OCR Text |
Show ' s WHISKY RUNNERS John Hartley, noted criminal ln-veallKalor. ln-veallKalor. recently returned from Secret fcnrvli'e work during tlie war. Is asked by the Kovernor of New York to Investigate a mysterious mys-terious attempted rolih. ry of the Robert Slyke, home at Circle Uike. near yanittia, and to establish the guilt or Innocence of two men In the penitentiary for (10 crime. A mis. arrluKe of Justice Is suspected. Hartley tlnds In It the restaliiK of an old case, is inleiested und agrees to solve the mstery. With Ills friend, IVIt, a ncu.i'ap.r ui.m. Hartley o.s to (.'irde Lake, tho pair bc online t!;e i;iii!s oi li-.tj I'liirie. an old friend. The three i.Mt the Sl.cke home. s.rNr resents re-sents lUrilcy's coi:n:i;. s.in. he is sail I:..,! tile lnu n.e.i in p: mi are i.hy l;.ull.-y is not Net riionir.-; Sl ke is lo.in.l d- a I In 1 .1. a : c em : v i .n n : ?-.., i,.. I - s I-..U. r. th .; i 111 , 'i: i 1 e o-t. (, i: .... .,.!.! il. e : ,tn r - an i ;..! ;..!:: ; a. ;1. ,. el... I :i .e.r. !. I r: v I: ts .i.h .':.. .nl ... ;. . i , .! ; ' , .. , , . ... '.: . I. a.. . 1 .a. . 1 i, :. I . ' :r- ; l,., ali - . - 1. .. u it... t. . . ,e Ii-i: ....i I r t . . . . ! . . r j f:-, i, ...:..!. A ! , ! t: - f : - -i--- r:-, !. .r ! n j ' in I :. . i ." i i i .i . i'fi j I t-M' : - w .i.l..y t r - -r. 1..-. 1 ... . r --d to v. :: rr.. .". u .;. l.- t. i . . ! :. it " t!.. i "i .-.iii j.-r at:. I ri ' ry ! ,-:r rr.i:i. . .!.' li.vr-.r- t o i.; .r- d.-r vt.iM njt i..t:.!i'--l in l-u i- c CHAPTER VI 10 The Vault in the Wcodt. W'e f. .tin. Ourr.e f. r t:i In one of !.. lare .nr., h:.i i l.atif- feiir. T.'o-r.. were f. a cam nil the r".i !. nr.-1 In a ery :j..rt t.u.c nr-rt'. nr-rt'. vl In Sjnv.j. W'e lr.': t). . ar I . f re rno i f t:.e !..:;, ii.l fo;:.,.-,-! r..,.-::.-;, t.. i::-a. i::-a. l.'.rary. llarti.-j ;..::. .-e.-a! u.'.:.:. r.-i i,:.i:i. d... t!.rc:,..i t.'.e car! fa'-e.-i" l . '- r.. l.e cr ,-.- I to t'.-l' t'.-l' .in .l.-.x. mi l n-:.e ti e j r. ::r . ..:.. l.Sr.irl.in f..r "lir.r".--M;. ;e Cr.:r:.-v" r.-t t la a :: () ..:-r;..-. ! I in r--l e;..::i. !'.::: ; to t' i la.-e !..-r.- :I.e i!..e v ! a l !a ta.a O'.f !l f:.i:. !. 'I .'.- re .n '''- 7 1 :.' !a'e :i v.!.::- -'. , nn ! Tar.:. - e-! It la t.'. n ('.-... T:;.-a. turr::: . : tt..- rer. :i. I .. n X.-l !.. r !.... t: . y l.a.l I. a; ; to 1,'iy t:.e I, , nn I If kt . i ho It .' t.'. i: I a 1 tak. n It fr .:a t:... Il'.rary I'.e o.".e Hi:..' It li! .'.e u :-. I.'..I:. tf.r.i'u;. l.i-r rar!v ' c t'l! I l:u t! at ti e , - '. l a 1 ! . a a .t nnd tl.at I'. i.r.Iy j .-r. n :Vat f. n -1 O'T t i.i-a It nut win J .1 ::i.- I'.rif-fe I'.rif-fe ir. I'.ar'l. y ra:-.' I I. i .-' r'.' i l:i H'ir;.r:.-.. t. u t i!M to ni. l er ur.jtM:. n."re. A. -.n a wc were awila a the litre. t. li. tM ii. I' at o far n tie kne-.r tho or.Ijr aer.oir.t of t!. I.-!i:n Lain liur.v rt r jr. other tl.aa tho o:; In the rare i an. phi. -t that h u-.ii.i-I, 1. n l l e.-a a. !.;::. r 1 in i.'.e tnai ho I. a I u.--n .lancing at. Ourrle, of reiir..-. 'Ill n't u:iVr! nii'l ul.at l.f una ta! li..- ahotit ; mi l lUir:L'r iwo liim the iletnlli of tho Ln.'Ii-ih crime, and n le 1 lijr a;lr,i that, from th n-ry first It I: n 1 t..-ea til opinion that w h.. pv.'r l.a'l fa'.e-l th liurlnry at Sll.e'. Ini'l r.-ad tl.n a'Count of the l;n.-!:.!i crlin. Tli-n. with a lil'l. ru.-ful mile. Iip n Mc-1 that th one t"em..n who lin 1 tak.'ll the l".i f.