Show WHY PAY WAS LATE BY IR VING WILLIAMS M k copyright by Short story pub co 1 I was a tool fool to try it tho the man 1140 muttered as ile ho dragged to jahla feet glanced over ids his dripping clothes and then grimly at the whirling torrent from which ho he had es ea coped suddenly with nervous fingers lie he tumbled about life hla waist an ali slon blora of relief followed the inspection and he began to walk rapidly down the stream keeping as close as pos bible to tile the banks which confined tho the yellow turmoil tui moll and pushing ills hla way through the brush bruah and undergrowth with bilth a sturdy disregard for scratches tho the man stationed himself at the spot who where rethe the landing would be mado made and soon his companion lu in peril a strong bay maro splashed wearily ashore and joined her master with a little whicker of recognition and sympathy wet and mud stained tho the pair made their way through the ilia undergrowth until they reach reached edmore moro open ground when tile the mati man vaulted into info tho the saddle and a brisk cantor brought th them a in to 6 the ilia road by which they had boon traveling until they reached beached tile the flood awol ion creek and their overthrow accepting the Ini impracticability practicability of continuing lite his journey the man turned ills his horses head on the back track although darkness closed in rapidly the horse jogged bogged along with the surety of a thorough thoi ough knowledge of the ilia way tho the man sat eat easily in the sadi sad dlo miles allies had passed without change in the ilia nature of the surroundings nov nor a word of command to the ilia horse when without warning the ilia animal gave a fierce snort of fright and sprang far to the side aide of tho ilia road the man almost unseated reco recovered vorel his balance immediately and without further ado threw himself flat against the horses 4 JI IC N 1 it evv af the animal gave a fierce Snort send sprang far to the side of the road neck n eckand and dug in the spurs at a bound tho the steed regain etl the road and took the course at full speed two riders emerged front from the forest into the road each carried a rifle and as aa they camo came into the half light of the paths clearing one throw threw his piece to ills hla shoulder aiming at the fast disappearing rider dont shoot you tacit fool growled the other it may be someone ose else the difference snapped the man with lite his cheek check to the gunstock but lie ho lowered the weapon as he be spoke after a brief conference conte renco they turned their horses to follow the single rider at a leisurely pace at a late hour a hatless and bedraggled dragg led horseman guided a winded mount as quietly as possible through the muddy streets of a straggling arkansas railroad village there was caution in its his every movement when ho he reached a certain stable door ho he opened it slowly to keep the ilia hinges from complaining when he emerged a few moments later having cared for lite hla horse lie he was as regardful of the hinges lie ile tiptoed as noiselessly as heavy water soaked boots would permit across the back porch of the house that occupied the same lot with the barn with the same cali caution tion he unlocked the door and let himself into the house lie ile passed through the rooms peering about intently seemingly to make sure that he was the only person under that roof completing his careful inspection he set his lamp on a little cupboard clipboard washstand in the only bedroom the house afforded and began to prepare for bed id give a pretty penny to know tor for s ure sure what it was dolly shied at must have been a hog he ha soliloquized it it had been any of the reed gang W a sure shot just so nobody knows I 1 was driven 0 n back im safe enough here for the night but id hate to be caught in this his corner without a gun ile he put hla his hand mechanically to his hip pocket is as he had bad done a hundred times since his bis escape from the stream but the gun was gone bo be yond all chance of doubt ills preparations for bod bed were brief consisting of throwing off his coat and pulling off ills his boots socks and arous trous ers eis setting the lamp with flame turned low so BO that the light would not show allow on tho the window curtains he turned in without reni removing ovIng lite his underclothing though it was stilt still wet before retiring however lie ho again fumbled about lite his waist with the same nervous anxiety lie he had exhibited on tho the brink of the flood and readjusted some bulky object that showed its outline under his shirt completely on circling his body lie ile had slept for some time when hla his senses alert to every sound bound lie ho was wide awake and liston listen lg ing unmistakably akabIr the crealo of cautious footsteps cou could id be heard in the room loom below lie ho listened tense and staring ills hla caller made slow blow progress pio grosa certain pi progress ogress though it ft was and toward the stairway leading to td tho hall into which chIlls hla root room I 1 0 opened pol losing loning any uli unusually usually insistent bolste lit complaint com on the part of i tho 0 flo flooring oring all sound would cease tor for a minute or more then reassured it would begin again tho the man inan half sitting in the bed stared wildly before him but without seeing his whole sense was li hearing garing perspiration rap stood beaded on all his Is fac faco 0 and hands ile iio was waa filled with fear natural to the defenseless and cornered quarry dut dui waiting was not to be tolerated by a man of his disposition to action accio n lie ile cautiously crawled from the bed and stood looking about the dimly lighted room selecting the most promising weapon of defense there was not much to choose from a light cane chair a water pitcher and wash bowl the washstand and hla his boots boota besides the ilia lamp these appeared to bo be all that was available not very effective against firearms walt wait besides Ilos ldoa these thesa thore there was ono one more object but so insignificant a small bottle of red ink this last however caught his eye and with almost a traca of amuso amusement ment in expression quickly pulled a tat fat money belt from about his waist beneath lit bla shirt rumpled up tip the bed clothing and thrust the belt under the mattress lie he next made his way carefully and quietly to the stand and secured the ink bottle on the way noiselessly I 1 turning the chair on its side and pulling the ilia curtain back as aa ho ha passed the window exposing tile the halt half open sash bash A broken pane of glass luckily added to the general appearance of disarray he plainly desired to produce after placing the wash bowl upturned on the floor taking the pitcher from the stand disarranging arranging dis the towel that had been spread neatly across it ho he took one further satisfied glance glanca about the room carefully then he stretched himself in fit the middle of at tho the floor opened the bottle of ink illk and poured some of its crimson contents on his breast and throat and across ills his forehead just juat below tho the hair the rest he poured on the floor near ills his head and neck and then tucked the bottle under tinder his shirt where it would not bo be seen ile he rumpled his underclothing to make it appear to have been pulled aside b by y the tearing away of tho the money belt and finally lay with head thrown back and eyes fixed on the he belling cel ling and waited it was waa ii a bold bit of acting would it work ile ho did not have long to wait tor for I 1 although he had made hla his preparations as rapidly as possible consistent with silence he had hardly completed the tableau setting before ho he heard muffled whispers at the door there was then more than one caller they were wera deciding on the ahe mode made of entrance tho door was vas a light one offering but slight obstruction to a strong man though aware of this they apparently hesitated before taking so noisy a method carefully the knob was turned but only to confirm what they must have expected that the door was locked another interval of silence and then yielding to a quick pressure from a broad the lock snapped with a sharp report and a man sprang into the room holding a revolver ile he did not stop until his feet almost touched the ilia prostrate body on the floor in tho the dim light he made it out and shrank back to the door with an oath what la Is it al camo came in a whisper from tho the dark of the hall someone had haa been hero before us was the answer as another man joined him in tho the doorway for a moment the two stood staring in disappointed rase rage at the red splotched object on the floor they took tooh in the signs of struggle and the open window through which a murderer and robber might have entered handmade and made hta his escape aint that hell and tho the other assented that it was weve got no business hanging around here and the quicker we cut out the better the other fellow got the ten thousand but wo we stand a good chance to get the rope this was sound reasoning and a few moments later the caller were riding away more hurriedly than they bad come and that Is how payday pay day with landers landera milling company happened to be one da day v late in the mouth of maich 1903 |