Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-01-13

fortunate Drake was nearly drunk
At that unlucky crisis, row sprang
up in the bar The bartender inter-
fered, and in the course of the melee
was thrown violently against Drake,
who, hardly conscious of what was go
ing on, assumed that he had been
attacked In a gust of anger he
snatched a bottle from the counter
| and struck the bareheaded man vio-
| lent blow. The other fell at once.
with blood streaming from his scalp.
The original row was now in full
swing, and no one paid any particular
heed to the bartender's misfortune
Drake was still waving the bottle in
| drunken fury when his associate led
| him to back door and into an alley.
There the jailbird took the bottle
from Joe's hand, and threw it away,
| forcing the other to accompany him.
Drake never knew how he got home.
| He managed to creep to his room, and
pleaded illness for the rest of the
| day. Next morning, when he met Bur
ton at breakfast, the latter was kind
ly solicitous as to his health. Drake
nearly yielded then. He was bitterly
conscious of his fall from grace, but
resolved to make amends, and had re-
covered his poise when he was called
to the telephone.
The croaking voice of WalIEyed
Bill came over the wire:
Mice mess you got into yesterday,
didn't you,'' it said.
What do you mean?" inquired
Drake nervous1y
HUH 1 like thati Forgotten ev-
erything, have you? Sorry, old sport.
but it's my painful duty to stir your
gray matter. Hike out into the park,
and meet me near the fountain in half
an hour. And watch your step! It's
the chair for you this time if you
amt mighty CAREFUL
Making some excuse to his employ
er. Drake went out. And his prison
friend showed him a newspaper with
the scare heads: Bartender Slain in
Saloon Brawll Murderer Unknown!
Makes Good His Escape!'
How does this concern me?" he
asked.
"You!" cackled Bill. 'You croaked
that guy! Up to now nobody but me
knows you done it, and amt goin' to
squeal on you, Joe. You believe that,
don't your"
What are you giving me?" demand
ed Drake thickly.
Bills manner changed instantly.
1.-The straight SPIEL" he growled.
Putin up the unconscious act, are
you? Don't you do it. If I split,
there's twenty fellers who saw you in
that saloon, an would pick you out
of a crowd. That guy is dead all
right, and you killed him. 1t don't
make no difference to me, one way
or the other, but you'll have to toe the
line and do as I tell you, or I'll put
myself right with the cops, and you
go to the chair for sure"
Drake, had to accept the lamentable
truth
81 haven't much money he fall
tered. I've been at work only a cou-
pie of weeks, but might scrape up
hundred dollars
The other laughed derisive1y.
Search mel" he guffawed. THAT
rich guy you're living with can cut
up bettern that. Now, here's my Of
fer. Take it or leave it. The next
time he has lot of dough in the
house, put me wise and I'll pouch it.
It's dead easy. No one will ever sus-
pect you, and I'll get away West.
Now, don't cut up rough about it, You
can't help yourself. It's the only
thing to do
The unhappy secretary saw no 9TH
er way out of the difficulty. Sick with
despair, he gave in.
He knew that within the next few
days his employer would withdraw
from the bank fairly large sum with
which to purchase a small estate in
the country, whittier to retire for a
weekend when weary of the noise
and heat of the city. So, having
made the wretched compact, he
crushed it out of sight until the time
was ripe for its execution.
Being restless and unstrung, how
ever, he sought Gertrude. But, on
calling at her home-a cheap apart
ment house in the suburbs, he found
that she was not at home. Walking
back, he saw Burton's car approach
ing. He recognized it at once, of
course, and was specializing as to
what business had brought his en-
ployer to that part of the city, when
he noticed that Burton was accom-
panied by lady. The two were seat
ed in the closed limousine.
So Drake repressed his first intent,
and did not signal the chauffeur. AS
the car passed, he was astounded by
the discovery that Buttons companion
was none other than Gertrude. In