The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-19
Copyright, 1910. by Charles Serb
ner's Sons.

to the door Of communica tion with the
outer Office and opened It with a quick
jerk There was no one there.
Il thought I heard something" he
said. Didn't you think you did?''
Lidgerwood shook his head
"Hallock has gone over to the store
keepers Office to check up the time
rolls. He won't be back today"
McCloskey closed the door and re-
turned to his chair
''If say what / think you'll be ask
ing me for proofs. Mr. Lidgerwood,
and l have none. Besides, I'm preju-
diced witness. / don't like Hallock."
Quite unconsciously Lidgerwood
picked up a pencil and began scrib-
bling idly on his desk blotter. Il don't
want to do Haliock an injustice" he
went on, after a hesitant pause; mel
Their do wish to dig up the past for him
Or for anybody. l was hoping that you
might know some Of the inside details
and so make it easier for me to get at
the truth l can't believe that Hallock
was culpably responsible for the dis
appearance or the money.
II am not fair Witness reiterated
McCloskey There's been gossip. and
I've listened to it,
about this building and loan mess?'
NO; about the wife"
Ito Hallock's discredit, you mean?'
You'd think So There was a scan
DIAL Of some sort; l don't know what it
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 Timanyoni.'
Heavens" exclaimed Lidgerwood
under his breath. Il can't believe that,
Mac"
II don't know that do, but can tell
you a thing that l do know, Mr.. Lid
gerwood. Hallock is a devil when it
comes to paying a grudge. There was
q freight conductor named Jackson
that he had a shindy with in Mr.. Fer
guson's time, and it came to blows.
Hallock got the worst of the fist fight,
| but Ferguson made a joke Of 1t and
| wouldn't fire Jackson. Hallock bided
| his time like an Indian and worked II
around so that Jackson got promoted
to q passenger run. After that it was
easy"
| How SOP
at was the devils own game. Jack
son was a handsome young fellow
and Hallock set a woman on him-a
woman out of Cat Biggs' dance hall
From that to holding out fares to get
more money to sQuander was only q
step for the young fool. and he took
it. Having baited the trap and set it
couple of years to serve yet, | believe
Lidgerwood was listening thought
fully. The story which had ended sc
disa strously for the young conductor
threw a rather lurid side light upor
Jacksons accuser. Yet the superin
tendent was just enough to distin
guish between gross vindictiveness ant
an evil which bore no relation to thu
vengeful one.
"a financially honest. man might
still have a weakness for playing ever
In a personal quarrel" he commented
your story proves nothing more thar
that"
Il know it."
"But I am going to run the othel
thing down. too" Lidgerwood insisted
"Hallock shall have a chance to clea
himself, but if he can't do it he can
stay with me-"
At this the trainmaster changed
front so suddenly that Lidgerwoot
began to wonder if his estimate Of tn
mans courage was at fault.
Don't do that, Mr.. Lidgerwood
Don't stir up the devil in that lonl
haired knife fighter at such a time a
this" be begged. THE Lord know
you've got trouble enough on hand a
it is without digging up something
that belongs to the has beens."
81 know. but justice is JUSTICE wa
the decisive rejoinder. 1.-THE question
is still live one, as the complaint o
the grievance committee proves. II
dodge, my refusal to investigate wi
be used against US in the labor trou
BILE which you say is brewing. II
not going to dodge, McCloskey."
"You haven't asked my advice. Nj
Lidgerwood. but here 1t is anyway.
. said McCloskey. "Flemister. the OWL
er Of the Wire Silver mine over in T
] manyoni Park. was the president c
that building and loan outfit. He an
Hallock are at daggers drawn, fo
some reason that I've never under
stood If you could get them togethe
perhaps they could make some sort c
statement that would quiet the kicl
ers for the time being, at any rate"
Lidgerwood looked up quickl,
That's odd" he said. NO longer tha
yesterday Gridley suggested precisel
the same thing"
McCloskey was on his feet agai
and fumblinc behind him for the doc
knob.
I'm all in" he grimaced. when
comes to figuring with Gridley an
Flemister and Hallock, all in the sam
breath. I'm done
I.idgerwood made 4 memorandum o
his desk calendar to take the buildin