The Detroit times., 1912-01-06
CHAPTER XVI.
(Continued.l

CHAPTER XVI.
(Continued.)
| The girl shrank back suddenly.
Then. maybe, you better call again.
she quickly suggested, uneasiness and
the hope Of delay expressed in her
face. "It'll keep till some time when
he's home, surely, Colonel Todhunr
ter.S
mo. Lottie-M May. II won't. That's
why I've come straight out to see
you. after leayin' Tom Strickland
prisoner in the Nineveh jail. Stani
fuckers been shot and killed and
Toms accused OF murderin' him. Lot
ltie-May"
The girl gave little cry. whitening
10 the lips. She stood facing the Col
onel with horror-widened eyes.
'Lottie-May," continued Colonel
lTodhunter, the timc has come when
you must tell the truth about Tom
Strickland. His lies in danger, not
10 speak OF his bein' disgraccd through
what you said about him--and your
story caused him TO DO lookin' for
trouble with STAN Tucker and we've
got to know the truth az TO whether
II was him or STAN Tucker that you
had the right to accuse before every
body at the party that night"
A sudden light OF ilery venom leap
ed into LottieMay Doggett's passion
ate eyes
1T amt me that's 10 blame!" sho
cried. Tom Strickland wanted to
NIL STAN Tucker because he knew
that STAN Tucker would marry Miss
Mary Todhunter. your daughter. now
that she's got TO throw him over. It's
her that's TO blame for the KILN,
not me-
Something came into the girls
throat that seemed to choke her. She
threw her hands up 10 her eyes and
began sobbing.
He want thinkin' about me ut
all" she cried brokenly And STAN
Tucker didn't really care nothin' for
me, neither. They was both of 'em
thinkin' about Miss Mary Todhunter
Il amt nothin but poor white trash
: in their eyes, to be used and th'owed
; 10 one side. And Tom Strickland
[ knows | loved him with all my heart
3 and all my soul" Here her voice
broke pitifully.
: Then-"And he wouldn't ha' known
: anything about STAN fuckers maxim
a lONt W IL i uduu lOlu hlul NY
a self! Yet he don't think nothin' about
|. me-it's only how he can clear his
own skirts by loadin' the blame on
y STAN. And IL he killed him, he killed
i him for your daughter Mary's sake.
> out of jealousy, and nothin else in
!. the wide world Well, I've done said
r my say, and you-ail got to take II for
n the truth whether you're willin' or
J. not STAN fuckers dead and gone.
= but that amt a-goin to clear the way
. for Tom Strickland TO marry Miss
!, Mary Todhunter. I've told her mother
the truth, and you and Mrs. Todhunter
can't let her marry Tom Strickland
with the blame for my ruination
~stin on his good name"
She threw back her head and laugh:
| ed at him mockingIy.
g You've come here TO make me help
q you get Tom Strickland out o. dan
i. ger, amt you, Colonel fodhuntef
e You're Just like all the rest OF EN-.
/. I'm settled and done for. I'm dirt un-
T der you-all's feet. But maybe | can
o help save Tom Strickland II tell the
+" right sort OF a story-that's II, amt
h liz? Well. | amt goin' to do 1t, Colonel
Il lTodhunter!"
!. Tom Strickland's got just one
r chance for his life, Lottie-May," said
n Colonel Todhunter. "and that Is, TO
d prove that you accused him OF a sin
/. that ought to ha' been laid at STAN
n Truckers door instead. and that he
r ouarreled with STAN and killed him
!. for refusin' TO acknowledge publicly
@ that this was the truth. Even this
J. amt much Of a chance, but II we
g don't get it, Tom Strickland's goin
T. to the gallows just as certain as the
Q sun rises and Sets. II you told what
Il amt so, Lottie-May, his blood will be
o on your head.
e The girl shrank back and shivered
II as II she had been struck Then
4 again. the hard hooking light light
lleaped into her eyes and she laughted
aloud.
And II change my story TO please
n you.all." she scoffed, what does II
amount to, Colonel Todhunter? Just
two things-and I'll tell you what they
are. help TO get Tom Strickland out
e. o. danger for KILN STAN Tucker, and
3 II clear his good name so he can so
G. straight and marry Jour daughter
d Mary. That's what | do-if I'm Will
e IN to tell the story you-all want me
Ito tell. and so lift my shame orr
Tor, Strickland and put II on q dead
d man instead--put It on STAN Tucker,
II that was shot and killed by Tom
h Strickland because both OF 'em loved
t. Miss Mary Todhunter!'
I'm askin you to tell the truth,