The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-05-23

he awakened.
Amt we home yet, George?' he
muttered, and opened his eyes wide.
why, where the devil have you taken
me. you fool7" he shouted wrathfully.
Il don't see no lights nor nothing,
Where Is this? The Adirondacks7 2"
yes, Mr.. Poole, the Adirondack"
Haynes answered, and iimped heavily
to the ground. He motioned his daugh-
ter away, and, advancing, confronted
him. do you know me?" he asked.
He say the drunkard peer eagerly
at him as he stood leaning upon his
crutch in the light Of the acetylene
lamps. He saw the drunken vacuous-
ness pass from his features, and a look
of terror succeed.
Il see you do" said Haynes.
Suddenly with an oath, Poole whip
ped out the revolver from his pocket
to find the cripple covering him.
Haynes hand did not waver, though
he was bowed heavily upon his crutch.
Put it back in your pocket, Poole"
he said. Now. speak, man. You
know what l want to know
In abject fear Poole trembled so
that he could not speak.
you dog!" said Haynes, trembling
now so that his pistol mouth described
wide circles-but Poole was too terri
fed to notice this-you dogl What
have you to say?"
They used me as a tool" muttered
the terrified old man. "Beyers and
Robertson, and Frank Staples. Why
should l bear the blame? I'll give you
back what l can You won't take the
life of an old MANI"
What of my daughter?" Haynes
roared, hobbling forward and press.
ing his enemy back against the wheel
of the machine. Yours was the dogs
part, Poole. You lured me to what
you thought would be my death, you
whom could have pardoned, had you
fought like a man for your ill-gotten
spoils. You sent that false Telegram
which lured my wife away. Where is
she?'
In the extremity of his terror Poole
found, sense to make a bargain.
Il know, l know" he stammered.
But why should tell you if 1 am go
ing to die? Come, a bargain, Mr..
Haynes. haven't been all bad; 1 fed
and cared for your girl all this time,
even If did lose my head over her
at last. Other men have done that
with other women" he babbled. "You
won't hold that against the money I've
spent on her? Now listen! a bargain.
III tell you how to find your wife and
give you back S20,000-I1l have to
mortgage my home to do it-and you'll
let me go. I'm an old man; I've got
to die soon; it's no use having MUIR
der upon your hands"
Haynes regarded the shrinking fig
ure with awful sternness; his pistol
did not waver now.
Poole" he said, I'D hate to kill a
thing SO mean as you. I'd hate to send
your naked soul shivering into the
fires of hell before your time had
come. give you your life, Poole,
and your money, too-that l shall get
from the chief co~nspirators. Here are
the conditions: you tell me where my
wife is and you play fair with me.
If you try treachery, it will recoil on
you"
Il agree, I agree" shrilled Poole
eagerly. "Chauncey E. Robertson
knows; she's living and unframed,
and that's all 1 can tell you. Go to
Chauncey in Benderville and play the
anne trick on him that you have play
ed on me. He'll tell you--if you
make him"
she's living, then-tnank God!'
exclaimed John Haynes, and as
though overcome by his emotion, he
staggered backward, letting his pistol
fall.
There came a squirt of flame, the
crack of the Luegar. Poole, seeing
his enemy disarmed, had fired at him
point blank. Eleanor raj forward,
straighten himself upon his crutches
and laugh, and point to the automo.
bile. She followed his gaze fearfully
Jack Poole lay on the steps of the
machine. He was quite dead, for the
bullet from the reversed Lueger had
gone clean and straight through his
right eye into his brain. John Haynes
had not worked over 1t fruitlessly.
So, by his OWL t~reachery, the first
of the conspirators came to his
death.
Haynes flung the body into the road
and placed his daughter in the auto
mobile. Then, stepping among the
trees, he drew out the d%evil-chair and
deposited it in the tonneau beside the
detached gyroscope. He looked at his
watch.
I'VE can catch the Chicago train al
Purified in an hour and a half, Ell
eanor," he said. "You will go on alone
Here are $4,000" He placed the
bills in her hands. you must be
brave, my dear, and play your won
ans game like a man, conhding IL
NO one, passing as a stenographel
from the south, eager to find work
Place your funds in four different
banks, get a position, and wait til
you hear from me at the Genera
p~ostofice. 1t may be In one week oil
not for a year. You are not afraid?'
mo-" she answered, and though hel
face was white her voice was steady
and clear. He kissed her ~fervently
then limping into his place, he drovs
furiously across the country towart
their destination. At Purified he hit
the chair under the rugs. bought hill
daughters ticket to Chicago. and help
ed her aboard the train; he waited til
the read lights had vanished down thu
track. Then he drove into the will
1araaao o-ofn rapaNxraI tho NIota urtkI