Cleveland County herald., 1918-04-11

Stancneu the bleeding. With ice-cold water from the stream he drenched the bruised face. A faint sigh quiv- 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 so far. With one hand he steadied the helpless body that lay like a sack of flour balanced in the trough of the saddle.
 kusiak at last lay below him, and 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 the porch. He kicked upon the door with his foot. Sheba 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 to her own room. Get Diane-and a doctor" ordered Gordon after he had laid the uncon- sclous man on the white sheet. While he and Diane undressed the mine owner Sheba got doctor on the teiephone. The wounded man opened his eyes after long time, but there was h them the glaze of dellrium. He recognized none of them. All night he raved, and his delirious talk went | back to the wild scenes of his earlier life. Sometimes he swore savagely 1; | again he made quiet, deadly threats i; but always his talk was crisp and clean and vigorous. Nothing foul or sl1my came to the surface in those l hours Of unconscious babbling. | The doctor would make no promises.
 He's mighty sick man. The cuts are deep, and the hammering must have jared his brain terribly. If 1t was anybody but Macdonald, wouldn't give him chance" he told Diane when he left in the morning to get breakfast. "But Macdonald has tre- mendous vitality. Of course if he lives 1t will be because MT. Elliot brought him in so soon."
 | Gordon walked with the doctor as far as the hotel. A brown, thin, 1eathery man undraped himself from a chair in the lobby when Elliot opened the door. He was officially known as the chief of police of Kusiak. Inci- dentally he constituted the whole po- lice force. Generally he was referred to as Gopher Jones on account of his habit of spasmodic prospecting.
 T got to put you under arrest, Mir. Elliot" he explained.
 "What forT demanded Gordon, sur prised.
 "Doc thinks it will run to murder, I reckon"
 The field agent was startled. "You mean-Macdonald?"
 The brown man chewed his quid steadily. "You done guessed It."
 That's absurd, you know. What evidence have you got?" eeFirst off, you'd had trouble with him. It 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, Mir Elliot. It will be used against you" Gopher shot a squirt of to- bacco unerringly at the open door of the stove. You was seen talking with Trelawney and Northrup. Money passed from you to them"
 II gave them a loan of ten dollars each because they were broke. Is that criminal?" demanded Gordon angrily.
 That's your story. You'll git a chance to tell it to the jury, shouldn't wonder. Mebbe they'll believe it. You never can tell"
 Relieve iti Why, you muttonhead, found him where he was bleeding to death and brought him in."
 "That's what heard say. Kinder queer, ain't 1t, you happened to be the man that found him?"
 Nothing queer about 1t. was rid ing in from Seven Mile Creek camp" Gordon was exasperated, but not at all alarmed.
 "So you was. While you was out at the camp you asked one of the boys how big the pay roll would be-"
 Does that prove was planning a hold-up? Isn't that the last thing I would have asked if I had intended robbery?"
 Don't ask me. I ain't no psycholo- gist. All know is you took an inter- est In the bank roll on the way"
 I'm here for the government tnves- tigating Macdonald. I was getting in- rmation-earning my pay. Can you understand that?'
 Gopher chewed his cud impassiyely. "Sure can, and 1 been earning mine. By the way, how come you to be beat up so bad, MT. Elliot?'
 T had fight with the robbers"
 Sure 1t wasn't with the robbed? That split lip of yours looks to me plumb ike Macs John Hancock"
 Elliot flushed angrily. "Of course if