Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-06-17
Continued from last week
CHAPTER XIV.

far from it. Before John Steele lay
paper and ink. procured from some
niche.
'Where were you on the night this
woman, Amy Gerard, was found
dead?"
A momentary expression of surprise,
of alarm. crossed the bruised and bat
tered face. 1t was succeeded by an
angry suspicion hat glowed from the
evil eyes. You're not trying to fix
that job on
"You? No.
'Then what did you follow him here
for-to pump me? The Yankee that
got transported is
"As alive as when he stepped before
you in the ring"
"Alive?Y The fellow stared. He
looked at Steele closer. Blame if
there isn't something about you that
puzzles me-" he said.
II represent him-the Yankee"
We'll, he got Il good one You know
how to use your fists. mister"
Better than this Frisco Pet did
once, eh, TOMB The man frowned.
But to return to b subject in hand.
That question you seemed afraid to
answer just now was s~uperduous. 1
know where you were the night the
woman was shot
John Steele leaned forward and said
something softly.
How'd you find that out?" asked
the man.
1.-THE Frisco Pet knew where you
were all the time. but did not speak
because he did not wish to get you
into trouble, also because he did not
know then what he long afterward
learned indirectly-that you could have
cleared
Indirectly? I? What do you
Through your once having dropped
a few words. Wine in. wits out"
The fellow edged his chair closer.
Keep where you are!'' John Steele's
hand touched the revolver now ca the
table before him. Even as he I'D so
only by a strong effort of will he kept
his attention on the matter In hand
and fought down the dizziness. "And
let's get through with this. l don't
care to waste much more of my time
on you"
you're sure nothing will happen to
me IT, The man watched him closer.
'"This paper need never be made
public, but it might be useful in GER
tain contingencies"
"And what am / to get if l do what
you
you shall have funds to take you
out of the country; the alternative"
he bent forward, "about fifteen years
if the traps
The fellow pondered. AT last he
answered. For a few minutes then
John Steele wrote, looking up between
words. His head bent now closer to
the paper. then drew back from it, as
if through a slight uncertainty of vi
sion or because of the dim light. The
fellows eyes, watching him, lowered.
you know-none b~etter-that OF
that particular night some one else.
some one besides the Frisco Pet. en-
tered your mothers house?"
Oaths mingled with low hlchers'
slang, but the reply was Forthcoming.
Other questions, too. were answered
tentatively, sometimes at length, with
repulsive ~fullness of detail.
"You can state of your own knowl-
edge what happened nextY' John
Steele spoke sharply. The fellows red
brows suddenly lifted.
ooh. yes" he replied readily.
John Steele's manner became short
er. His questions were put fast. He
forced quick replies. He not only
seemed striving to get through his
task as soon as possible, but always to
hold the others attention, to permit
his brain no chance to wander from
the subject to any other. But the fel'
low seemed now to have become as
tractable as before he had been sullen
stubborn; gave his version in his OWL
ve%rnacular, always keenly attentive
observant of the others every motion
His strength had apparently returned
He seemed little the worse for his Late
encounter. At length came an inter
val. Just for an instant John Steele's
eyes shut. The fingers that had held
the pen closed on the edge of the ta
BILE. A quick passing expression q
ferocity lowered at the corners of The
Observers thick lips. He got up. Al
the same tune John Steele rose and
stepped abruptly back.
"You know how to write your
name?" His voice was firm, unwaver-
ing. The revolver had disappeared
from the table and lay now In his
Enrkaf