Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-07-29
CHAPTER XXI.
Wendell Gets His Instructions.


TSyY7 DON'T quite understand" ven-
EMs1 tured the puzzled lawyer.
sSssSSSI Neither do l." said Caleb.
szz2YSs1 "Tell me your story as brief
as you can"
Your son reached town a little
after six o'clock this evening"" an.
swered Wendell. "It seems he went
directly to a restaurant in the theatre
district of Broadway, a place fire.
quented by men of certain class
and by the women they take there.
1t was early, but on account of the
election night fun to come later many
people were already dining. Gerald
afterward told me he went there In
the hope of catching glimpse of his
former wife. He saw her there. With
her was man she had known before
she met your son, bookmaker named
STANCE, from whom Gerald-or Ger
AIDS money-had originally won her.
and for whom he always, 1t appears
retained some jealousy. Gerald
walked straight UP to the table where
four times point-blank in STANCES
face. Any one of the shots by itself
would have been fatal. Then he
tossed the revolver to a waiter and
spent the time until the police ar
rived in trying to console this Mont.
morency woman and to quiet her hys-
terics They took him to the Ten
derloin station and he got the police
to telephone for me. I found him in
a state of semi-collapse. A police
surgeon was working over him.
Heart failure brought on by excite
ment His heart was already in
depressed, weakened state, the sur
phine. The poor boy APPARENTLY was
in the habit of taking it, for they
found a case with a hypodermic syr-
inge and tablets in his pocket. And
one of his arms"
$50 that was the third thing be-
side booze and cigarettes ?"
1t was Calebs first interruption.
During the recital of his sons crime
he had stood motionless, expression
less. Not until this trivial detail was
reached had he spoken. And even
now his voice was as emotionless as
was his face. The inscrutable Spartan
quiet that had so often left his bust
ness and political opponents in the
dark was now upon him. Wendell
saw and wondered. Mistaking the
others mental attitude for the first
daze of horror, he resumed:
"Ie came around in few minutes.
| did what | could for him. Then l
tried to reach you by long-distance
telephone. But the wires were down
all through this State. | had no bet
ter fortune in telegraphing. So
caught the eighteen train and came
straight here. thought you ought to
be told at once, so that"
Quite so. Thank you. 1t was very
white. I'm sorry l was so brisk with
you awhile ago"
The lawyer stared. Conover was
talking as though mere financial
matter were involved. Still suppos-
ing his client suffering from shock
that dulled his sensibilties, Wendell
continued:
Morphine and jealousy combining
to cause temporary insanity. That
must be our line of defence. You
agree with me Of course?"
Suit yourself. I'll stand by what
ever you suggest"
The lawyer drew out his watch.
Twelve forty-five," he said. THE
New York express passed through
Granite at one twenty. Wen have
plenty of time to catch it. II you VIII
get ready at once, We'll start We
can discuss details during the trip."
"'We'?" echoed Caleb. What dye
aean? I'm not going to New York
with you"
"Mr. Conover!" exclaimed Wendell,
shaking his inert host by the shout
der to rouse him from his apparent
stupor. "you don't realize! Gerald is
in a cell on a murder charge. To-mor-
row he will be sent to the Tombs--
our city prison-to remain until his
case comes up. Then he will be tried
for his life and"
''I know all about the course OF such
things. You don't need to tell me-"
.sT1..A +L;c 10 1ifo.aOd -d0ath mat.