Part 13 (2/2)
No evidence of life indicated their presence had been noted, and Burton caed The others saw him pause an instant upon the threshold and then pass in They closed behind hi his head
”There is no one here,” he announced
Willie Case was crestfallen ”But they must be,” he pleaded ”They must be I saw 'em here just a leetle while back”
Burton turned and eyed the boy sternly Willie quailed ”I seen 'em,” he cried ”Hones' I seen 'eo Here's where they burrit the dead man,” and he pointed to the little
”We'll see,” commented Burton, tersely, and he sent two of his men back to the Case farm for spades When they returned a few minutes' labor revealed that so much of Willie's story was true, for a quilt wrapped corpse was presently unearthed and lying upon the ground beside its violated grave Willie's stock rose once more to par
In an improvised litter they carried the deadthe coroner by telephone Half of Burton's men were sent to the north side of the woods and half to the road upon the south of the Squibbs' farm There they separated and formed a thin line of outposts about the entire area north of the road
If the quarry ithin it could not escape without being seen In the mean time Burton telephoned to Oakdale for reinforcements, as it would require fifty led underbrush of the wood
In a cluh the town of Payson a party of four halted on the outskirts of the town
There were two e brown bear The , their head-dress, their barbaric ornaht pass; but no one passed
”I think,” said Bridge, ”that ill just stay where we are until after dark We haven't passed or seen a hu since we left the cabin
No one can know that we are here and if we stay here until late to-night we should be able to pass around Payson unseen and reach the wood to the south of town If we do ht we'll stop them and inquire the way to Oakdale--that'll throw theestion; but there were queries about food to be answered It seery and that the bear was ravenous
”What does he eat?” Bridge asked of Giova
”Mos' anything,” replied the girl ”He like garbage fine Often I take hiht an' he eat swill I do that to-night Beppo, he got to be fed or he eat Giova I go feed Beppo, you go get food for us; then we all e of wood just other side town near oldthe remainder of the afternoon and well after dark the party remained hidden in the s Then Giova started out with Beppo in search of garbage cans, Bridge bent his steps toward a small store upon the outskirts of tohere food could be purchased, The Oskaloosa Kid having donated a ten dollar bill for the stocking of the coirl made their way around the south end of the toard the e h the quiet road at the outskirts of the little town he let his mind revert to the events of the past twenty four hours and as he pondered each happening since he ht he asked hiers In his years of vagabondage Bridge had never crossed that invisible line which separates honest men from thieves and murderers and which, once crossed, may never be recrossed Chance and necessity had thrown hi such men and women; but never had he been of thee--they knew hih, as a character and not as a crined upon suspicion; but as many times had he been released with a clean bill of e had become almost immune froht and they knew, too, that he would give no inforainst another man For this they admired him as did the majority of the cris
The present crisis, however, appeared e Grave crie conniving in the escape of at least two people who ht readily be under police suspicion It was difficult for the irl was in any way actually responsible for either of the murders; yet it appeared that the latter had been present when ato elude the police had becoe of the identity of the actual murderer; while the boy, by his own ade shook his head wearily Was he not himself an accessory after the fact in the matter of two crimes at least? These new friends, it seemed, were about to topple hi a time But why should he perht train was puffing into the siding at the Payson station
Bridge could hear the co brakes a erous coht forced its way into his mind another obtruded itself to shoulder aside the first It was recollection of the boy's words: ”Oh, Bridge, I don't want to leave you--ever”
”I couldn't do it,” e ”I don't know just why; but I couldn't That kid has certainly got s' home There is no question but that I am the soft mark, and I wonder why it is--why a kid I never saw before last night has a strangle hold on my heart that I can't shake loose--and don't want to Now if it was a girl I could understand it” Bridge stopped suddenly in the ht have been startled either by a surprising noise or by a surprising thought For a ain and proceeded along his way toward the little store; evidently if he had heard anything he was assured that it constituted no menace
As he entered the store to make his purchases a foxeyed e stove which had not as yet been taken down for the sue unny-sack for transportation, and while he was thus occupied the fox-eyed e, hie departed the other followed hi in the shadow of the trees which bordered the street Around the edge of town and down a road which led southward the tent until Bridge passed through a broken fence and halted beside an abandoned mill The watcher saw his quarry set down his burden, seat hiaret; then he faded away in the darkness and Bridge was alone
Five or ten ures appeared di often and looking first this way and then that and always listening When they arrived opposite the ave a lohistle Ih the fence and approached hiet here; but we didn't see a soul on the road Where is Giova?”
”She hasn't coirl can browse around a town like this with a big bear at night and not be seen, and if she is seen she'll be followed--it would be too much of a treat for the rubes ever to be passed up--and if she's followed she won't come here At least I hope she won't”
”What's that?” exclai
The girl shuddered ”Even now that I knohat it is itof a distant chain caht to be used to it by this tiht and a good part of to-day”