The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-08

MOUSE
By
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE
CHAPTER VII.

RI
was sitting in his private Of
fee Ia the courthouse when
Mixley and McGrnth entered.
You've done as instructed? You've
got Chalioner outsider the prosecutoS
asked.
The men replied in the affirmative.
bring him Ia q commanded Mur.
.atroyd.
They returned with the prisoner.
Challoner looked better than he had
the night before.
II sent for you" said the prosecutor.
because of what you said last night
/ am not sure that You meant all you
said
Ghaiioner laughed loudly.
"Of course I remember It." he said
presently. and, pointing with a steady
forennger to a weapon on the prose
cutor's desk, 'T shot him with thai
gun there"
Most decidedly. then" continued the
prosecutor. you do not recall that I
told you that anything you might say
would
II heard all you said" the prisonex
broke In. But what's the use? 1t had
to come. j was getting tired Of hiding
and never having wink of sleep. Be
sides, I knew that Pemmican. Cradle.
baugh's man, saw the whole Attain
There was no escape"
Murgatroyd's face expressed ap
prevail of this point Of view. His
voice, however. was noncommittal
when he observed:
''Pemmican saw II all. thenT'
Certainly he did" Chalioner volun.
teered.
When the prosecutor spoke again In
did so without looking up from sew
eral documents he was scanning
81 haven't examined Pemmican-my
inca have, though" be said. I've got
him under lock and key. and hen
have to stay there until
Chalioner moistened his lips.
Until my trial. suppose" he inter
posed. Poor DEVIL That's hard
inesr'
The prosecutor ignored the com.
ment but he reminded the prisones
again that he must be careful not to
say anything that could be used
against him. concluding with:
You came here from the JAIN quitm
willingly this morning."
Don't you think we can cut All THAI
sort Of thing out, Mr.. Prosecutor"
little scornfuliy.
Before ans werins Murgatroyd shot Q
glance at his men as If to sharpen
their attention.
Very well. then" he said finally
IF you're quite willing l should like
to know the exact details. As l I'M
derstand It, both Hargraves and yoa
were fatally infatuated with an ac-
tress at the Frivolity--quarreied over
her. Is that rtghtT"
Surely there 10 no necessity a
bringing any other names into this,s
Challoner answered hotly. and then.
little by little calming down, be ~
counted graphically the incidents u
that memorable night.
A most unusual performance on the
part Of the prosecutor cut him short.
All the time Challoner had been laying
bare the facts Murgatroyd had been
toying with a pigskin wallet on which
appeared in gold the initials ''R. H."
and just when his prisoner was on the
point Of ending his story he tossed Il
over to him. demanding:
do you recognize thatr The prose.
cutor desired II possible to add rob
berry to the motive In the case.
Know it?' the prisoner replied glib
ly. Il should think did! It was Har>
graves. When saw 1t last there was
$4,000 in It," Turning 1t inside out
he asked In an ofrhand manner:
Where's the money gone r.
Murgatroyd's eyes searched the face
Of the man before him.
GU took 1t, = he asserted coidiy.
Challoner strove to clear away his
muddled recollections.
Il took It? Decidedly mott" he ex-
claimed Indignantly. But the mans
dipsomaniacai doubts and fears tinged
the tone Of his voice and lessened tho
impressiveness Of his denial. though no
added: why. your witness, Pemmi.
can. can tell you that He saw the
whole thing"
Murgatroyd asked Of Challoner
whether 1t was not fact that he had
tried to borrow money all over town.
The Yes" he elected was muttered
angriiy.
But / didn't touch that" Challoner
resumed. the beads OF perspiration
standing out on his brow. III l did
take the money. what In the world
have done with It? Tell me that. But
look here. Murgatroyd; lets get down
to business and have this over with. I
told You that | waited for Hargraves
for two nightH We had q game In
Room A. There was compact. Har.
graves won ont. Hang him. he ak
ways won out. We had row then
and there. pulled that gun and 1rsd
at him point blank" s a,
And Them
Il killed him. and would do II OVER
again. assure you. don't remembee
any more. but Pemmican was there.
You've got hts story. He knows n
abont Il = 49, u Y Z ,sis