Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-07

h0nSmDST, murITeGs tQaL II B no use
for you to strain your mental forces
trying to understand my motives for
keeping my hands clean IN such mat
tiers as yours. When you picked me
out for bribery you got hold Of the
wrong man"
Murfree arose with a harsh laugh.
''rn give you time to think It over,
Chalmers. Don't be a fool. I'm COM
ing back at 8 O'Clock for your an
sweP. If you agree, all you've got to
do is to lose that bunch of incriminat-
ing evidence-oh, I'll admit it is on
| nowhere I can pick 1t up, and TIL
turn over government bonds for ten
hundred thousand. So loDgP'
The door closed behind his swag-
gering form, and Chalmers sat down
with bent head, staring bitterly at the
papers on his desk. When Murfree's
punishment had been melted out. then
would another wrong against the peo-
pie be avenged. Personally there was
small satisfaction in getting the best
Of his successful rival.
Murfree had baited his hook well. A.
million dollars was a tempting morsel
to dangle before the eyes of a man
who had. as Murfree had sneering1y
said, worked his way up from penni-
less boyhood to the honorable position
he now held.
Would he exchange his by no means
large income for the million? If he
fought Murfree and Murfree won in
the end, then Murfree could "break"
the assistant district attorney.
1t was a tempting proposition, and
Chalmers hesitated. His head dropped
lower until his face was quite hidden
in his hands There was no sound
save the ticking of the clock and a
distant roar of traffic from the street
far below.
He was a lonely man. He lived at
his club, and it was his lot to spend
long evenings there. and his wistful
eyes would often follow the careless
and reluctant home going Of easy ma
tured men.
The inner door opened softly and his
secretary stood on the threshold. She
was young and straight and slim, with
soft, steady dark eyes and a mist Of
dusky hair which emphasized the pal
lor of her cheeks and the scarlet OF
her lips.
She looked at the bent head Of her
employer with strange intentness;
then with quick movement she lean
ed forward and removed the packet
of documents in the case of the state
versus James Murfree ct al.
Instantly she regained her own office
she sat down before a desk and
folded and addressed letters with care
full precision Her cheeks were flushed
now, and a pulse beat quickly in her
pretty throat above the fril of white
ruching.
After awhile the outer door opened
again and Murfree's harsh voice
broke the silence. The girl listened
breathlessly.
There was the sound of a scraping
chair, a long interval of silence and the
door opened and closed behind the as
sistant district attorney. His face
wore a look Of acute anxiety.
Miss Wainwright" he asked, 'fhave
you seen the papers in the Murfree
caser 1t is very singular. They were
on my desk a few moments ago, and
now they have completely disappear
ed" He eyed her keenly. He had
long depended on her to straighten
out the tangIes in the daily routine of
his ONCE, and now he came instinc-
lively to her for help.
The girl arose to her feet and faced
him She leaned against the desk as
II for support, and her hands were
clasped tightly together. Her lips
parted and her breath died away in
frightened little gasp.
Have You seen the papersT he
repeated
yes" she said 'T have hidden
them"
Hidden them" he cried with dis
pleasure please return them to me
at once"
81 win not" said the girl deliber-
ately.
"What77 he flashed round at her.
She chung desperately to the desk.