The Brandon news., 1911-02-23

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ried. I needed time to think.
"Mr. Blakeley," she said quietly, Il
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 Df-yourself, the
young woman with whom you left
the scene of the wreck, and myself.
The wreck, you will admit. was q for
tunate one for YOU"
nodded without speaking.
AT the time Of the collision you
were in rather hole," she went on,
looking at me with q disagreeable
| smile. sYou were. If I remember, ac-
cused of rather atrocious crime.
There was lot of corroborative evi-
| dence, was there not? / seem to rs-
member dirk and the murdered
mans pocket-book in your possession,
and a few other things that were--
| well, rather unpleasant"
was thrown bit off my guard.
You remember, also," said quick
| ly that man disappeared from the
car, taking my clothes. papers and
| everything"
| II remember that you said so." Her
tone was quietly insulting, and bit
my lip at having been caught. It was
no time to make defense.
"Yeu have missed ole calculation"
/ said coldly. "and that Is the dis
covery of the man who left the train. :"
"You have found him?" She bent
forward, and again regretted my
hasty speech II knew it; said So"
I'VE are going to find him." I Az
serted. with confidence / did not
feel. I'VE can produce at any time
proof that man left the Filler a few
miles beyond the wreck. And we can
| find him, / am positive"
"But you have not found him yet!
She was clearly disappointed. well.
so be it. Now for our bargain You
will admit that / am no fool"
/ made no such admission, and she
smiled mockingly.
| "How flattering you are!" she said.
Very we'll Now for the premises.
| You take to Pittsburg four notes held
by the Mechanics national bank, to
have Mr. Gilmore, who is Ill, declare,
his Endorsement of them forged.
| "On the journey back to PittsburB
| two things happen to you: You lose
your clothing, your valise and your
papers, including the notes, and you
are accused of murder. In fact, Mr..
Blake1ey, the circumstances were most
singular, and the evidence-well, al.
most conclusive"
/ was completely at her mercy, but
/ gnawed my lip with irritation
NOW for the bargain" She leaned
over and lowered her voice. "A 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 will be 81.
lent Do you understand? They will
call off their dogs"
My head was buzzing with the
strangeness of the idea.
| But" I said, striving to gain time,
| 'T haven't the notes. can't give you
what haven't got"
"You have had the case continued"
she said sharply. "You expect to find
them. Another thing" she added
slowly, watching my face, "if you don't
get them soon, Bronson will have
them. They have been offered to him
already, but at prohibitive price"
But I said, bewildered, what Ia
| your object in coming to me? Il
Bronson will get them anyhow
She shut her fan with click and
| her face was. not particularly pleasant
to look at.
"You are Dense" she said insolent'
| ly. 81 want those papers-fOr myself,
not for Andy Bronson"
"Then the idea is" said, ignoring
her tone, that you think you have
me In a hole, and that If I find those
papers and give them to you you will
let me out As I understand 1t, our
friend Bronson, under those circum.
stances. will also be in hole"
She nodded.
.sThe notes would be of no use to
you for limited length of time" ]
went on, watching her narrowly. III
they are not turned over to the states
attorney within reasonable time there
| will have to be a nolle pros-that Is.
the case will simply be dropped for
lack of evidence.
"a week would answer, / think,
she said slowly You will do it. them.
| laughed, although was not espe
cially cheerful.
mo, I'll not do 1t. ! expect &c
come across the notes any time now
and expect just as certainly to turI
them over to the states attorney
when get them"
She got up suddenly, pushing hel
chair back with noisy grating sound
| that turned many eyes toward u.s.
You're more of fool than
y<~&&