Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-10-19

/ IWA MAA III AAA 1AAAH NV ~
afeard Of NINE and play into my
hands because you DIDN'T want me 10
squeal on you to Miss Dare. Amt
THAT lt1'
There's another reason, to be can
did. You have the insufferable impu-
dence to be in love with Miss Dare
yourself. Was there ever a more lu-
dicrous %situationI The Silent Menace
posing as orderly to Colonel Dare, in
love with his daughter, or posing
there. too, possibly, and using all Of us
as tools in his plot. / give it to you,
Adams" He laughed farcically.
"Why DIDN'T you shoot me, majorf
There's a g-gun under your pillow,
amt therei"
The major reached under his pillow
and pulled out a revolver. i've got a
mind TO do that" reflected Brent, ex-
amlnlng the loaded chambers, with q
quick flash of the eye at his caller.
But he put the revolver away.
Adams chuckled. ut amt a m-mat-
ter Of nerve, is 1t, maJOr7 You're no-not
quite sure about me, after all, are
your"
I'm sure, bat / have no proof. When
l get that 1 intend to kill you, Adams"
Brent candidly stated.
For several seconds Adams silently
appraised Brent. All Of a sudden he
became melancholy. 'There may
n-never be any proof of anything, Ma
jor Brent" he rejoined in a slow, muir
muring way 1--WE b-been thinking a
whole lot of this fix you got yourself
in. 1 got a notion to help you out o-of
it."
"You have. eh2"
Don't be ~s-sarcastic. 1 mean the
fright kind of help. Don't forget that
l c-cOuld send you to that there same
penitentiary you were ascending Payne
to-" insinuatlngly.
Brent laughed outright. "Wha
would the charge be7 How could you
make 1t without showing your hand
without unmasking yourself as the
Silent Menace? Even though you have
me under your control, you really
can't make a move against me pub
llcly."
Then Adams gave Brent a great
start. 81 c-could make a grease spol
out of you without showing the HAND
Of the Silent Menace" muttereC
Adams, cOldly.
Brent's hands stole In the direction
Of the revolver under his pillow, al
though he continued to smile. Adams
had him covered in a second. Don
git f-fdgety, Major. I'm downright
serious. l amt g-going to make an!
g-grease spot out of you because" hi
voice trailed an instant-"becaus,
you're going to DIDO the decent thing.
(Which ISL" with a slight catch.
you're going to marry Miss Bier
tina Bonn. You're going to m-marr,
her now. You're going to get up ant
go al-along with me and marry her.
He took from his inner coat pocket
long white envelope, not taking his ey
of Brent a moment, and referring t
it, continued: ave got your licens
fright here. I've had it several d'days
> It's regular and you'll be Unmarried b.
5 a regular preacher. It'll be a regula
w-wedding, and I'm going to give yo
a regular wedding p-present. There
! $10O,O 900 coming to you O-out Of thi'
Major Brent" He returned the Ell
! velope to his pocket and calmly wal
j I'd for Brent to say something.
i Brent, who did not move q muscl
while Adams spoke, at first though
that he was INDUCING in the peculla
kind Of humOr expected of him at an
time and under any circumstance
Gradually 1t dnwned on him that tn
man was not joking.
$50 that's your scheme !" h9 blurte'
c compOsure fast slipping away. Your
trying to force me to give up Mis-
Dare by bribery because you want he
yourselfw
"P-part Of It, major" admitte
K Adams, exhibiting "A deeply stirre
o emotional nature In voice and eyes.
am in Hove with Miss Dare. Il
going 70 g-get her II she'll let me. 81
that amt exactly w-why I'm going
marry you and Bertha Bonn tOgeth,
e. and make you n little wedding gil
You're going to BE- square to Bert
4 Bonn G-and I'm going to help yC
4 along. That's all there is Ito tina
and the things got to be done, majo
20 before / go TOTO Panama. Or
IS new idea striking him-"now that "
n know w-what you're going to do al
It what I'm going to DIDO, mebbe we be
It ter 1t 1t o-on till l get back fro
lc Panama"
ID "See here, Adams ." cried Brent, nc
u leaplng out Of bed and cOnfrOntil
a his visitor. "ThatIl be about enoul
ot Of hat from you. II you don't get o
:" OF here In a hurry I'll throw you in I
>" guardhouse. I'm sick to death of III
Is benstly affair. Another word and
Up tell all to Colonel Dare and take I
" consequences ."
m A pleased smile Illuminated [
c%ountenance Of the perfectly compOs
" man sitting at the foot Of the bed.
put away his pipe and rose. "Eith