Cleveland County herald., 1918-04-11

ane explained. "But he must havs recognized the men. There are many footprints at the ford, showing how they moved over the ground as they fought. So he could not have been unconscious from the first blow"
 Unless they were masked he must have known them. It was light enough" agreed Elliot.
 "Peter Is still trying to get the ofh- cers to accept bail, but don't think he will succeed. There is good deal of feeling in town against you"
 Because I am supposed to be an enemy to an open Alaska, I judge"
 Mainly that. Wally Selfridge has been talking a good deal. He takes it for granted that you are guilty. Wen have to wait in patience till MT. Mac donald speaks and clears you."
 Gopher stuck his head in at the door. "You1l have to go, ladies. Times up.-
 When Sheba bade the prisoner good by 1t was with a phrase of the old Irish vernacular. "God save you kindly"
 He knew the peasants answer to tho wish and gave 1t. And you, too"
 The girl left the prison with mist in her eyes. Her cousin looked at her with queer, ironic little smile of af- lection. To be in trouble was a sure passport to the sympathy of Sheba- Now both her lovers were M sad way. Diane wondered whicf of them would gain most from this new twist of fate.
 Selfridge had been shocked at tho sight of Macdonald. The terrible beat ing and the loss of blood had sapped all the splendid, vital strength of the Scotsman. His battered head was swathed in bandages, but the white face was bruised and disfgured. The ! wounded man was weak as kitteni only the steady eyes told that he was still strong and unconquered.
 q want to talk business for min ute, Miss Sedgwick. Will you please step out?" said Macdonald to hia nurse. 7 She hesitated. 'The doctor says"
 "Do as say, please"
 The nurse left them alone. Wally told the story of the evidence against Elliot In four sentences. His chie4 caught the point at once.
 After Selfridge had gone, the wound ed man lay silent thinking out his pro. gram. Not for a moment did he doub4 that he was going to live, and his brain was already busy planning for the fu' ture. He knew now that in the vio- lence of his anger against Elliot he had made mistake. To have killed his rival would have been fatal to the Kamatlah coal claims, would have alienated his best friends, and would have prejudiced hopelessly his chances with Sheba. Fate had been kind td him. He had been in the wrong and it had put him in the right. By the same cut of the cards young Elliot had been thrust down from an impregnable pO sition to one in which he was a dis credited suspect. With all this evis dence to show that he had conspired against Macdonald, his report to the | department would be labor lost. Diane came into the sickroom strip ping her gloves after the walk. Mac donald smiled feebly at her and fired the first shot of his campaign to der feat the enemy.
 "Has Elliott been captured yet?" he asked weakly.
 The keen eyes of his hostess fas tened upon him. Captured! What do you mean? It was Gordon Elliot that brought you in and saved you life"
 Brought me from whereY
 "From where he found you uncon scious-at the ford"
 That's his story, Is it?"
 The young woman stood with hel gloves crushed tight in both hands. II was her nature to be always a partt san. Without any reserve she was fol Gordon in this new fight upon him What had Wally Selfridge been saying to Macdonald? Did the mine owner mean to suggest that he had identified Elliot as one of his assailants?. The thing was preposterous.
 And yet-that was plainly what he had meant to imply. If he told such a story, things would go hard with Cor don. In court it would clinch the case against him by supplying the one miss ing link in the chain of circumstantial evidence.
 Diane, In deep thought, drowned down upon the wounded man, whd seemed already to have fallen into a light sleep. She told herself that this was some of Wally Selfridge's devik try. Anyhow, she would talk it over with Peter. 4
 The reason Wally was so pleased with himself was that he had dropped a hint into the ear of the wounded man not to clear Elliot of complicity in the attack upon him. The news that the special investigator had been arrested for robbery and attempted murder, flashed all over the United States, would go far to neutralize any report he might make against the va. lidity of the Macdonald claims. If tn