Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-20
By WlLLETT sT0cKARD.

u Ou0OI StoA011lAs
Is By WlLLETT ST0CKARD. 8
3 Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co. 3
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Conley had come home, having been
released from prison after completing
q five year sentence.
A few hours after his arrival In town
he entered squalid place on the west
side not far from the center Of Hell's
Kitchen. Besides the proprietor and q
\ man whom the former was ejecting at
the time, there was only one man in
the place. He greeted Conleys arrival
with q slight show Of surprise and
spoke to him.
How are all the boys up the way?'
he asked.
Hello, Wernerw Conley returned
and related bits Of information con-
corning those whom he had left in
prison.
Like to stick in on a juicy little
lay?" Werner inquired, lowering his
voice slightly and glancing about to
see that no one was near them.
Heard of old man Harris, haven't
YOUR continued Werner. Hes got
more millions than you and me could
dream we had after dozen shots III
the arm. Funny old goat he Is too
He's got bug about punching the
clock Just the same and as prompt Us
any Of his deck hands, which is some
prompt, If they work for him for any
time. Also he's got another kink
about working straight on through
July and August, while he lets every.
body else in his shop take from two
weeks to a month off. He sticks II
out without even hesitating till after
the first of the next year, and then
when he gets his business started on to
another stretch, why, he takes a little
| thirty day layoff.
"And does he beat 1t south then
Not him-that amt the old man. he
heads up north to q hut he's got
planted up in Maine. and that's right
where he lives in the dead Of winter
He don't have any guide or anybody
else along with him, and he don't
allow anybody else to come anywhere
close to him II he can help 1t. He
camps there for month, hunting and
taking care Of what he kills. skinning
it and putting away the meat and
cooking 1t and oil that all by himself,
as said. and never seeing another llv-
ing thing besides the animals he's
hunting. Funny IDEAS some Of these
gazlgs have. amt they?'
"Where do we come in?" interposed
Conley.
We're going to get him ut his drum
up there and stow him away-put him
in hook, you see. and make him pay
himself out-although I amt counting
on sticking him up for anything so
much as I'm banking on swinging his
wife for, say. five or ten thousand at
the least and maybe rs much as TWEEN
ty-fve. Harris head manager is his
wife's brother, you see, and think we
can hang 'em for twenty-five without
starting either one to putting the cops
out for u.s. Leave 1t to me to make
it plain to 'em that the old man will be
bumped off before anybody can get
| to u.s."
whats the matter that Harris
won't come across himself wit what
we want, In case we show 1t up to him
that we're going to croak him proper
II he don'tT'
"You don't know Harris" Werner
answered. I'm the first place. We
couldn't make q bluff strong enough
for him to think we were not bluffing,
and then even If it had to come to q
| showdown, why. doubt If he'd really
think we meant to kill him and lose
our only shot for the money. That's
the kind Of gink he Is. You know, he's
the stiff that had son to get in wrong
some way and get his name in the pa
pers-beat up a guy and was sent
away for little bit-and do you think
the old man would come through with
little fall money that would have
sprung the kid? Nix-not him-and he
won't allow the kid around his snare
when he comes home"
Werner shook his head, partly in ad-
miration.
"That's him, and l wouldn't count
on a finif from him, not just to get
himself out, where I'd bet on getting
thousands from his dame. I've had all
this framed ever since last summer,
and l made n special trip up to scout
about the old mans grounds and the
country around there. One reason I'm
first hep to this Is because l got a
friend of mine named Turner, an old
timer that's done five separate bits and
is living up there and making good
money by getting stuff across the
Canadian line. and we happened to
meet up with each other last year and
got to talking about this Harris guy.
Turner knew about him. living no
more than thirty miles away from
there. and we got this idea. Turner
knows places that We could put Harris
away, and he couldn't be found for q
million years"
"How many you got in on this,
Conley inquired. land who are they"
Besides Turner and me and you
we'll have Collins and George"
The following morning the four were
upon the train. Werner and Collins In
one car. Conley and George in another.
They had bought their tickets sepa-
rately. Neither pair saw the other att
er the train started.
They arrived ut different hours, but
later met at the spot agreed upon.
place a mile from town, where they
were met by Turner and his sleigh.
It was decided that they should
sneak upon the lodge which Harris oc.
cupied and make him prisoner while
still In bed. Then they were to take
him away to the place among the hills
that had been prepared by Turner.
H. - H. L.