The Lamar register., 1919-02-26
storhuck came out of the house.

owner announced. you're to 90 in
and wait. What do you want me to
do next?"
when | get through with the judge,
l shall want 10 go out to the dam.
VIII you wait and take me?'
"Surest thing on earth"-with
prompt acquiescence. And then: as
1t as bad as you thought il was going
10 be, JohnT
..Its about as bad as 1t can be-" was
the sober reply. and with that Smith
went in TO wait for his interview with
the Tlmanyoni's best-beloved jurist.
At nine o'clock, or few minutes
before the hour, David Kin"ie. ut his
desk in the Brewster City National,
telephoned u message that presently
brought Colonel Dexter Baldwin TO To-
private room In the bank known to
nervous debtors as ''the sweatbox."
"Sit down, Dexter" said the banker
shortly; "sit down II minute while /
look at my mail"
1t was one OF David Kinzie's small
subtleties TO make man sit Idly thus,
ON one pretext or another; 1t rarely
failed to pnt the incomer at II disad-
vantage. and on the present occasion
II worked like charm. Baldwin had
let his cigar go out and had chewed
the end of 1t into pulp before Klnzie
swung around In his chair and
launched out abruptly.
"You and have always been pretty
good friends, Dexter" he began, "and
have called you down here this
morning TO prove TO you that l am
still your friend. Where Is your man
SMITH"
Baldwin shook his head. 81 don't
know" he answered. 81 haven't seen
him since last evening"
"Has he run away, then?'
The Missouri colonel squared him
self doggedly In the suppliant debtors
chair, which was the one Kinzie had
placed for him. "What are you driv-
ing at. Davef" he demanded.
"weTl tackle your end OF II first"
said the banker curtly. do You know
that you and your crowd have come TO
the bottom OF the bag on that dam
propositlon?"
"No. don't"
one more day to live"
The Missourlan fell back upon his
native phrase.
"I reckon you'll have to show me,
Dave" asserted Baldwin stoutly. "But
go on. You've got your gun loaded:
what are you aiming 1t at?'
"Iust this: told you weeks ago
that the other people We're carrying
too mnny big guns for YOU. don't
want to see you killed on. Dexter"
"I'm no quittcr; you ought to know
that. Dave" WAS the blunt reJoinder.
81 know: hut there are times when
1t is simply foolhnrdy To- hold on. The
compromise proposition that | put up
90 you people II Will" back still holds
good. Rut today is the last day. Dcx-
ter You must accept IT now, II you
are going to accept II mt ALL"
"And II we refusef"
you'll 20 to smash. the whole kit
of You. As I've said. this Is the last
call"
By this time Baltwin's cigar was
hopeless wreck.
you've got something up your
sleeve. Dave: what Is itf' he Inquired.
The banker pursed his lips and the
bristling mustache assumed Its most
aggressive angle.
"rhere are number of things, but
the one which concerns you most. just
now. is this: we've got Smiths record.
at last. He Is an outlaw. with price
On his head. We've dug out the whole
story. He Is defaulting bank cash
Ter. and before he ran away. he tried
TO klll his president"
Baldwin was frowning heavily.
who inld you all this? Was 1t this
Miss Rlchianier over at the Hophra
'mi~e.
"No: it was her father. | sent one
4 my Young men out 10 the Topaz
Il look him up"
And you have telegrnphed To the
hirf "f police or The sheriff. or who
yer II Is that wants smith,
Not YET. wanted to give you one
Inre rlinncc. Dexter. Business comes
rst. The Brewster city National is
bank. not detective agency. You
, and md Smith aud fire him; tell
IN he is down and out get rid ot
~. once for all. Then come bact
zee and wen fix NJ thar conprunis'
in stanton"
Baldwin found match and tried f.
as..t.s ,l... I...I ..f,U,s. Isttf ttsu-