wuz talkin’ there one of the hosses started our way llckety-spllt, an' In about two seconds It went by us. It was purty dark, but we see plain as day that there was a man In the saddle, bondin' low over the boss' neck and shoutin’ to It We waited a couple o’ minutes, wonderin’ what to do, an’ listenin' to the boss gtttin’ furder and furder away in the direction of the cross-roads. Then 'way down there by the pike we heerd another r' ot. Right there an’ then pa said he’d put on his clothes an’ we’d set out to see what it was al) about. “Well, pa come out with my gun an' his'n an' we walks up to where I seen the hosses. Shore ’nough, one of ’em was still hitched to the fence, an’ t’other was gone. We stood around a minute or two examinin’ the hoss an’ then pa says let’s go up the road a ways an’ see if we c’n see anything. An’ by gosh, we hadn't gone moren’ fifty feet afore we come plumb on a man layln' in the middle of the road. I’a shook him an’ he didn’t let out a sound. He was warm, but deader'n u tombstone. I wuz fer leavin’ him there till we c’d git the coroner, but pa says no. We'd carry him down to our porch an' lay him there, so’s he’d be out o’ danger. I jumps on Polly an’ lights out fer here, Mr. Jones, to telephone up to Saint Liz fer the sheriff an' the coroner, not givln’ a dang what I run Into on the way. Polly shied some thin' terrible Jest afore we got to the nlke an' I come derned near tyln' throwed. An right there side tne roau »as this feller, all In u heap. Thinks I. you poor cum , you must 'a' tried to stop that feller on hossbuck an' he plunked you. That accounted fer the second shot. The thing that worrlea all of us la did the same man do the ahoottn'. or was there two of 'em. one waitin’ down the cross roads?" “Must have been two." said Jones, thoughtfully. "The same man couldn't have got down there ahead of him, that's sure. Did auybody go up to Green Fancy to make inquiries?" “ 'Twusn’t necessary. Mr. Curtis heard the shoot In' an' jest before wo left he sent a mau out to acc what It was all about. The old skeealcka that's been drivtn* his car lately come down hi* If-dressed. He said nothin' out of the way had happened up at Green Fancy." “It's moat mysterious," said Barnes, glancing round the circle of awed faces. “There must have been Some oue lying In wait for these men. and with a very definite purpose In mind." “Strikes tue.” said Jones, “that t^e-o two men were up to some kind of dirty work themselves, else why did they aay they were goln' to Spanish Falls? They were queer actin* men. i'll have to say that." ills eyes met Barites' and then* waa a queer light in them. "You don't happen to know anything about this, do you. Mr. Barnes?' ho de manded, suddenly. CHAPTER V, The Farm-Boy Tells a Ghastly Story and an Irishman Enter«. Barnes stared. “What do you mean?’ he demanded sharply. “I mean Just what I said. What do you know about tills business?” “How should I know anything about itr “Well, we don’t know who you ure. nor what you’re dolug up here, nor what your real profession is. That's why I ask the question." “I see," said Barnes, after a mo ment. He gras|M»d the situation and he udmitted to himself that Jones hud cause for his suspicions, “it has oc curred to you that I may be a detec tive or a secret service man. isn't that the case? Well, I am neither. Did you know any more altout these two men. Mr. Jones, thun you know about me?" “I don't know anything about ’em." "What was their business?’ "Mr. itoon wns lookin' for a place to iiriti • >« ■hiouhter who has con- sumpth • 1 want to take her t<> a *(lve community, he said, an* so he wns lookin' for a quiet place where site wouldn't tie as sociatin' with lungers till the time. That was his business, Mr. Barnes, an* I guess you'd call it respectable, wouldn't you?" "Perfectly. But why should he be troubled by my presence here If—” Miss Thackeray put an end to the discussion In a most effectual manner. "Oh, for the Ixird's sake, cut It out! Walt till he’s dead, can't you?" she whispered fiercely. “You’ve got nil the time In the world to talk, and he hasn't more than ten minutes left to breathe unless that rube doctor gets here pretty soon. I think he's going now. Keep still, all of you. Is he breathing, Mr. Barnes? That awful cough just now seemed to—” Her eyes were fixed on the still fuce. “Why—why, how tightly he holds my hand! I can't get it away—he must be alive, Mr. Barnes. Where Is that ailly doctor?” Barnes unclasped the rigid fingers of the man called ^Andrew Paul. and. shaking his head sadly, drew her away from the Improvised bier. He and the shivering Mr. Dlllingford con ducted her to the dining room, where a single ketosene lamp gave out a feeble, rather ghastly light. “Would you like a little brandy?” inquired Barnes, ns she sat d<twn llrnie ly In the chair he pulled out for her. “I have a flask upstairs in my—" “I never touch It.” she said. “I'm all right. My legs wabble a little but— Hit down Mr. Barnes. I’ve got some thin!: to say to you and I’d better say It now, because It may come In pretty handy for you Inter on. Don't let those women come in here, Dllly. "This afternoon I walked up In the woods back of the tavern to go over some lines lp a new; piece we are to do later on—God knows wnen I 1 couiu Each year 1 take ths precaution or see the house from where I was sit having myself certified by the police ting. Roon’s windows were plainly department al home before venturing visible. I shw Roon standing it s Into unknown and perhaps unfriendly window looking toward the cross road« communities.