Charlevoix county herald., 1916-12-15


he found at the moment the sheriff
was leaving him. Bill told his en-
ployer the machine story and the two
went back to the outfit train to see
what condition the motor car had been
left in.
Spike came forward as Seagrue and
Bill appeared and while the latter two
examined the machine.
''The girl and Storm came up with
this crook in the machine" Bill said,
nodding toward Spike.
Where are they now?" demanded
Seagrue of the convict.
up town getting something to eat,"
answered Spike.
In the restaurant, to which Storm
had taken Helen for lunch before they
should go up to the courthouse, Storm,
while Helen was ordering, took from
his pocket the note for the recorder
and gave it to her. Helen opened, re-
read and laid the note on the table
with her pocketbook. She and Storm
were just enjoying the prospect Of
substantial meal, when Seagrue, walk
ing in, approached their table. He
spoke to them unconcernedly and,
without waiting for an invitation,
pulled up chair and sat down with
them.
AS tactfully as she could, she made
her explanations to Seagrue about
communicating his motor car. Sea-
prua affactad trucuIanca oDd dac1ipad
to accept her apologies. But he drew
a pencil from his pocket, at length,
and using the note lying beside Hell
ems pocketbook for pad, wrote on
it an exorbitant figure. Showing this
to Helen, he said dogmatically That's
what it will cost, if you want this
thing settled without trouble for you"
Helen flushed little with indigna-
tion when she saw what he demanded
but she was resolved not to quarrel.
"All right she answered simply, "Mr.
Rhinelander will send you check"
The luncheon Storm had ordered
was just coming in and while Helen
and Storm watched the waitress, Sea-
grue, leaning forward, looked again at
Rhinelander's note still lying on the
table. He began to read 1t. Storm
saw the impertinence and leaning
over coolly picked the note from un-
der Seagrue's eyes and folding it, put
it in Helen's pocketbook.
Seagrue, somewhat disconnected at
being caught, rose and left the table
without further words. BY the time
he gained the street he had charted
the situation, imprudently revealed
through Helen's carelessness in guard
ing the instructions, pretty clearly In
his mind.
Returning to the train he found Bill,
Spike and Lug Taking Bill aside, Sea-
grue called Lug over and told the two
about Rhinelander's loss of the deeds
and the effort Helen would make to
secure certified copies of them. While
he was talking he looked at his watch.
I'm five minutes" said Seagrue, the
men in the recorders Office will start
for dinner You two fellows take
Spike and go quietly up to the court
house. When the Office is empty get
the book of deeds and bring it to my
room. Bill, can you trust Spike?"
Bill answered he thought he could.
Don't lose any time," directed Sea-
grue. You may have to hunt around
a little up there. Report to me down
at the room"
Bill and his companions stepped
over to the train for jimmie. Spike
watched them disappear and hurried
up street himself. He now made HIM
self responsible for further Interrupt
ton to the lunch that Helen and
Storm were just beginning to relish.
"Seagrue,' he whispered, "is up to
some work"
What work." demanded Helen in
alarm.
Don't know yet" answered Spike,
but I'll find out"
do Spike!" she murmured, hur-
riedly. Don't let him make any more
trouble for us, will your"
Spike nodded to reassure her, and
trotted away. When he got back to
the train Bill and Lug came from one
of the cars. Bill had a revolver in his
hand.
-Bfn, where's my kit?" demanded
Spike.
STOW it," muttered Bill, "and fol
low me-
When the three shambled up to the
courthouse square, the clerks were
leaving the building and the last man
out closed the front door. Bill re-
solved to get in through convenient
side entrance and dispatched Lug
around the building to force a back
window.
BY the time the street was clear,
Lug had effected his entrance and
opened the door for his companions.
With Spike, Bill made his way to the
recorders Office and began search
among the books. II was not until he
had tossed one book after another
aside and when, finding the lost book
Of deeds, he consulted the index book
and threw open the pages containing
Rhinelander's right-of-way deeds, that
Spike got the least inkling Of what