Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1910-07-07
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Notes and a Bargain.


went back slowly to where the
woman sat alone. She smiled rather
oddly as | drew near, and pointed to
the chair Bronson had vacated
"St down, Mr.. Blakeley," she said,
81 am going to take a few minutes Of
your valuable time"
Certainly" sat down opposite
her and glanced at a cuckoo clock on
the wall 81 am sorry, but have only
a few minutes If you" She laugh
ed 4 little, not very pleasantly. and
opening a small black fan covered
with spangles, waved 1t slowly
THE fact is," she said, II think we
are about to make bargain"
"a bargain?" asked incredulously.
you have second advantage of me.
lou know my name"-l paused sug-
gestively and she took the cue.
II am Mrs. Conway" she said, and
1icked a 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, remembered, had
said other things even less pleasant,
things which had been brought out at
Bronson's arrest for forgery.
I'VE met last under less fortunate
circumstances" she was saying. II
have been fit for nothing since that
terrible day. And you-you had a
broken arm, think"
II still have It," said, with a lame
attempt at POPULARITY; but to have
escaped at all was a miracle. We have
much. indeed, to be thankful for"
Il suppose we have" she said care
lessly. although sometimes l doubt
It," She was looking somberly to-
ward the door through which her late
companion had made his exit
You sent for me-" / said.
Yes, l sent for you" She reused
herself and sat erect. Now, Mr.
Blakeley, have you found those pa
pers?"
THE papers? What papers?" par
ried. needed time to think
Mr.. Blakeley," she said quietly, 81
think we can lay aside all subterfuge
In the first place let me refresh your
mind about few things. The Pitts.
burg police are looking for the sur.
vivors of the car Ontario; there are
three that | know of-yourself, the
young woman with whom you left
the scene of the wreck, and myself
The wreck, you will admit, was for
tunate one for you"
| nodded without speaking.
"At the time of the collision you
we're in rather a hole" she went on
looking at me with a disagrecable
smile. you were, If remember, &C
cused OF a rather atrocious crime
There was a lot of corroborative evi
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 were
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 an(
everything"
81 remember that you said So" He
tone was quietly insulting. and hi
my lip at having been caught. 1t wal
/ no time IN make defense
/ you have missed one calculation,
! said coldly. and that is the dis
covery of the man who left the train.
You have found him." She ben
forward, and again l regretted m,
hasty speech. 81 knew 1t; l said SO.
We are going to find him." as
serted, with confidence | did no
feel 1--WE can produce at any tim
proof that man left the Filler few
miles beyond the wreck And we cal
find him, am positive"
But you have not found him yet :
She was clearly disappointed. "WNl
so be it. Now for our bargain Yo
will admit that am no fool"
l made no such admission, and sh
smiled mockingly.
"How fiattering you are!" she sait
Very well Now for the premise:
You take to Pittsburg four notes hel
by the Mechanics national bank, t
have Mr.. Gilmore. who is Ill. declar
his Endorsement Of them forged.
"On the journey back to Pittsbur
two things happen to you; You los