*’ "Yrs." said the sheriff dubiously; ; ■With H pair of field-glasses. Every once In nwhlle he would turn to Paul, “but how du I know It ain't n forgery?' "You don’t know, of course. Hut III who atood beside him with a n«teb<a»k. aud aay something to him. Paul wrote case It shouldn't bs a forgery and I It down. Thon he would look again, am «objected to the indignity of ar turning the glasaea this way and that. rest or even detention, you would have Nuddenly my eyqg almost poppud »ut a nasty time defending yourself In a of my head. Paul hail gone away civil suit for dnnmges. I ahull remain from the window, lie curoe back and here, ns yon suggest, hut only for the ho had a couple of revolvers In his purpose of aiding you In getting to hands. They stood there for a few the bottom of this utTalr.*’ Standing on Jim Conley’« front luluutez carefully examining the weapons and reloading them with porch II little after sunrise. Barties fresh cartridges. Just tut 1 was about made the following declaration: "Everything goes to show that these to start down to the house- it waa a little after six o'clock, and getting men were up here for one of two rea awfully dark and overcast lloou t<a>k sons. They were either trying to pre up the glnsaeM again, lie nwiiiwl to vent or to enact u crime, 'i’lie latter Is be excited mid called his companion. my belief. They wore afraid of me. Paul g rabbet I the glnsses and looked Why? Because they believed ! was down th«« road. They both became trailing them and likely tu spoil their very much excited, pointing and ges glime. Genllemen. thorn« fellows were ticulating. and taking turn ufiout with her«« for the purpose of robbing the the glnsses.** * pine«» you cull Green Fancy." "What’s Hint?' came a rich, mellow "About six o'clock, you aay?* said Barnes, greatly Interested. voice from the outskirts of the crowd. “It wns a quarter after six when I A man pushed his way through and II«« waa a tall, got buck to the houae. I -a|mko to Mr. confront)««! Hornes. Baeun about whnt I'd seen mid he aald good-looking fellow of thirty five, nnd he believed they were German spies, It wus apparent that he had droase«! In | up to some kind of mlachlef along the haste. "My name la ,1’IMwil, am! I am Canadian border. Then about hnlf an a guest of Mr. Curtis at Green Fancy. hour later you came to the tavern. I ; Why <!<» you think they meant to rob saw Roon aneak out to the hend of the ' hla place?' "Well," began Barnes dryly. "It stairs and listen to your conversation w 11h Jones when you registered. That - would seem that hla pin««»« 1« the only gave tue an Idea. It was you they on«« In the neighborhood that would : bear robbing. My name la Ba rues. <M ! wen« watching the road for.” Barnes held up his hand for silence. ; course. Mr. O'Dowd. It is men« »peru- "Listen," he said In a low voice. "I I latlon on tuy part." ' will tell you who they were liaiklng "Hut who shot the man?* demanded for." As briefly ns possible he re th«« Irishman. “He certainly wasn’t counted his experience with the winged by anyone from our place. st range young woman nt the cross, I Why, Lor«! love you. sir. there Isn't a roads. "From the beginning I have soul at Gr««en Fancy who couhl shoot conn««cted this trugivly with the place i a thief If he saw one. This Is Mr. lb« called Green Fancy. I'll stake my Inst Noto, also a guest at Green Fancy. He penny that they have been hanging .' will, I think, bear tue out In upsetting around here waiting for the arrival of I your theory." • that young woman. They knew she A se«««ind man approach««,! shaking was coining and they doubtless knew his head Vigorously. He wns a thin, whnt she was bringing with her. What pale man with a singularly scholastic do you know about Green Fancy?' face. Quit«« nn unpre|HiHsc«slng. un He was vastly excited. His active sanguinary person, thought Hnrnro. imagination wns creeling ifll sorts of “Mr. Curtis’ chauffeur. I think It » posslbilltiea ami complications, depre I was, sal«l the killing occurre«! just dations and Intrigues. above this house," «»Id he. vlslb’y ex Bacon was the one who answered. ; <flt«l. "Green Fancy Is nt lea» n mH«« “People live up there and since we've j from here, Isn’t It? You don’t «boot been here two, or three men visitors burglars a mil«« from the place they have come down from the |>taee tu ! are planning to rob, do you?" sample our stock of wet good«. I tnlk<«d “I'll admit It's i, bit nut ot r«' «on ‘ with n couple of ’em day before yester said Barms. “The ae«-«>nd in-m ro«ib< day. They were out for u horsebuck only hnve been shot by some on<> who ride and stopped here for a mug of • wns lying In wnlt for him.” al«.