The Lamar register., 1919-02-12


been latched, came in at Starbuck's
wrenching jerk of the knob. bringing
with 1t. hatless, and with the breath
startled out of him, the new stenogra
pher. Shaw.
"There's your states evidence" said
Starbuck grimly. pushing the half
dazed door listener into Il chair. Just
nut the auger couple Of Inches Into
this fellow and see what you can find"
Richard Shaw had an exceedingly
bad quarter of an hour when Smith
and Starbuck applied the thumbscrews
TO force confession out of him. New
ertheless, knowing the dangerous
ground upon which he stood, he evaded
and shuffied and prevaricated under
the charges and questionlngs until 1t
became apparent that nothing short of
bribery or physical torture would get
the truth out of him. Smith was not
willing TO offer the brihe. and since
the literal thumbscrews were out of
the question, Shaw was locked into
one of the vacant rooms across the
corridor until his captors could deter
mine what was to be done with him.
"That is one time when I fired and
missed the whole side of the barn"
Starbuck admitted, when Shaw had been
remanded TO the makeshift cell across
the hall. 81 know that fellow is on
Stanton's pay roll; and it's reasonably
certain that he got his job with you so
that he could keep cases on you. But
we can't prove anything that we say,
l... ~ falL
"No." Smith agreed. 81 can dis
chnrge him, and that's about all that
can be done with him."
'He is pretty smooth article" said
Starbuck refiectively. ale used TO be
a clerk in Maxwell's railroad office,
and he was mixed up In some kind of
crookedness, don't remember just
what"
Smith caught quickly at the sugges-
ton.
Wait a minute, Billy" he broke In;
and then: There's no doubt in your
mind that he's spyf"
.Sure he is" was the prompt re-
joinder.
II was just thinking-he has heard
what was said here toTlght-whlch is
enough 10 give Stanton pretty good
chance to outfigure our outfit again"
Fright You are"
In which case II would be little
short Of idlotlc In us to turn him loose.
We've got TO hold him. proof or no
proof. Where would we be apt to
catch Maxwell at this time of nighti"
AT home and In bed. reckon"
"Call him upon the phone and state
the case briefly. Tell him II he has
any nip ON Shaw that would warrant
us In turning him over to the sheriff.
we'd like to know IT."
You're getting the range now"
laughed the ex-cowman. and instead
Of using the desk set. he went to shut
himself into the sound-proof telephone
closet.
When he emerged few minutes
later he was grlnnlng exultantly. THAT
was sure smooth one OF yours. John.
Dick gave me the facts. Shaw's
thief; but he has n sick sister ON his
hands-or said he had-and the rail-
road didn't prosecute Dick says for
US 10 JuE MN lbiikHl uHh lpulbIEbN
morning he'll swear ont the necessary
papers"
Good. Well do that FIRST: and then
Wen go after this fellow Lanterby. 1
want to get Stanton where I can pinch
him, Billy: no. there's nothing personal
about II but when great corporation
like the Escalante Land company gets
down TO plain anarchy and dynamlting
It's time to make somebody sweat for
II. Let's go and get shaw"
Together they went across the corri-
dor, and Smith unlocked the door OF
the disused room. The light switch
was on the door-Jnmb and Starbuck
found and pressed the bntton. The
single incandescent bulb hanging from
the ceiling sprang allye-hnd showed
the two. men at the door an empty
room and an open window. The bird
had flown.
Starbuck was grinnlng again when
he went to look out OF the window.
The roof OF the adjoining building was
only n few feet below the sill level.
and there was convenient fire escape
ladder leading to the ground.
.It's us for that roadhouse out on
the Topaz trail before the news gets
around TO Stanton and Lanterby," he
said definitely; and they lost no time
in securing an auto for the dash.
81. Ns..I tn ka Aag