The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-21

4flNttlg lfhhNu VfaNHg WHF W hA"f
| lnic atili sakplar Itifntb. enud-tlnokll
Kpnlfboi9 hab uNcdllb rob him; fpnt's
i money beitlF W He
The waiRieoat was open and Winter
could see beneath, money belt With
huttnned pockets which lad becn torn
apart with such haste .Int one Of the
buttons had been wrenched on.
They seem 70 have been after
money" said he "see the belt Is full
Of bills; there's only one pocket
empty"
perhaps he was interrupted ex.
planned Mercer push the brandy,
colonel, he's moving his eyelids, suh!'
We've got to do something 70 that
hole IN him. first" said the colonel
rs there any doctor
u daren't send for one
Tony Arnold might know one we
could trust suggested Tracy 4 can
get him over the long distanee."
I'VE want somebody now, this min.
ute, declared the colonel
There's Janet Smith" said Mercer
my slsteriniaw; she's Mrs. Winters
companion; she used to be trained
nurse and mighty good one; she
could be trusted
Could sheg And how the terms Of
his distFust had changed He had
fought against an answer In the af-
lrmative this morning; now his heart
was begging for Il; he was cold with
fear lest she wasn't this consplrator's
confederate.
Send for them both" said he. with
no sign Of emotion.
"ll call up Aunt Rebeeca." said
Mercer isn't he revlvlng? No2 Best
not move him till we get the wound
dressed, don't you reckon, colonel2"
But the colonel was already making
a rough tourniduet out Of his handker-
chief and a pencil to stanch the bleed.
ing The others obeyed his curt d.
rectlons: and It was not until the still
unconscious man was disposed In a
more comfortable posture on the eush-
ions which Tracy brought, that Win
ter sent the latter TO the telephone;
and then he addressed Mercer He
took a sealed package from an inner
pocket and rendered Il, saying "You
know who sent T. Whatever happens.
youfe southern gentleman. and !
look to you to see that she-ihey are
kept out Of this nasty mess-abao'
lutely'
"0g course" rolurhd Mercer, with
trace Of irritation; what do YOU
take me for? Now, hadn't better
call Janet2'
"Rut II this were to be- dlscoycred--'
she wouldn't have done anything;
she Is only nursing r wounded man
whom she doeant know, q my re-
quest"
Very well.' acquiesced the colonel
with a long sigh as he turned away
lie sat down. cross.legged, like =
Turk. on the flags beside the wounded
man. Mercer was standing a little
way Oh. II was to be observed that
he had not touched Keatcham, nor
even approached him close enough to
reach him by an uutstretehed hand.
Winter studied hts face, his attitude
and suppressed the slightest of starts
Mercer had turned his arm to light
another electric bulb and the action
revealed some crimson spots on his
Gun and a smear on hts light trousers
above the knee The lamp WAS rather
high and he was Obliged to raise his
arm. thus lifting the skirts Of his coat
which had previously hidden the stain
lla did not seem aware that hts action
had made any disclosure Ne was
busy with the light rfhatll be bet.
ter said he; I'm 20 call up Sister
Janet"
How had those stains come? Mercer
protested Just to have entered. Valniy
Winters brain tried to labor through
the crazy bewllderment Of It all; Mer-
cor spoke like an honest man--but
look at his cnifsl How could any out
side assassin enter that locked and
guarded house ?-yet, II Mercer had
not lied. some one must have stolen IN
and struck Keatcham KltoY But tho
Jap was out OF the perhaps
And Janet Smith. what was she doing
talking to Atklns7 Had she given that
reptile any ciewY Could he--but Il
was his opportunity to rescue Keatch-
am, not 70 aurder him-what con.
founded mazel
And what business had be. Rupert
Winter who had supposed himself 70
be an honorable man. who had sworn
to support the constitution and the
laws Of the United States. what husl.
ness had he to help law.bfeakers and
murderefs escape the Just punishment
OF their deedsg He almost ground his
teeth. Oh, well. there was one way
out. and that was 70 resign his com.
mission. He would DO Il this very
night, he resolved; and he sw0re mis-.
erably Al himself, 1T HIS venerable
aunt who must be protected at such a
sacrifice. at Atkins At the feebly
moaning wretch whom he had not
ceased an this while to ply carefully
with drops Of brandy. You eyeriasi'
Ing man.eater II you dare 70 die. I'll
kill youiT he sn0rtcd.
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