“ "Be«!ud." aald O’lkiw«!, "It brats the "Were they foreigners?" inquired devil. There’s something big In this ( Barties. "If you want to call an Irishman a foreigner. I'll have to suy one of them was. He had u beautiful brogue. The other was an American. I’m sure. Yes- terdny they rode past here with a cou ple of swell-looking women. I saw them turn up the nm<l to Green Fancy." The arrival of four or live men. who stiim|H‘<l Into the tilreudy crowded hall way from the porch outside, claimed the attention of the quartette. Among them was the doctor who. they were ««sin to discover, was also the coroner of the county. A very officious deputy sheriff was also In the group. Mr. Jones called out from the door way: "Mr. Barnes, you’re wunted tu there.” "All right,” he res|M>nded. The doctor had been working over the prostrate form on the tallies. As Barnes entered the room, he hsiked up and declared Hint the man was dead. “Tills is Sir. Barnas,” snld Putnam Jones, Indicating the tall traveler with a short jerk of his thumb. > “I ntn from the sheriff’s office," snld the tnnn who stood beside the doctor. The rest of the crowd evidently had been ordered to stand back from the tables. "Did you ever see this man be fore?” "Bedsd,” Said O’Dowd, “It Bsata ths “Not until he was carried In here Dsvll.” « nn hour ago.” "What’s your business up here. Mr. thing, Mr. Barnes—Homething a long Barnes?” Hhot bigger than any of us HUHpects.’’ “I have no business up here. I Just “You'll And that it rosolvrs Itself happened to stroll in this evening." Into a problem for Washington to “Well," Raid the sheriff dnrkly, "I < Holve,” aald De Hoto darkly. “Nothing guess I’ll have to ask you to stick local about It, take my word for IL around here till we clear this business These men were up to Home Interna- 4 up. We don't know you an’— Well, tlonal devilment. There'll be a stir In we can't take nny chances. You un Wunhington over this, sure an any- derstand, I reckon." , thing.” "I certainly fail to understand, Mr. “What time was it that you heard Sheriff. I know nothing whatever of the shotH up at Green Fancy?’ ven this affair and I Intend to continue tured Barnes. on my way tomorrow morning.” "Lord love you," cried O’Dowd, “we “Well, I guess not. You got to stay didn't hear a sound. Mr. Curtis, who here till we are sntlsfle.p- Riat you hna Insomnia the worst way, poor don’t know anything about this busi devil, heard them nnd sent some one ness. That's all.” out to nee whnt all the racket was “Am I to consider myself under ar about. The man, It Hernia, made such rest, sir?" a devil of a racket when he came “I wouldn't go so far as to any that. home with the news that the whole You Just stick around here, that’s all houae wan up In pajamas and peig 1 got to say. If you're nil right, we’ll noirs.” soon And It out. What's more. If you “I think I have a alight acquaintance are nil right you’ll be willin’ to stay. with the chauffeur," aald Barnea. "He Do you get me?” gave me the moat thrilling motor ride "I certainly do. And I can now as I’ve ever experlenc««!. Gad, I’ll never sure you, Mr. Sheriff, that I’d like forget IL" nothing better than to stick around The two men looked at him. plainly here, as you put It. I’d like to help perplexed. clear this matter up. In the mean "When was all thia?’ Inquired De time, you may readily find out who I Roto. am and why I am here by telegraph "Early last evening. He picked up ing to the mayor of New York city. your latest guest at the corners, nnd This document, which experience has ah«« Insisted in his driving me to the 1n ii ght me to carry for Just such an tavern before the storm broke. I’ve emergency ns this, may have some been terribly anxious about her. Rhe weight with you.” He opened his bill must have been caught out In all that folder and drew forth a neatly creased frightful—” sheet of paper. "Read It. please, nnd "What's thia you are saying, Mr. note the date, the signature, the offi Harm's?" cut In De Roto, frowning. cial Heal of the New York police de “No guest arrived at Gr«-en Fancy last partment, nnd also the rather Interest ««venlng, nor waa one expected." ing silver print pasted in the lower Barnes stared. "Do you rn«*an to left hand corner. I think you will say that she didn't get there, after «irru» that It Is a good likeness of me. »nv (To be continued next week)