Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-01-06

found Gordon waiting for him. TAess
we're No pre1iminaT1ez
-Good-morntng. Dyckman." said the
Urant. pushing aside the papers on nis
desk You have brought the boolxS9
Sit down at that table and open the
ledger at the company's expense ac-
count for the year. I wish to make
few comparisons" and he took a thick
packet OF papers from a pigeonhole Of
the small iron safe behind his chair.
Dyckman was unbuckling the sha WI
strap in which he had carried the two
heavy books, but at the significant
command he desisted. went swiftly TO
the door opening into the stenogra ph-
er's room, satisfied himself that there
were no listeners. and resumed his
chair.
You have cut out some of the pro-
face, Mr.. Gordon; I'll cut out the re-
mainder," he said, moistening his dry
lips. You have the true record of tho
expense account In that package. I'm
down and out; what is It you want r"
Il want written confession of Just
what you did, and what you did It for"
was the direct reply. You'll find Miss
Ackerman's typewriter in the other
room; I'll wait while you put 1t in
type"
You're not giving me a show, Mr..
Gordon; the poor show a common mur-
derer would have in any court OF law.
You are asking me to convict myself"
Goldon held up the packet of papers,
Here Is your conviction, Mr.. Dyck-
man-the original leaves taken from
those books when you had them re-
bound. l need your statement OF the
facts for quite another purpose"
And II refuse to make it7 A COR
nered rat will fight for his life, Mr.
Gordon"
IF you refuse l shall be reluctantly
compelled to hand these papers over to
our attorneys-reluctantly, I say, be-
cause you can serve me better just now
out of Jail than In it,
It's an unfair advantage you're taxi
ing; at the worst, 1 am only an acces-
sorry. My principals will be here in a
few days, and--
Precisely" was the cold rejoinder.
1T Is because your principals are COM
ing home, and because they are not yet
here, that want your statement.
Obiige me, If you please; my time is
limited this morning."
There was no help for 1t, or none ap-
parent to the fear-stricken; and for
the twenty succeeding minutes ths
typewriter clicked monotously in the
small ante-room. Dyckman could hear
his prosecutor pacing the floor Of the
private office, and once he found him
self looking about him for a weapon.
But at the end of the writing interval
he was handing the freshly-ty sheet
to a man who was yet alive and un-
hurt
Gordon sat down at his desk to read
it, and again the rowing eyes of the
larger rooms for the means to an end;
sought and found not.
The eye search was not fully con-
cluded when sGordon pressed the elec-
trio button which summoned the young
man who kept the local books of the
Chiawassee plant across the way. While
he waited he saw the conclusion of the
eye-search and smiled rather grimly.
You'll not find It, Dyckman," he
said, divining the desperate purpose OF
the other: adding. as an after thought;
and if you should, you wouldn't have
the courage to use 1t. That Is the ia
tai lack in your makeup 1t Is wha,
kept you from taking the train last
night with the money belt which you
emptied this morning. You'll never
make a successful criminal; It takes O
good deal more nerve than it does to be
an honest man."
Hereupon the young man from the
office across the pike came In, and
Gordon handed a pen to Dyckman
II want you to witness Mr.. Dyck-
mans signature to this paper, Dillard, y
he said, folding the confession so that
it could not be read by the witness
and when the thing was done, the
young man appended his notarial at
testation and went back to his duties.
"Well?" said Dyckman, when they
were once more alone together.
That's ALL" said Gordon, curtly. "As
long as you are discreet, you needn't
lose any sleep over this If you don't
mind hurrying little, you can make
the 10: 40 back to town."
Dyckman restrapped his books and
made a show of Fastening. But before
he closed the office door behind him he
had seen Gordon place the typewriter
sheet, neatly folded, on top of the thick
packet, swapping an elastic band over
the whole and returning it to its pig
eonhole in the small safe.
Ito be continued.)