The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-04-11
CHAPTER XVI.

-
Gordon Spends a Busy Evening.
Paget smoked placidly, but the heart
within him was troubled. 1t looked as
IL Selfridge had made up his mind to
frame Gordon for a prison sentence.
The worst of it was that he need not
invent any evidence or take any
chances. If Macdonald came through
on the stand with an Identification of
Elliot as one of his assailants, the
young man would go down the river
to serve time. There was enough cor
robOrative testimony to convict st.
Peter himself.
"Pm just telling you what he said,'
Diane explained. "And it worried me.
His smile was cynical. I couldn't help
thinking that if he wants to get even
with Gordon"
Mrs. Paget stopped. The maid had
Just brought into the room a visitor.
Diane moved forward and shook hands
with him. GLOW do you do, Mr..
Strong? Take this big chair"
Hanford Strong accepted the chair
and cigar. He came promptly to the
object of his call.
'eI don't know whether this is where
I should have come or not. Are you
folks for young Elliot or are you for
Selfridge?" he demanded.
IF you put it that way, we're for FL
Hot" smiled Peter.
"Au right. Let me put it another
way. You work for Mac. Are you on
his side or on Elliots in this matter of
the coal claims?'
Diane looked at Peter. He took his
time to answer.
''We hope the coal claimants will
win, but we've got sense enough to
see that Gordon is in here to report
the facts. That's what he is paid for.
He'll tell the truth as he sees it. If
his superior officers decide on those
facts against Macdonald, I don't see
that Elliot is to blame.''
That's how it looks to me,'' agreed
Strong. I'm for Wide-open Alaska,
but that don't make it right to put this
young fellow through for a crime he
didn't do. Fact is. I like him. He's
square. So I've come to tell you some
thing"
He smoked for a minute silently be-
fore he continued.
1--WE got no evidence in his favor,
but bumped into something a little
while ago that didn't look good to me.
You know I room next him at the no.
tel I heard a noise in his room, and
thought that was funny, seeing as he
was locked up in Jail. So I kinder
listened and heard whispers and the
sound of some one moving about.
There's a door between his room and
mine that is kept locked. ] looked
through the keyhOle, and in ElliOt's
room there was Wally Selfridge and
another man. They were looking
through papers at the desk. WaIly
put a stack OF them in his pocket and
they went out, locking the door behind
them"
"They had no business doing that"
burst out Diane. "Wally Selfridge isn't
an officer of the law"
Strong nodded dryly to her. "Just
what 1 thought. So 1 followed them.
They went to Macdonald's offices. At
ter while Wally came out and left the
other man there. Then presently the
lights went out. The man is camped
there for the night. Will you tell me
why?"
"Why?" repeated Diane with her
sharp eyes on the miner.
Because Wally has some papers
there he don't want to get away from
him.
"some Of Gordon's papers. OF
course
'You've said it,
Cali his notes and evidence in the
case of the coal claims, probably" con
tributed Peter.
maybe. Wally has stolen them, but
ne hasn't nerve enough to burn then
till he gets orders from Mac. So he's
holding them safe at the office,
guessed Strong.
''It's an outrage"
"Surest thing you know. Wally ha
fixed it to frame him for prison and tt
play safe about his evidence on thu
coal claims"
'What are you going to do abou
ftp Diane asked her husband sharply
Peter rose. First I'm going TO Sc
Gordon and hear what he has to say
Come on, Strong. We may be gon
quite a while, Diane. Don't wait u
for me if you get through your stin
of nursing"
Gopher Jones let them into the ram
shackIe building that served as a jai
and after three dollars had jingled i
the palm Of his hand he stepped out
side and left the men alone with hi
prisoner. The three put their head
together and whispered.
tT1i meet you outside the house @
Selfridge in half an hour, Strong" wa
the last thing that Gordon said befor
Jones came back to order out the VII
ftOrs.
AS soon as the place was dark agail
Gordoa set to work on the films
framework of his cell window. b
knew already it was so decrepit tbs
ne could ESCAPE any time he desire,