The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-09-20
CONTINUED


upon him hungrily. They shook Roy
into consciousness with joyous riot,
pommeling him with affectionate
roughness till he rose and Joined with
them stif1y He bathed and rubbed
the soreness from his muscles, emerg
ing physically fit. They made him
recount his adventures to the tiniest
detail. following his description of the
fight with absorbed interest till Dextry
broke into mournful complaint:
I'D have given my half Of the Midas
10 see you bust him. Lord, I'd have
screeched with soopreme delight at
that"
Why didn't you gouge his eyes out
when you had him crlppied?7 question
ed Slapjack vindictively. I'D a done
it,
Dextry continued: They tell me that
when he was arrested he swore in
eighteen different languages, each one
more refreshin'ly repulsive an Vigorous
than the precedin Oh, l have sure
missed a-plenty today, particular be-
cause my own diction is gettin' run
down an skim milky Of late, shown
sad lack of new idees, which l might
have assimlated somethin' robustly
original an expressive if I'd been here.
No, sir; a nose bag full of nuggets
wouldn't have kept me away"
''IIow did it sound when she bust
ed?" insisted the morbid Slmms, but
Glenister refused to discuss the COM
bat
'Come on, Slap" said the old pros
het up l can't set still, an, besides.
mebbe we can get the story the way it
really happened from somebody who
amt bound an gagged an chloroform-
ed by such unbecomin' modestes
Roy, don't never go into vawdyville
with them personal episodes because
they read about as thrillin' as a cook
book. Why, say, I've had the story Of
that fight from four different fellers
already, none of which was within
four blocks of the scrimmage, an
they're all different an all better'n your
account"
Now that G1enisters mind had re-
covered some of its poise he realized
what he had done.
Il was beast, an animal he groan-
z. L
wanted to leave that part behind.
wanted to be worthy of her love and
trust even though / never won it, but
at the first test am found lacking.
have lost her confidence. Yes, and
what Is worse, Infinitely worse, l have
lost my own. She's always seen me at
my worst" he went on. but I'm not
that kind ut bottom-not that kind l
want to do what's right, and if 1 have
another chance l will know | will.
I've been tried too hard, that's all"
Some one knocked, and he opened
the door to admit the Bronco Kid and
Helen
wait a minute, old man." said the
Kid I'm here as a friend" The
gambler handled himself with difficult
~, offering in explanation:
I'm all sewed up in bandages OF
one kind or another"
HE ought to be in bed now, but he
wouldn't let me come alone, and
could not wait" the girl supplemented
while her eyes avoided Glenister's il
strange hesitation
''He wouldn't let you. l don't under
stand
I'm her brother" announced the
Bronco Kid 1--WE known it for Ions
time, but I-I-well, you understand,
couldn't let her know. All l can say is
I've gambled square till the night
played you, and l was as mad as 1
deryish then blaming you for the tall
I'd heard. Last night l learned b!
chance about Strive and Helen and go
TO the roadhouse in time TO save her
I'm sorry l didn't kill him" His Ions
white fingers writhed about the arm
of his chair at the memory.
Isn't he dead?" Glenister inquired
mo. The doctors have brought hin
in, and he'll get Well He's like hal
the men in Alaska here because TIL
sheriffs back home couldn't shoe
straight. There's something else In
not a good talker, but give me tim
and I'll manage it so you'll understand
l tried to keep Helen from coming Oh
this errand. but she said it was tn
square thing and she knows bette
than / Its about those papers sh
brought in last spring She was afrai,
you might consider her a party to tn
deal, but you don't. do your" He glar
ed belligerently. and Roy replied wit
fervor:
Certainly not Go on"
''Well. she learned the other day tha
those documents told the whole stor
and contained enough proof to brea
up this conspiracy and convict tn
Judge and Mcnamara and all the res
but Strive kept the bundle in his SAT
and wouldn't give it up without pric,
That's why she went away with hin
She thought it was right. and-that'
all But it seems Wheaton had sue
ceeded in another way. Now. I'm con
ing to the point The judge ana No
Namara are arrested for contempt c
court and they're as good as convicted
Won have recovered your mine. an