Charlevoix county herald., 1920-06-11
&C on [ in u e d.

ASK iiininonS W SHoW you the ietter
she left?"
II have already seen II. You thought
you had the trail well covered. That
note was written not by Miss Donovan,
but by the blonde in your outfit. The
whole trouble is that your abduction
Of Stella was witnessed from back
window of the hotel"
Lacy leaped to his feet, but West
colts gun rose steadily, and the man
stood with clenched hands, helpless
IN his tracks.
III get you for this, Westcott," he
muttered savagely, hate burning in his
eyes. II haven't played my last cards
yet"
The miner smiled grimly, but with
no relaxation Of vigilance. He was
into it now, and proposed seeing 1t
through.
~ have a few left myself" he re-
turned soberly. "Your man Moore
drove south, taking the road leading
into the ShoshOne desert, and he had
another one of your gang with him.
Then you, and two others, went back
into the hotel, using the outside stairs.
take it the two others were Enright,
here, and Ned Beaton."
He leaned forward, his face set like
flint.
snow see here, Lacy, I know these
things. 1t is up to you to answer my
questions, and answer them straight.
I've got you two fellows dead to rights
anyway you look at ii. If you dare
lay hands on me, I'll kill you, if you
refuse to tell me what l want to know,
I'll swear out warrants inside of thirty
minutes. Now, what do you chooses"
IF l answer-what then?" Lacy
grOwled desperately. "What is offered
me?"
Westcott moistened his lips. He had
not before faced the situation from
this standpoint, yet, with only one
thought in mind, he answered
promptly.
81 am not the law" he said, land all
| am interested In now Is the release
Of Fred Cavendish and Stella DOnO-
van. I'll accomplish that If 1t has to
be over your dead bodies Beyond this,
fair. What l want to know is-where
are these twoT
"Would you believe me If said I
did not know?"
"No, Lacy. It has come down to the
truth, or your life. Where is Pascual
Mendez?"
He heard no warning, no sound or
movement, yet some change In the ex-
preston of the mans eyes confront
Ing him caused him to slightly turn his
head so as to vaguely perceive q
shadow behind. 1t was all so quickly,
silently done, he barely had time to
throw up one hand in Defense when
his arms were gripped as though in a
wise, and he was thrown backward to
the floor, the chair crushed beneath his
weight. Lacy fairly leaped on his
PROSTATE body, forgetting his gun lying
on the table in the violence of hate, his
hands clutching at the exposed throat.
For an instant Westcott was so dazed
and stunned by this sudden attack
from behind as to lie there prone and
helpless, fairly crushed beneath the
bodies of his two antagonists.
II was this that gave him his chance,
for, convinced that he was unconscious,
both men slightly relaxed their grip,
thus giving hin opportunity to regain
breath, and stiffen his muscles for a
supreme effort With one lashing out
of a foot that sent Enright hurting
against the farther wall, he cracked
Lacy's head against a corner of the
desk, and closed In deadly struggle
with the third man, whom he now rec
ognized as Beaton.
Before the latter could comprehend
what had happened the miner was on
top, and clenched fist was driven into
his face with all the force Of a sledge-
hammer. But barroom fighting was no
novelty to the gunman. por had he any
scruples as to the methods employed.
With teeth sunk into his opponents
arm, and fingers gouging at his eyes,
the fellow struggled like a mad dog;
yet, in spite of every effort to restrain
him, Westcott, now filled with the
Regce rage Of battle, broke free, fairly
fBarlng himself from Benton's desper-
ate clutch, and pinning him helplessly
against the wall.
At the same instant Lacy, who had
regained his feet, -aped upon him
from behind, striking him with all his
force, the violence of the blow, even
though a grazing one, driving the
miners head into the face of the gun
man.
Both went down together. but West
colt was on his feet again before Lacy
could act, closing with the latter. 1t
was hand-to-hand, the silent struggle
for mastery between two men not I'M
evenly matched, men asking and re-
celving no mercy. The revolver of one
lay on the floor the other still reposed