-oin the llhritry u u Slke'a i-liniirTeiir. II. inl.'ht linvo aiihl tuoi p hail w not remiie.1 Oiirrle'a rluli Jint thrn. H .it anil IiiIkciI unci nl.out rleen o'rlni k ; then we nturte l to uik home. An w o were, leaving the cluli, wc met a jrouii.. man hoin Ourrle Intro ilui'C'l to u ni I'aptnln lame, roiti-tiiiin'h'r roiti-tiiiin'h'r of tho I". n lirnm h of (he BlutM polirc. Aa he win ipiln In our illrei lion, hp fell Into Slop (".-ether; bikI Iip tohl nn of lila work nml l the state troopers luul ri 'l'ii e 1 c rime ao tnti li that fiirmer.i' whi't now Imil H Klse of neciirlty. ceti In the lno"t riifolo country ilUtrlcti. Tlii. K'ent est (roulile (hey li rt it at I're.ent, he t ii 1 ni Willi a I n 1 1 ; 1 1 . wiiii with the Kiniik'k'lliiK of whisky, not only Into SiirMfoi.-ii hut i'en n .i fur ni Alluiny nth! Troy. TliourJi they know Hint n ihh ileal of whisky waq k'eltlni; tlilolli;h, they i-olihl Hot (IUiomt who wnq running H. At the linrriukti lie luiile ii m k' Inliilit. Ai we pa so. I the ilrhiony (hut leil lulu Hie Sljke liriuihils, Clurle t 1 1 Us Hint II run Ihroiii.h nearly a mllo of iletpie woolls lieforp It. reitihoi the lioll'o. We well' liliont H Ihouiillnl feet lieiotnl the ml rn net! when Hurt. ley Kllil'li Illy Kloppeil. "U'liiit'a that?" lin nilu'il In n low Voll'P. I INteneil n inoinent, lint (hp niil.v HiltiK I roiilil hear was the horn of n fllHfallt nutoinohlle. r.niiley cont liincil, "I 1 1 1 1 tt i; 1 1 1 I liennl n car In the wooilt, there nn Hie left" f'nrrle, who win n few fret In ft mil of ni, liiupjicil. "John." lip unlil, "you're lieailiiK Hilni;s No cur inn tin In llio"!' wooiW. Thimn urn il,,. treeq on nop fmni my luui'ie, nnil Hiey Bheleli fnr a. mm nillej ultlioui a In eak. Mlj loi iiw ni thla pul l nl Hicni I'mi cnuhl not have I i, n car." I'.artlejr tilm pil lilq luitnl on his frlxnila hnui'ler. "iliiila uliut I - Dr CilAKLES J. DUTTON Coprrteht 1F3 br Ooiid. Id..d A C. In. tliiniflit, Ilnl). Hut I did lit-ur a motor; mo-tor; of that I bid sure." He imiiseil, then uthlod mnldcnly, "I.NIen! There It hi once more." Tills time n nil heard Hie faint kound of a motor running slowly and with (inutility. There wan no dotilil of It; It eiiiiie from Hie woods In-fore us. It sounded ui: If a car were run-nihk' run-nihk' a few feet, then st..i;iini;. as il would do on u very had road when havin-,- iliiliculty In H'-Ilin-,' Hirotili. As we Mood llslehin-.' to the Mrnn-'o sound -. ii ii it' thi-eii-h the wood-. ll.-ll-ll.-y s;:hl: '-Vt.il say, (ilnle. that Here is p.o road there, jet by Ho--ohh.l of il I sla.lihl -ay Hat was a truck. W'lni iln jiti - ay t.i oli.-; and :'iliiik' '"il w lit it i;..- ' ( 'il: r." . 'ii- i,t e'.' I.i ::.!': -l of 'I .i ' "I -ul i;s i "-le .if oar I t: ..'! .1. 1:11. " '.l..-t jit (to- jot- -i.t :it. .-ry hi!'.' I .el I I I! I. i - la' I- oil S I., l.e S t , I.U.- U " :' I .- :; s. I v. .in; to , ; v l.al a i a:- U i In I!...-,- v. i... . 1.1 Ih.s ti i,,- ,.f i :. , i." - i ri If t' '. r.-t '' J'-.-l 'i i h ;t . i.' a i ... i r. ''' i --I ' i l.s t, ..: .. . . e l.-t i. .:.. - ..: I ii n:. I- 1 I I'll a, or W e -."..! I 'd I ! i .e 'i I', a x. ry far. 'i : : - v. is :. . I 1 1 a ' I , al.il IV e i eli nl i-r s; ';. i;.- l.l. l hrari. l.e, nr. 1 l.un.j . I iai" tr es at al.nes; v r !'. ll-.r'.ie;. had n " ;..-t t"P h with him. l.