Charlevoix county herald., 1916-12-15

to an open window, dropped the book
where Lug stood waiting. The mo-
ment the latter caught the heavy vol
Tune he made hurriedly away with it
for Seagrue's room.
Spike and Bill were less fortunate
in their escape They walked into the
hallway and had reached the head Of
the stairs when they were seen by the
day Waterman. With a shout he hailed
them
Bill, without hesitating, whipped
out his revolver and fired. Spike an
grily caught his companions arm,
wrested the gun from his hand and
stuck it in his own pocket. The watch
man, pulling his own pistol, dropped
back into a doorway. Bill dashed
down the corridor one way, while
Spike made a record sprint down the
stairs the ether The Waterman chased
bin, and Bill reaching a window,
Ssprang through it to the ground. Get
Nlng on his feet, he ran for safety
down the street.
| The one shot fired in the courthouse
ldu all Cduy 4lldtlG a COulllOllOu SplhG
gaining the foot of the stairs hid him
sclt just as clerks. coming in at the
front, ran upstairs to see what was
wrong. And when the coast below was
clear Spike slipped out of the open
door and walked away.
Seagrue. at his window, had been
watching his men in Main street Aft
int ,;,,o
he heard steps on the hall stairs and
the next moment Lug, hurrying into
the room as Seagrue opened the door
for him, threw the book Of records
on the table.
Seagrue opened 1t in haste and
looked for what he wanted, but while
the index sheets indicated the regis
try of the deeds, he failed to find the
pages where they should be. While
ne was searching Bill ran in.
Well" exclaimed Bill. you got
what you want We came mighty
near getting pinched."
Seagrue answered testify. Il don't
see how I've got what l want. Rhine
lander's deeds are not in this book
Where are the pages that belong
here"
Go find Spike" directed Seagrue,
wrathfully. And bring him in quick"
Suppose he won't Gomez parried
Bill.
Kill him." returned Seagrue with
out hesitation. Bring him anyway"
The men, lettering along Main street
and drinking, had worked themselves
into an ugly mood even before Spike,
walking through the crowd, was rec
ognized by one and accosted. The
man, who was quarrelsome, caught
. the convict by the coat collar. Spike
shook himself loose and was walking
away when Bill hurried on the scene.
Where are the pages you tore out
of that book?" he demanded angrily
OF Spike.
Spike regarded him with assumed
astonishment. What do you mean,
telling me tore anything out Of your
book" he asked You carried the
book cut, didn't you? know didn't
Abuse from Bill followed. 1t was
returned by Spike with usury.
Across the street on vacant lot
the owner Of an adjoining house, while
burning some rubbish, was cleaning
his rifle. AS he Jerked the shells
from the magazine, one fell into the
fire. Picking up those that he could
find OF the cartridges he returned to
his house with the gun. Spike and
Bill were in the midst OF their heated
argument moment later when the re-
port of a rife startled them. Both
men, as a bullet sung past, instructive
ly lodged. In doing so Bill unluckily
struck a projecting awning hook with
his head. The blow was sharp and
the end Of the hook penetrated his
temple. Bill sank to the pavement UNI
conscious.
Some of the idle laborers who had
4 been alarmed at the shot, seeing Bill
go down, came forward. Bill, bleeding
at the temple, lay while Spike, won
dering what had happened, stood by.
The sheriff came up.
There he is" said one Of Seagrue's
men, pointing to Spike. There's the
man that did the shooting"
The crowd worked in and the sher-
in, despite Spikes protests, laid his
hand on Spikes shoulder and told him
that he was under arrest, turning him
over to a deputy as he did so, with
orders to search him. In moment
they found on Spike the revolver he
thad taken from Bill at the courthouse.
The sheriff opened the gun. 1t con-
tanned FIVE loaded shells; the sixth had
been discharged.
The crowd, angry at Spike, surged
forward, the sheriff holding them Lack
as best he could while he directed his
deputy to take the prisoner away.
Helen and Storm, finishing their