The Washington times., 1909-08-03
" THE FACE HE KNEW ~

send for his friends and acquaintance
from home enough doubt would be
thrown into his favor to E.ssaler him
fairer treatment until some one could
come to offer proof Of his whereab BOUTS
at the time Of the murder winch, he
had gathered, must nave taken place
two or three days before.
For whom should he send? he de-
cided that one of the clerks of the bank
would be most &c silly spared to come 10
his release Jimmy Whately had spent
the early part of the last evening with
him, and would be able TO state defln-
itely that he had not left the metrop-
oils IN time to be in Kentucky for the
commission OF the murder.
Yes, he would send for JiGmy. IN
doubtedly the president and The secIe-
tary would send affdaVits with the
clerk. A couple more days Of this ooo
experience, and it would have passed
into memory-be tale TO recount al
dinner over coffee and cigars.
Suddenly he was startled by the
creaking OF the lock in the door from
the courthouse. A dim light came To-
ward him.
He made out the face of the man who
carried the smoking lamp. Instincuvely
he knew that Sheriff Spratt was coming
to administer the third degree WITH rural
embellishments.
He was rather surprised by the man
ner Of the man at the beginning For
moment ne was ready to believe that
the sheriff had reacted a stage of in
tOXicatiOn where he was inclined 10 De
as good natured as he had been surly.
Pretty tough S0'h OF jail we've got
heah," he began.
"Oh-er-I don't know" Dick STAN
mered, taken aback by the gracious
tone.
ben in wuss jails, eh?"
Dick instantly revised his opinion as
to the sherin's condition. He was on his
guard Immediately.
Il never was in Jail IN my life be-
fore he snapped.
"Oh, / was only JOHN with you all
| DIDN'T say as you ned beec IN JAIL did
II / only asst
Dick did not deign to RELY TO this.
The sheriff seemed to wait moment
to arrange a fresh start.
Damn old miser, Rob Mahtin wuz-
wozUn't he2"
/ respect for the dead in all the con-
versatiCn Of the afternoon, this sounded
strangely But he could not see the
drift Of Spratt's talk.
WAS he?" he asked indiherently.
'Suttlngly he wuz. You know that
as well as I do"
How should I know? I never saw
or heard Of him"
And you knew Tom Mahtin tn min
nit yet set eyes on him, eh?'
'I-I-thought I did. His face seemed
/ familiar. I must have been mistaken
Suddenly the sheriffs thin face seerl-
ed TO shoot out from his collar bead
toward Dick in a threatening way that
was truly startling.
you Wuz not mistaken. You knowed
that face as well as / do. Men don't
! hang around heah long enough 10 find
out all you knowed without seem that
face a whole lot. or. wuz It In Beatty
vile You seen it?"
II think 1 was mistaken in supposing
7 had seen 1t at all. AS I have never
been near Beattyville in my life, GER
tainly did not see it there"
You lie!"
II was the second time ne had taken
the lie direct from this man. And the
whole tone and manner in which the
sheriff pronounced the two words was
intended 10 add to the insult.
Smartlng with rage, Dick 'lmp ID to
| his feet. His WEAKNESS seemed ~ have
vanished.
| He thought, II he thought OF any
thing, that Spratt had forgotten that
/ lie no -Onger wore usanacles. His first
/ shot out at the face OF the sheriff.
/ The Continuation of This story VIII
Be Found in TOmOrrOw's
! Issue of The Times.