-.t he I il.d hot H : r:t to Use It. ( u.ce or tale.'. !!..a:.,l. l.e ,11! t'a-ll It f T a a ! la that x e ..::! .II-. :. 'at,, le our-.-Ix.-i fr.'hl the ::. that l.a l wra;;..-! the:: ..-Ix aro-:r. I our .:, We l.al II. d hoard the !:...'.. T for .ox. ml in . ::..!;: . w!,.n a car I... :i..s! .U eh n'y , 'it ,,f t' e ...) .a t d .rk- II. 's ale.. 1 Of Us that xxe alhl'"! fell i oxer It. It uai a .T.-at trj.-k. I a !.-l I 'i y -, ; ; "Jorin," Ha Said. -You'ra Hearlnj Thinja." with atnall rnt.'t. I';n 111 top. a !!!! darker than Hip lll.-'.t. w mtlde out the r.-urei of (wo men. while a thinl ili.en'nr.'le.l li.elf from th Sht'in in front of (hp car with a mufflcl oath, nn 1 rllmte.l to the drlxer'i .nt. Thp car atnrt..) forward for-ward with a luhk'e nlot.e Hip road. If It could I,, cii!e. audi, thai had heen made hy f.-IUne Ir.t-. and leavlm: (heir Hump. :II atandlnc The drlxcr in il liaxp I n familiar xlth It. for no one who Ma. not coul, Imvp ilrln-n Hint truck oxer It without H.-htl. "I want to jet (hp number." 'r. rt ley whispered, n II lurche.l alien, V lie crept noftly up h.-hllid Hie slow, ly inoxin.- car. I'.t the falnle.t part of a nil I saw thp flush of hi. IU:!it. The next he xx a. hack at our side. "'1 lerp I. no license plate en thc car. There's sonicl hint; wrein there. I 'omc nl. in; I" As the truck, lurching from side to "Ide. uns imt k"l".. faster than three miles mi hour, we had no dllllcully In keeplnu up with It. We had followed II for perhaps llxp tulnuies when It came out suddenly onto the road that Clinic Bald led to Slvke's house. Here It paused, the motor ruiininc, s.d'tly. We crept closer and hennl vole say, "Well, .llin, here's to luck. W'e xx 111 make n run of It." Just at thla moment t'uriie tripped oxer n foot, lie tiled t" saxe himself, urahbed at my linn, missed and xxent to the ki-oiiihI wllh a loud crash. As 111' fell. Hurtle) Jinked me to one side and thtew me on my face. The sound of t'unie'a fall x as like a yoniii; earthiuake, and did Hot escape those on the truck. As I xxenl dow n 1 saxx one of the men turn and Hie. The next second, iinllllllii speed xxllh every foot, the truck (dint down the road. Willi the truck tfono xxe no lotn.-er needed In hide; xx o rose and rushed to (iirrlo o see If ho x et p shot. As 1 '. n It ! M Unlit Miidied oxer Mm, xx e ills, oxeie.l Ihnt he xxas Mlnine, up, and eirnilnii to lilnoielf. Ills face x.ns coxeled wllh tlltt and olio ee was I i.-iM ii ii I ti u to linn Mack, hut hp xxns otherwise unhurt. "John," he ileutaniled, "what Hie devil tiiix.lt. that Hrp explode?" "That xxns not a I lie, lloli. Soino f " ' one on th truck heard you a you fell und took a shot at you." 'Took u shot at me?" cried Currlo, in utter disbelief. "My O , why?" Hartley helped him to Id f' ' t ni brushed the dirt from lit clothes before be-fore be answered: ""It'a a darned Kood think' they missed you. Those men on top of the boxes were ther to protect tliein. I wonder what waa In them." Hartley xxns anvloua to b-arn xvhat that truck was doing In the woodn. and why the men on It were ho d. ter- mined that no one should know what I tl.t-y we.'e earr!i.k'. that th-y were uillln,' to :i,-e upon an.'.one who In-tei-f.-r.-l. As we follo-aed the tr.o-; . a Hi, the :,ld of Hartl.-.v'- I " Let "" v. e s rv t'ett t.he '..hei-N had - ft I i,d i..'o the vl In ; Ij. - - r ' I t! at 1, I I II olio I.e. .Ml;. ...l'..: ti c k I had I :: - -. I I 'a ay. j a .'