Cleveland County herald., 1918-04-18
CHAPTER XVI.
don Spends a Busy Evenino.

If Selfridge had made up his mind to frame Gordon for prison sentence The worst of 1t 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 tlme. There was enough cor roborative testimony to convict St. Peter himself.
 ''I'm just telling you what he said," Diane explained. And 1t 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. How 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.
 "I don't know whether this is where 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 El- dot" smiled Peter.
 All right. Let me put 1t another way. You work for Mac. Are you on his side or on Elliot's 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 1t. If bis superior officers decide on those Facts against Macdonald, I don't see shat Elliot is to blame"
 That's how it looks to me-" agreed Strong. '1'm for wide-open Alaska, but that don't make 1t right to put this young fellow through for a crime he didn't do. Fact is, I like him. He's square. So Eve come to tell you some thing"
 He smoked for minute silently be- fore he continued.
 I've got no evidence in his favor, but l bumped into something a little ? while ago that didn't look good to me. - You know room next him at the ho- Eel. l 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. I looked through the keyhole, and in Elliot's room there was Wally Selfridge and another man. They were looking through papers at the desk. Wally put 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 thought. So I followed them. They went to Macdonald's offices. Af- 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 whyP" "Why?" repeated Diane with her sharp eyes on the miner.
 Because Wally has some papers fhere he don't want to get away from him"
 Some of Gordon's papers, of course"
 You've said it."
 "All his notes and evidence in the case of the coal claims, probably" con- tributed Peter.
 Maybe. Wally has stolen them, but he hasn't nerve enough to burn them till he gets orders from Mac. So he's holding them safe at the off1ce," guessed Strong.
 Its an outrage"
 "Surest thing you know. Wally has nxed it to frame him for prison and to play safe about his evidence on the coal claims"
 What are you going to do about atT' Diane asked her husband sharply. Peter rose. First I'm going to see Gordon and hear what he has to say. Come on, Strong. We may be gone
 
 Tor me if you get through your stint Of nursing"
 Gopher Jones let them into the ram- shackle building that served as jail, and after three dollars had jingled in The palm of his hand he stepped out side and left the men alone with his prisoner. The three put their heads together and wbiSpered
 "Pll meet you outside the house of Selfridge in half an hour, Strong" was the last thing that Gordon said before Jones came back to order out the yis- itors.
 AS soon as the place was dark again, Gordon set to work on the f1imsy framework of his cell window. He knew already it was so decrepit that he could escape any time he desired,