The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-09-12
cHAPTER XVI.

Gordon Spends q Busy Evening.
Puget smoked placidly, but the heart
within him was troubled. II looked as
II Selfridge had made up his mind to
frame Gordon for q prison sentence.
The worst Of II was that he need not
invent any evidence or take any
chances. II Macdonald came through
on the stand with an Identification Of
Elliot as One Of his assailants, the
young man would 20 down the river
to serve time. There was enough cor
%roborati~e testimony to convict st.
Peter himself.
I'm just telling you what he said"
Diane explained. "And II worried me.
His Amile vas cynical. I couldn't help
thinking that II 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..
etrongf Take this big chair"
Hsnford Strong accepted the chair
and a cigar. He came promptly to the
object Of his call.
Il don't know whether this Is where
] should have come or not. Are you
folks for young Elliot or are you for
SalfridgeT he demanded.
IF you put II that way. we're for e.
li~t," smiled Peter.
"All right. Let me put II another
way. You work for Mac. Are you on
his side o. on Elliot's in this matter Of
the coal claims,"
Diane looked at Peter. He took his
time to answer.
I'VE 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 II. II
his superior oficers decide on those
facts against Macdonald. I don't see
that Elliot Ii to blame"
That's how II looks to me-" agreed
Strong. I'm for a wide-open Alaska,
but that dom. make It right to put this
young fellow through for a crime he
didnt do. Fact II. ! like him. He's
square. 30 I've come to tell you some
thing"
he smoked for q Minute silently be-
fore he continued.
I've got no evidence in his favor,
but ! bumped into something q little
while ago that didn't look good to me.
You know I room next him at the no
tel ] heard q noise In his room. and
! thought that was funny. seeing as he
vss locked up in Jail. SO I kinder
fistsned and heard whispers and the
sound Of some a moving about.
There's Q door between his room and
mine that 10 kept locked. I looked
through the keyhole, and In Elliot's
room there was Wally Selfridge and
mother nan They were looking
through papers at the desk. waily
put Q 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 oficef Of the law"
Strong nodded dryly to her. "Just
what I thought. So I followed them.
They went to Macdonald's Offices. AZ
ter a 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
whyY'
"whyT 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"
"All his notes and evidence In the
case Of the coal claims. probably" con.
tributed Peter.
Maybe. Wslly has stolen them, but
he hasn't nerve enough to burn them
tll 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 has
fixed II to frame him for prison and to
play safe about his evidence on the
coal claims.s
what are ron going to do about
TT" Diane ASKED her husband sharply.
Peter rose First I'm going TO sec
Gordon and hear what he has to say
Come on. Strong. We may be gone
quite a while, Diane. Don't wait VI
for me II you get through your stin,
Of nursing"
Gopher Jones let them into the ram
shackis building that served M a Jail
and SITTER three dollars had 1ingied n
tho palm q his hand he stepped out
side sad left the men alone with hi
prisan9. TIE three put their head
toose19 sAl vhispersd.
Tn Dest 700 outside the house o.
selfrAss In half m hour. Strong" Wal
tina last thing that Gordon said bsfor,
Jones came bsek to order out the Wis
tiers.
As ssse ~ the place was DARK again
Gerdsn set 10 work On the films,
frpnswsrk ef his cell window. III,
kna~ sA's~ay II was 30 decrepit tina
IL ssus sscape n time he desired