The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-14

ing scrape; see the body of a dead
man. And now the scene changes.
| Everything dissOlves. I'm in q man
sion; and the red-haired woman comes
toward me. Over her head floats a
skeleton"
Dave broke in crisply. 'AlI right !
| Let's get down to cases. What's on
your mind, Stranger"
The psychic simulated a shudder-
painful contortion, such as anyone
might suffer If rudely jerked out Of
the spirit world.
"Eh? What was I? There! You've
broke the connection" he declared.
did 1 tell you anything?"
mo. But evidently you can"
I'm sorry. They never come back"
"Rot!"
Phil was hurt, indignant. With some
stiffness he explained. the danger of
interrupting a seance of this sort, but
Law remained obdurate.
You can put over that second-sight
stuff with the greasers," he declared,
sharply, but not with me- So, Jose
Sanchez has been to see you and you
want to warn me. Is that it2'
II don't know any such party"
Strange protested. He eyed his caller
for moment; then with an abrupt
change Of manner he complained:
Say, Bo! What's the matter with
you? I've got a reputation to protect,
and do things my own way. I'm get
ting set to slip you something, and you
try to make me look like a sucker.
Is that any way to act2"
Il prefer to talk to you when your
eyes are open. 1 know all about"
you don't know nothing about any.
thing" snapped the other. loses got
it in for Mrs. Austin
you said you didn't know him."
''Well, I don't. He's never been to
see me in his life, but-his sweetheart
has. Rosa Morales comes regular"
ROSA Jose's sweetheartP'
Eyes. Her and Jose have joined out
together since you shot Panfilo, and
they're framing something"
what, for instance?"
The fortune-teller hesitated. st only
wish 1 knew" he said slowly. 1T
looks to be like a killing"
Dave nodded. Probably is. Jose
would like to get me. and of course the
girl"
"Oh. they don't aim to get you. You
amt the one they're after"
mo? Who, Them"
ST don't know nothing definite. In
this business, you understand, a fell
low has to put two and two together.
All the same, I'm sure Jose amt cary
ing no epitaph for you. From what
I've dug out of Rosa, he's acting for a
third party-somebody with pull and
lot of CONDUIT who it is 1 don't know.
Anyhow, he's cooking trouble for the
Austins, and 1 want to stand from
under"
Now that the speaker had dropped
all pretense, he answered Dawes cues
tons without evasion and told what
he knew. 1t was not much, to Dawes
way of thinking, but it was enough to
give cause for thought, and when the
men finally parted 1t was with the IN
Outstanding that Strange would
promptly communicate any further in
telligence on this subject that came
his way.
On the following day Dawes duties
A1Iu " HH6T6 COQTI
was in session. He had planned to
leave by the morning train; but as he
continued to mediate over StranRe's
words, he decided that, before going.
he ought to advise Alaire OF the fell
lows suspicious in order that she
might discharge Jose Sanchez and in
other ways protect herself against his
possible spite. Since the matter was
one that could not well be talked oyer
by telephone, Dave determined to 90
In person to Las Palmas that evening.
Truth to say, he was hungry to see
AIaire. By this time he had almost |
ceased to combat the feeling she
aroused in him, and It was In obedience |
to an impulse far stronger than friend
IL anxiety that he hired a machine and
shortly after dark. took the river road. |
The Fates are malicious jadeS. They
delight in playing In-natured pranIrs |
upon US. Not content with spinning /
and measuring and cutting the threads |
OF our lives to suit themselves. they
must also tangle the skeIn, causing rs |
to cut capers to satisfy their whims. |
At no time since meeting Alsire had /
Dave Law been more certain of his /