Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-26

lookin' for, Misther Starbuck-J. Mon
tay-gue Smith; tn f-nanshal boss av
tn big ditch comp'ny. Have We seen
'um?"
Starbuck, looking over the police
mans shoulder, could see Smith at
the telephone in the garage office. An
other man might have lost his head
but the ex-cOwpuncher was Of the
chosen few whose wits sharpen hand
lily in an emergency.
"He hangs out at the HOphra House
good part of the time in the eve
nings," he replied coolly. "Hop in and
I'll drive you around"
Three minutes later the threatening
danger was a danger pushed q little
way into the future, and Starbuck was
back at the garage curb waiting for
Smith to come out. Through the win
dow he saw Smith placing the receiver
on It's hook, and moment afterWard
he was opening the car door for his
passenger.
did you make out to raise the
judge?" he inquired, as Smith climbed
| in.
eyes. He will meet me at his cham
| bers in the courthouse as soon as he
| can drive down from his house."
what are your hoping to do, John?
Judge Warner is only circuit judge !:
he can't set an order of the United
| States court aside, can he?"
'No; but there is one thing that he
can do. You may remember that I
his house. I was trying then to cover
| Ill the chances, among them the pos
| sibility that Stanton would jump in
with a gang of armed thugs at the last
minute. We are going to assume that
this is what has been DONE"
Starbuck set the car In motion and
| sent it spinning out of the side street,
around the plaza, and beyond to the
less brilliantly Illuminated residence
| district-which was not the shortest
| way to the courthouse.
"You mustn't pull Judge Warmers
leg, John,' he protested, breaking the
| purring silence after the business quar-
ter had been left behind; ''he's too
| good a man for that
ST shall tell him the exact truth. so
| far as we know it." was the quick
reply. There is one chance in a thou
| sand that we shall come out Of this
| with the law-as well as the equities
on our side. I shall tell the judge
that no papers have been served on
US, and, so far as l know, they haven't
What are you driving all the way
| around here for?"
This is one of the times when the
longest way round is the shortest way
| home" Starbuck explained. 1.-THE bad
news you were looking for has came
While you were phoning in the garage
put one policeman Wise-tO nothing"
He was looking for me?"
| Sure thing-and by name. Well
TOOL around here in the block streets
until the judge has had time to show
up. Then I'll drop you at the court
| house and go hustle the sheriff for
you. You'll want Harding, I take it2'
Yes. I'm taking the chance that
only the city authorities have been
notified In my personal affair-not the
county officers. It's a long chance, of
course; 1 may be running my neck
squarely into the moose. But it's all
risk, Billy; every move in this nights
game. Head up for the courthouse.
The Judge will be there by this time"
| Two minutes beyond this the car
was drawing up to the curb on the
mesa-facing side of the courthouse
square. There were two lighted win
dows in the second story Of the other
wise darkened building, and Smith
| Sprang to the sidewalk.
go now and find Harding, and have
him bring one trusty deputy with
him: FL be ready by the time you get
back" he directed; but Starbuck wait
ed until he had seen Smith safely lost
In the shadows of the pillared court
house entrance before he drove away.
|