Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-15

commanded. I'm running this in
quiry. You either keep out of this,
or downstairs you go! Now" to the
doctor, you'll have no more coer-
cion--of that sort. But my question
remains unanswered, and you're go
ing to answer it, before this man as
q witness. A:e you the physician
who signed these damnable blanks? p
"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" cried the doc
tor passionately. His nerveless hand
relaxed. He let his medicine case
| fall to the floor, unheeding Il muffled
crash OF glass within it, God, yes!
But not of my own yolition. That's
truth. Not to make money. Not for
| the sake OF q few dirty dollars. II
was under horrible compulsion. l
either had to dorit, Or"
! "Or whnt?"
How can l tell your" appealed
! T"essor, his face waXen. why
'should I? | don't know you--or this
man, here. You may be police spies,
| for all know. or agents of the
mo matter who we are. This isn't
| a thing for you to choose about, or
dictate terms in. I've got the goods
\
whole story"
! mo. no, nd, Not that. not that"
"Absolutels: nothing less. I've
caught the spider at the center of
| the heliish web I've sworn to tear
down and s1cstroy--the web that's
been spinning it's foul mashes all
over the ctty-Athe web OF dope. And
now, by Cod
| but you don't understand" plead
ed Tressor, his white, scared face
Switching, his whole body shaken
with nervous tremors. II can't tell
you, just now. 1--we got Il patient
waiting for lne--operative case at the
hospital. Appeudix--must be done at
once, o--.strseas
You'll perform no operation to-
day." answered Bradford. with a
hard laugh Your nerves, as they
are now, wouldn't stand for trim
ming a puppy's ears. There are 9TH
ers at the hospital who will remove
that appendix, and save the life
you'd extinguish If You tried to use
the scalpel today. So give up that
idea. You're here, now. and here
yon stay till we get at the facts of
this case. Why did you forward such
q rotten game as this. by putting out
whole sheaves of morphine prescrip-
tions with the quantity left blank?'
Because I had to!" blurted Tres
sor. desperately.
Had tot"
Yes, SO help me. God! 1t wasn't
voluntary. I'm no saint. but I'm a
million miles from being such de-
mon as to forward this internal traf-
fic in the wreckage OF human souls.
It was q case of either give those
prescriptions or-or-'
''Or WHAT" demanded Bradford,
linflexible as fate.
/ "Oh, God!" cholsed Tressor, in q
/ raucous whisper. "Or-fifteen years
/ penal servitude!'
What do you mean? Fifteen
years p
Yves. All that saved me was
signing those!" He flung his hand
il toward the damning papers in Brad
ford's grasp. And even now my
life isn't worth q PIN"
How did that come aboutf"
Don't you understand? was in
the power OF merciless, greedy and
depraved monster. Absolutely In his
lpower, body and soul. You Just now
called me the spider at the center
4 Of this foul web-for it is a foul web,
II ever any was spun in Hell. But
no, I'm not that spider. There's an
other, the rottenest shyster that was
j ever expelled from the Massachusetts
bar. He forced me into this. You
won't believe me, but it's Gods Nv-
/ ing truth"
q "You mean.'' asked Bradford, In q
different tone, you were black
lacked into this infamy?"
Just that! For while held out
against this man, under the most
extreme peril. Held out, and wouldn't
touch the filthy business. Held out.
| till he showed me a letter. all writ
, ten and ready to send to the medical
:. examiner"
| "a letter? What kind OF a letter."
Here's the situation" answered
J Tressor, all his resistance seeming to
break away before this merciless
gruelling. ''Tll make a clean breast
n of it to you, and chance the conse-
, quences They can't be worse than
the Internal torment that's been
| hanging over me for more than SIX
t months. 1t all began by my making
i one fatal error Many doctors dc
. the same or worse. You Sec"
! Mugs" interrupted Bradford
turning toward his aide de camp
you see that door?"
"Huh?' grunted the ex-champ, in
, amazement. "Yuh amt goin' to can
me, are yuh? Amt goin' to t'row
!, yer director out, now?
Certainly not! I'm just calling
your attention to the fact that that
door now ard forever holds the Sc
t cret that's coming to light, here, in
case this thing can be put straight
Get me?"
f "Surest ting yuh know. l never
spilled yet on frien', an L amt be-
). ginnin' roy, de first day o my bein
: d'rectoN"
!, "All right, Mugs, that's settled
Now, doctor. iust,swhat trapped YOU
: into this Rotten adeal?'
!, "A w6int4i, asfsssn s;al. ChercheZ Ii
: femme, you know" He laughed bit
. terly. AAN
"FTuho" qneried Mugs. fro"ning
i ..W'at kinds % GsNop lingo lis dat?'
"a weriaa1t@ asked Bradford.
Eyes, I was called in, too late