Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-25

y
toward Miss Holcomb, as great as
was his chagrin at thinking he had
been the cause of her faintine, he told
himself thai he was acting in the
wrong.
He should have urged her to speak
then and there. She had recovered
her composure. although she was still
troubled. If he had gone at the affair
in the right way, he might have in
duced her to give him the informa-
ton she possessed.
He came very near turning back.
Then, punging on. he hurried toward
Concord. The girl might know some
thing. he doubted il il would be of
material aid
She had as good as said that all the
information she possessed was The
suspicious harbored by Edith
Certainly she knew the woman who
had written him. Undoubtedly. she
also knew. or could come very near
guessing. the name OF the man who
had fired from behind the wall. Be-
yond hat he feared seriously she
could furnish little help.
Cnlthers he had not seen. ana
straight to the lawyers Office he
went. feeling that there was no choice
left him but to await a telephone call
from Marjory. She had promised to
let him hear from her very soon, per
haps before evening He saw nothing
for il but to abide by her request for
time.
Cruthers was not in, but the clerk
Informed Tom that he expected the
attorney on the late train He adj
United that he had had telephone
Ecall, and that his employer was not in
town, having left early that morning.
Klugsbury looked Trench up at the
Farewell club end, for once. found
The politician in. In fact. OBrien
nodded the instant kinssbury ap-
.peared, and opened the door for him
without as much as taking his
name.
"Glad to see you" nodded Jerry
,{notioning toward q chair
i, Tom sat down. and with the first
OPPORTUNITY he had had in the crowd
Id DAYS he launched into The story Of
what little he had found.
!, Trench listened withoA 4 sign Of
surprise II was hard TO tell Whether
the silent man was getting niorma
lion or listening TO the rotelliuc OF
facts he already knew.
Now that's everything | found
and lille enough, ended Tom, with
disgust in his tone for his own inahil-
ity. Why MacLcan went to the
Dewey place YOU may be able to
guess, ! can't Who the man was
that fired from the cottago--the same
man whom followed from your
house YOU must know"
There was a question in the tone.
and Tom considered Trench search
ingly.
What the Dewey place racket
means can't guess Looks rs if
Haf"Lean and some one else eot that
team after Dick left my place. That
part Of yonr story is neSs to me As
TO the man. who took that shot from
Mrs. Careys cotta2e--the same fellow
who tried to smash your head in, |
fancy well. | don't know his name
either. I'd sent Mallory home Just as
quick as | could after the shot was
fired. and | started down through the
underground way to sec what was
going on Mrs. Careys story was
that there was a big fellow IN her
house tearing things to bits. fopened
the door just as YOU went down"
And you didn't get a look at the
fellow who floored me-" questioned
Tom, a trfle suspicious that Trench
was ready to shield the man.
Jerry shook his head. Il guess, and
guess Is about all ! can do that that
fellow Gloored you because you tried
to land him in the cottage
Possibly true agreed Kings
bury; but he was The one who fired
at your window. Was he the man
who snot at you in your garden
Il don't know. In the garden the
fellow doomed up from behind Il bush,
fired, and was gone. II was too dark
to see his face
Mrs Carey could tell YOU what
the man looked like who was in her
house
"She can't. I've asked her"
"Then the man whom held up
for 4 few minutes and tried 10 wiring
the truth FROM" urged Tom
He's gone, Watson was his
name. sent for him, have two men
out now trying 10 find him." answered
/ Trench.
Tom made a disgusled gesture.
is every. avenue blocked? Mr..
Trench, | don't like to think it, but !
+ can't eet away from the thought that
YOU are not as frank with mo as you
+ might be.'
1T looks that way, / dare say"
agreed Jerry. let me say this, I've
men out hunting. It's MacLean we