The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-09-05


water from the stream he drenched
the bruised face. A faint sigh quiz
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 40 far. With n hand
he steadied the helpless body That lay
like a sack Of -four balanced In the
trough of the saddle.
kusiak Mt last lay below him, IN
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
III porch. He kicked upon the door
with his foot. Shcbn 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 tn her W room.
Get Dlnne-nnd n DOCTOR" ordered
Gordon after he had laid the uncon.
scious man on the white sheet.
While he and Diane undressed the
mine owner Sheba got a doctor on the
telephone. The wounded man opened
his eyes after n long time. but there
was In them the glaze OF delirlum. He
recognized o 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 /;
Dut 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.
Hes a mighty sick man. The cuts
are deep. and the hammering must
have Jared his brain terribly. II II
vas anybody but Macdonald, I wouldn't
give him q chance" he told Diane
when he left In the morning to get
breakfast. "But Macdonald has ire
mendous vitality. or course II he lives
1t will be because Mr.. Elliot brought
him In SO soon."
Gordon walked with the doctor az
far as h hotel. A brown. thin.
leathery man undraped himself from
a chair In the lobby when Elliot opened
the door. He was oficially known as
the chief Of police Of Kusiak. Incl
dentaily he constituted the whole DO.
lice force. Generally he was referred
to as Gopher Jones on accoun Of his
habit Of spasmOdic prospecting.
Il got to put you under arrest, Mr..
Elliot" he explained.
what forf' demanded Gordon, sur.
prised.
doc thinks It will run to murder,
I reckon"
The field agent was startled. "You
mean-MacdonaldT
The brown man chewed his quid
steadily. "You done guessed It."
That's absurd. you know. What
evidence have you got?"
First of. you'd had trouble with
him. II 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
practicing with It,"
"He had threatened me-"
"You want to be careful what you
say. Mr.. Elliot. II will be used against
you" Gopher shot n squirt OF to-
bacco u%nerringly at the open door OF
the stove. "You was seer talking
with Trelawney and Northrup. Money
passed from you to them"
II gave them n loan OF ten dollars
each because they were broke. Is that
crtminal?' demanded Gordon angrily.
THAT'S your story. Yolll cit a
chance to tell II to the Jury, I shouldn't
wonder. Mebbe they'll believe II. You
never can tell"
"Believe II! Why, you muttonhead,
found him where he was bleeding to
death and brought him In"
"That's what l heard say. Kinder
queer, amt It, you happened to be the
man that found hIm?"
Nothing queer about II. I was rid
ing In from Seven Mile Creek camp."
Gordon was exasperated, but not nj all
alarmed.
$50 you was. While you was out nj
the camp you asked one OF the boys
how big the pay roll would be-"
Does that prove ! was planning n
hold-up? Isn't that the last thing I
would have asked II l had Intended
robberyT
Don't ask me. ! amt no psycholo.
gist. All ! know Is you took an inter.
est In the bank roll on the way"
'Tm here for the government inyes.
tigating Macdonald. I was getting In
Notwithstanding my pay. Can you
understand thatf"
Gopher chewed his cud impassiyelv
"Sure ! can. and ! been earning mine
BY the way, how come you to be bent
up 80 bad, Mr.. Elliott"
~ had a fight with the robbers"
"Sure II wasn't with the robbed,
That split lip Of yours looks to me
plumb like Macs John Hancock"
Elliot flushed angrily. "Of course ~
you intend to believe me guilty."
"Now, there amt no manner o. nse
10 gettin' het up, young fellow. Meb-
be you did II; mebbe you didn't. ANY