The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-13

the bruised face. A faint sigh quiv-
cred through the slack, inert body.
Gordon hoisted Macdonald across
the saddle and led the horse through
the ford. He walked beside the animal
to town, and never had two miles
seemed to him so far. With one hand
he steadied the helpless body that lay
like sack Of flour balanced in the
trough of the saddle.
Kusiak at last lay below him, and
when he descended the hill to the sub
urbs almost the first house was the one
where the Pagets lived.
Elliot threw the body across his
shoulder and walked up the walk to
the porch. He kicked upon the door
with his foot. Sheba answered the
knock, and at sight of what he car
ried the color faded from her face.
Macdonald has been hurt-badly,"
he explained quickly.
"This way" the girl cried, and led
him to her own room.
get Diane-and q DOCTOR" ordered
Gordon after he had laid the uncon-
scious manson the white sheet.
While he and Diane undressed the
mine owner Sheba got doctor on the
telephone. The wounded man opened
his eyes after long time, but there
was In them the glaze of delirium. He
recognized none of them. All night
he raved, and his delirious talk went
back to the wild scenes of his earlier.
life. Sometimes he swore savagely
again he made quiet, deadly threats;
but always his talk was crisp and
clean and vigorous. Nothing foul or
Shiny came to the surface In those
hours of unconscious babbling.
The doctor would make no promises.
"He's mighty sick man. The cuts
are deep, and the hammering must
have Jared his brain terribly. If 1t
was anybody but Macdonald, wouldn't
give him a chance" he told Diane
when he left In the morning to yet
breakfast. "But Macdonald has ire
mendous vitality. OF course If he lives
1t will be because Mr.. Elliot brought
him in so soon."
Gordon walked with the doctor as
far Us the hotel. A brown, thin,
leathery man undraped himself from
a chair in the lobby when Elliot opened
the door. He was officially known as
the chief Of police of Kusiak. Incl
dentally he constituted the whole po-
lice force. Generally he was referred
to as Gopher Jones on account Of his
habit Of spasmodic prospecting.
Il got to put you under arrest, Mr..
Elliot" he explained.
"What forT demanded Gordon, sur
)rised.
'Doc thinks 1t will run to murder,
reckon"
The field agent was startled. 'sYou
nean-Macdonald?"
The brown man chewed his quid
teadily. "You done guessed it."
That's absurd, you know. What |
giaepce haze Won cot Z.
"First off, you'd had trouble with
him. 1t was common talk that when
you and Mac met, guns were going to
pop. You bought an automatic re-
Volver two days ago. You was seen
with It."
HE had threatened me-"
"You want to be careful what you
say, Mr.. Elliot. 1t will be used against
you" Gopher shot a squirt of to-
bacco unerringly at the open door Of
The stove. "You was seen talking
with Trelawney and Northrup. Money
passed from you to them"
II gave them loan Of ten dollars
each because they were broke. Is that
.riminal?" demanded Gordon angrily.
"That's your story. You'll git
chance to tell 1t to the jury, 1 shouldn't
wonder. Mebbe they'll believe 1t. You
never can tell"
Believe It'll Why, you Inuttonhead,
found him where he was bleeding to
Heath and brought him in"
"That's what l heard say. Kinder
queer, amt 1t, you happened to be the
nan that found himY'
Nothing queer about 1t. was rid
ng in from Seven Mile Creek camp"
Gordon was exasperated, but not at all
alarmed.
$50 you was. While you was out at
he camp you asked one of the boys
low big the pay roll would be-"
"Does that prove / was planning a
nold-up? Isn't that the last thing I
would have asked If I had intended
"Don't ask me. amt no psycholo-
yist. All know is you took an inter-
EST In the bank roll on the way"
"Tm here for the government inyes-
.igating Macdonald. I was getting in.
'ormation-earning my pay. Can you
understand thatw
Gopher chewed his cud impassively.
Sure I can, and l been earning mine.
By the way, how come you to be beat
lp so bad, MFR. Elliott"
II had fight with the robbers
"Sure it wasn't with the robbed7
That split lip Of yours looks to me
'lumb like Macs John Hancock"
Elliot flushed angrily. "Of course IL
'ou intend to believe me guilty.
"Now, there amt no manner o. use
n gettin' het up, young fellow. Meb-
,e you did it; mebbe you didn't. Any
low, you'll gimme that gat You been