The Argosy, January 1906 — page 146: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

328 He saw the skeleton arms of the signal and switch levers, extending from the floor above to the box on the ground. And before this box stopped a figure which, when Dan stepped within, sprang up with a cry of alarm. Crompton, by no means sure of the identity of the individual, ducked quickly to dodge any weapon—or bullet, if the party were armed with a pistol— ‘and ran in, believing that to close with him would be the wiser plan. But the other did not wait for his attack. With the agility of a cat, he slipped beneath Dan’s arm. The signalman could not even clutch the fellow’s coat, but fell on his knees with his hands outstretched before him, while the stranger ran out. Dan found himself groveling on the ground, his fingers clutching the loos- ened dirt where the other had been digging. Whether it had really been Silly Billy, or somebody else, he had no means of knowing. The light in the place had suddenly - increased, anda step fell on the stair. Tt was Markell, aroused by the scuffle. Dan heard the click, click of a pistol hammer, and he turned his head quickly that the light might fall upon his face. He did not fancy having the white-head take a pot shot at him. “ Cesar!” exclaimed Markell, though scarcely above his breath. “ You gave me a start, oa on Is it you?” ae Yes. 23 cs Who else was there? I heard *em run.’ “1 don’t know who it was,” growled Dan, still without rising, his hands in the loose soil. “I missed that key you gave me to-day = “Silly Billy! ” ejaculated Markell. “Well, he took it, all right! But I don’t know that it was he in here. I didn’t see his face.” “And you followed him? You'd oughtn’t to be out of your bed at this hour, Dannie!” “Bother! I had to come over, didn’t [+ ? 22 Well?” Markell came down the stairs now and brought the light over to him. “J found the door unlocked here. He must have come in easy,” said Dan. THE ARGOSY. “ What was he doing there? ” “ Digging, and—by Jove! ” He v tered this exclamation while still his hands were groping about in the shallow hole near the corner. “What is it?” rejoined Markell. Then, as he saw that Dan was enlarg- ing and deepening the hole with such energy, he added: wont tel thunder! ” “ What do you know?” grunted Dan, still at work. ** Cesar! course, he’d know, “Who'd know?” “Silly Billy.” “ Ah-ha!” exclaimed Dan, drew something from the hole. “It’s' a forty-four caliber pistol— Smith & Wesson make — hammer- less,” Markell cried. “Am IJ right?” Dan scrambled to his feet, and by the light of the lamp Markell carried, exam- ined the rusted weapon he had found. “ You’re right, old man!” he said, in wonder. “ How do you know?” “Tt’s the gun that killed Raddigan,” the other affirmed confidently. Dan had been examining the bone handle of the weapon very attentively. “If that’s so, he was killed with his own gun, Markell! Here’s ‘J. R’ scratched on the grip. What d’ye say to that? ” Markell handed Dan the lamp, put up his own weapon, and took the rusted pistol which the other had dug up. He threw it open and removed the cylinder. One cartridge had been fired. “That was the ball that finished poor Raddigan,” the white-head said slowly. “ How does it look to you, Dannie?” “God knows! I—I don’t want to think of it!” gasped Crompton. But Markell kept on, as though argu- ing out the circumstances in his own mind. “Tf this ball killed Raddigan—a shot from his own revolver— then the mur- derer did not come into the tower that night with the determination to kill the old man. “ D’ye see? He wasn’t prepared. At least, he wasn’t armed with a gun. But he got hold of Raddigan’s, put it to the old man’s head, and finished him‘ me! I know, by What a fool I’ve been! Of * murmured Markell. and ecom chook m (E(0)