..: ! -; H .-: . ! .:. u ' j '' I '.'! ile't-ir' - ..' I . . Il ., i. - a a . - :. .:! a x ' i . . i. . I . :. I- I . I ;. .. ..a . : . I' d t! - i - '. i.e.-.- t v: -.r I" !" (..-... I ,' I a ;-:., ' i -. I.' I . . i ' :.. ' ij a I.-... :: 1 ; . - . r : 1 tl.,.t Is . :t s , s -. :. It i . : ! .. . .ar a h .:. 1 . '. d. an I : :. I x ' e . ..rly S'-x r..l X--.:, a-o ; r . ::.- i w.- ;.a th- .:-..! of a :. .e r. a. : it. f.-r th.-.- a. r.j fi.th to ::. All the. e Is i. .'t cfit l, an c' l xatiit and l...:f a cl ;.-.a nna.1 ..l; t..::. I r.i - " I Was L::.'-.' I to ! Har'. el'H f3C. but l. lei, a' was .a.'.T. "A xa il: : W i n: k.r. r h a-lel. "W! y." r. ; I .-! :rr. - a xaul:. u: c cf t' .r..- I'.i :-t J H e ! . f hill wh.-.-e :.-...! !,.'. .-i er la . !. If I :n r'.. '-'. t; r ! a -..aIl l-II o ,.t a '' xar'ti fr ra !.-.- H ,r::...T t....-! a- !. r.a.'.lr.; hi Ilht . n the ir- ::.'.. c.. ,-I it l.,-.xlv ! .f-.' na ! f rili t. . ! e a h.-.r '.. Ii a:-"l nr. 1 t.:.t to u:,::.: th "I i. I"-:,-.. I hnf I!." h cillel to tl "He- are f r.r.lv- W li' . .:! rlx l: u. rlr: to ti-.-.'ri the:.: !.,. v,rt er la'x t.'e r- I V n.'i I we '. '.- !. S r r : f. fr. :n the .'..:::;, tie ;- j -hp .re o:. ,:.!,. .'r::;i:y la a a ::-.: I la. :.:. !. "It 'a ) o-:r tju'.t. Ourr:.- .-.: 1 r.-irt-ley. HI' Il't n-'! ia th ::-ax ix..... n r f aa cl fa.l.i, r.e-1 b'.:r'..l x.i i t .!.:; o-;t of t'.e nr. 1 f .s'. a, I .s-;-,. v ) r , l,r;e A. I x.-l. t i-i;:ii r., :. hp fsx ! ::. W cl'. (v:rr. th.t r.-ar lo aa oil x.i.:';, r.a ! nn oil d-r. t i:t the Ink cn It 1. ii .nl.m. It haa been lac. si (her wi'Ma a abort t rap. I n:.i r-li-.i (o . pea It." a th'n p:,sp rf wlrt .p.tj , (,., of St.. I. I'.i-tley licked thp vl. th.ea f-.:rit the .!cr t.;sa and tum1 hit "a.h.h.-ht In:,. Hp ,arkr.a w'.:h:a, I think that ("tirrl an! my.e'.f hot!, trld our brcntri aa the Hcht axxept hack und forla oxer th walli and fl'."r. It .iv-...v nnhln; rnor :sr-till :sr-till e than a number of hoies. almllar to those o hnd seen on th truck. 1 plied en cn th ether against tb ! walls. It was i Iain enojih wher tb 1 load bnd been ijotten. Hartley lr I th way In and rbse,l the ihs.r behind us. tin,- nior h swept th vault with Ms torch, and this titnp n t.oth-csl a lantern on a not nnd tit it. The xnult wns nbout twenty tlx f.t'l I'r.i and bad hern dus Into th side f the bill, hut the sides and roof were ef atone. Al.vii the walls were niches for rotT.na. nnd the wer piled hkh. nnd the M,vr as well, with hundred, of small Imups. Th flam of the lantern nickered In a draft nnd ipteer shadows danced oil th wnlla. while n musty, earthy smell rose half chokingly. It xx as not the most pleasant pleas-ant place (o he In. Hnl Hartley did not seem to mind It. lie stood In the center ef the fl.xxr. fhineln around the xnult xxlth such an moused smile that 1 Knew that soineihlni; had pleased Mm particularly. particu-larly. Suddenly he went to the nearest near-est ,ov, ripped off the .-oxer, nnd diexv out n bottle. We crowded around Mm as be removed the paper nnd disclosed dis-closed the label of tt wellbnovvn brand of Imported whisky. "That's what I expected," Hartley eoniinenled. "We know now- xvhnt xvas on that truck. Captain Howe won't have to bunt any loturer for (he pln,v where they hide snuii;e,!od whisky." Currle rrltil, "Why, It'a SlyiWi chauffeurl" , . (TO UK I'ONTIMTn ) |