Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-12-07

McCloSkey closed the door and re-
turned to his chair.
If say what | think youu lee ask.
ing NE for proofs. Mr.. lidgerwood,
and have none. Besides. I'm Il preiu,
diced witness. l don't like uanotk."
quite unconSciouSly l.idgerwood
picked up pencil and began scrih-
Ding idly on his desk hlottcr. Il don't
want to do Hallock an injustice" he
went on, AFTER a hcSitant pause: mel.
Their do wish TO dig up the past for him
or for anybody. was hoping that you
might know some Of the inside details
and SO make II easier for me to gct at
the truth. | can't believe that Hallock
was rulpably responsible for the dis
appearance Of the money"
Il ann not fair Witness" reiterated
McCloSkey, There's been gossip, and
I've listened to it,"
About this building and loan mess 2"
NO; about the wife"
TO Hallock's discredit. you mean?"
You'd think SO. There was n scan.
was never wanted to know But there
are men here in Angels who hint that
Hallock killed the woman and sunk
her body in the Timauyoni."
"HeaveusT' exclaimed Iidgcrwood
under his breath. Il can't believe that,
Mac"
IL don't know that l do. but can tel.
you Il thing that | do know, Mr., Lid.
gerWood, Hallock is n devil when 1t
comes 10 paying grudge. There was
freight conductor named jackson
that he had Il shindy with in Mr.. Fer
guSon'S time. and it came to blows
HalloCk got the worst of the fist fight,
but Ferguson made joke OF 1t and
his time like an Indian and worked 1t
around SO that Jackson got promoted
to passenger run. After that 1t was
easy"
How SOP"
ut was the devils own game Jack
son was handsome young fellow.
aud Hallock set woman on him-a
woman out Of Cat Biggs' dance hall.
From that to holding out fares to get
more money to sGuander was only
step for the young fool, and he took
1t. Having baited the trap and set II,
Hallock sprung it, Jackson's got
couple Of years to serve yet. | believe"
Lidgerwood was listening thought
fully. The story which had ended so
disastrously for the young conductor
threw rather lurid side light upon
Jackson's accuser. Yet the supcrin-
tendent was just enough to distin-
gulsh between gross vindictiveness and
an evil which bore no relation to the
vengeful one.
"A financially honest man might
in n personal quarrel" he commented.
"Your story proves nothing more than
that"
81 know it,
"But l am going to run the other
thing down, too" Lidgerwood insisted.
''Hallock shall have chance to clear
but II he can't do 1T he can't
stay with me-"
At this the trainmaster changed
front so suddenly that Lidgerwood
began to wonder IL his estimate OF the
mans courage was ut fault.
Don't do that, Mr.. Lidgerwood
Don't stir up the devil In that long
haired knife fighter Mt such time as
this" he begged. THE Lord knows
you've got trouble enough on hand as
It is without digging up something
that belongs to the has-beens."
81 know, but justice is justice" was
the decisive rejoinder. 1.-THE question
IS still live one. as the complaint of
he grievance committee proves. If
lodge. my refusal to investigate will
be used against us in the labor trou
Die which you say is brewing. I'm
not going to dodge. McClosley."
"You haven't asked my advice, Mr.
but here IL Is anyway"
said McCloskey. "Flemister, the own
er Of the Wire Silver mine over In tt
Park, was the president Of
that building and loan outfit. He and
Hallock are at daggers drawn, for
some reason that I've never under
stood. If you could get them together
perhaps they could make some sort OF
statement that would quiet the kick
ers for the time being, at any rate"
Lidgerwood looked up quickly.
That's odd he said. "No longer than
yesterday Gridley suggested precisely
he same thing"
McCloskey was on his feet again
md fumblinc behind him for the door
Knob.
I'm all in" he Grimaced. when It
,omes to figuring with Gridley and
Tlemistcr and Hallock, all In the same
breath, I'm done"
LidgerwOod made n memorandum on
his desk calendar to take the building
and loan matter up with HallOck the
day. But another wreck in
ervened. and after the wreck con
ference with the Red Butte mine own
ars postponed all Office business for an
additional twenty -four hours. II was
ate in the evening Of the third day
when the superintendents special