Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-04-20
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Notes and a Bargain.


"Sit down, Mr.. Blakeley," she said,
''I am going to take a few minutes of
| your valuable time"
Certainly" 1 sat down opposite
her and glanced at cuckoo clock on
the wall. 81 am sorry, but have only
a few minutes. If you" She laugh
| ed a little, not very pleasantly, and
| opening a small black fan covered
with spangles, waved it slowly.
"Tha fact is" she said, II think we
are about to make bargain"
"a bargain?" 1 asked incredulousiy.
"You have q second advantage of me.
You know my name"-I paused sug-
| gestively and she took the cue.
II am Mrs. Conway" she said, and
fiicked crumb off the table with an
overmanicured finger.
The name was scarcely a surprise.
l had already surmised that this
might be the woman whom rumor
credited as being Bronson's common
law wife. Rumor, l remembered, had
said other things even less pleasant,
| things which had been brought out at
Bronson's arrest for forgery.
1--WE met last under less fortunate
/ circumstances" she was saying. II
have been fit for nothing since that
| terrible day. And you-you had
F., broken arm, I think
! II still have it," l said, with a lame
attempt at POPULARITY; "but to have
escaped at all was a miracle. We have
much, indeed, to be thankful for"
! II suppose we have" she said care
lessly, although sometimes I doubt
it," She was looking somberly to-
i ward the door through which her late
companion had mace his exit.
you sent for me-" / said
YES l sent for you She reused
herself and sat erect. Nov, Mr..
Blakerey, have you found those pa
pers?"
''The papers? What papers?" par
/ ried. l needed time to think.
/ ''Mr. Blakeley," she said quietly, IT
think we can lay aside all subterfuge.
In the first place let me refresh your
mind about a few things. The Pitts
burg police are looking for the sur
vivors of the car Ontario; there are
three that l know of-yourself, the
young woman with whom you left
the scene of the wreck, and myself.
The wreck, you will admit, was a for
tunate one for you"
1 nodded without speaking.
/ "At the time of the collision you
were in rather a hole" she went on,
looking at me with a disagreeable
smile. you were, if / remember, ac-
cused of a rather atrociouS crime.
There was a lot of corroborative evil
dence, was there not? l seem to re-
member a dirk and the murdered
mans pocket-book in your possession,
and few other things that we're
well, rather unpleasant"
/ was thrown a bit off my guard.
"You remember, ALSO" said quick.
ly, that a man disappeared from the
car, taking my clothes, papers and
everything"
81 remember that you said So" Her
tone was quietly insulting, and 1 bit
my lip at having been caught. 1t was
no time to make defense.
"You have missed one calculation"
I said coldly, land that is the dis.
covery of the man who left the train"
''You have found him?" She bent
forward, and again I regretted my
hasty speech. 81 knew it; said So"
1--WE are going to find him." 1 as.
serted, with a confidence I did not
feel. 1--WE can produce at any time
proof that a man left the Filler a few
miles beyond the wreck. And we can
I, ON
''But you have not found him yet?"
She was clearly disappointed. "Well
so be it. Now for our bargain. You
/ will admit that l am no fool"
l made no such admission, and she
smiled mockingly.
''How flattering you are!" she said
very well. Now for the premises
You take to Pittsburg four notes held
by the Mechanics national bank, to
I have Mr.. Gilmore, who is i'll, declare
his Endorsement of them forged.
! "On the journey back to Pittsburg
two things happen to you: You lose
your clothing, your valise and your
papers, including the notes, and you
I are accused of murder. In fact, Mr..
( Blakeley, the circumstances were most
singular, and the evidence-well, al
! most conclusive"
1 was completely at her mercy, but
| / gnawed my lip with irritation.
''Now for the bargain" She leaned
over and lowered her voice. GA fair
exchange, you know. The minute you
! put those four notes in my hand
that minute the blow to my head has
caused complete forgetfulness as to
the events of that awful morning. ]
/ am the only witness, and I will be ST.
lent. Do you understand? They will
call off their dogs"
My head was buzzing with the
strangeness of the idea.
"But,' said, striving to gain time,
81 haven't the notes. I can't give you
| what l haven't got"
'You have had the case continued"