Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-12-01

says he got the whole business dowT
In black and white, with afidav vita
and all that. He had the nerve &c
tell me less than an hour ago that
he'd burn me alive II | didn't toe the
mark"
+tHat e III o TO DIT e.
1-H-%aRts-Hse-ee-sthe karoand-here
so that he can use me against you.
lie knows how you're mixed up with
Sheiia and that you can't turn a wheel
without making it look as II you were
going after me on your own personal
account
There was silence for a little time.
II vas an awful muddle. with bloody
murder sticking out Of IL on every side.
If you have come here with the
idea that / can force Hatch's hand. you
are very much misled." said the boss
at the close OF the electric pause. And
then: Has he made It appear to you
that he was merely trying TO help you
ayenge your own fancied wrongsT'
He said ] ought to get you that
any man who would make love TO a
married woman ought to be got"
My chief WIS looking past the der
elicit and out through the darkened
window.
You don't know me-, Mr.. Colllng-
wood. but you do know your wife
and you kI-Jw that she is as far
above suspicion as the angels in
heaven. Let that. part Of 1t go. Hatch
was merely using you for his own
ends. II he could persuade you TO
Kill me of out of the way. IT would
be merely that much gained In the
business fight. You haven't done II
thus far. and now he is using your
check-cashing excursion as q club with
which he proposes to brain the entire
railroad management. your uncle in
Guided. II we Interfere with his plans"
Collingwood scowled up at the cell
ing. shifting the dead cigar from one
corner OF his mouth TO the other.
$50 that's the way of II, is it?' he
commented. He working for his
own pocket all the time. and Uncle
Brock stands pat and slips him the
ace he was needing TO make his hand
a winner. Between you and me. Nor
cross, | believe this id piker needs
Killing a few times. himself"
The boss sat back In his swing chair
and | could just Imagine that he was
to get some sort of proper angle
on this young fellow who. in addition
to his other scoundrelisms. big and
little had wrecked the life of Sheila
knew what he was think
Ing. He had a theory that no man
TINT was yer born was either all
angel or all devil. and he was hunting
Tor h -~EedeeHfiHg streuk- In this one.
When you looked right hard atthe
face you could see something
sort OF half-appealing In It something
Q make you think that perhaps. away {
mex ygnder~ before the spelling be- Z
'ur. there used 10 be a man never a
trong man, I guess. but one that might
ave been generous and ~free-hearted. I
] got a fieeting little glimpse |
( that ~back-number man when he /
urned suddenly and said
.One night a few weeks e when 1
was full up. Hatch got hold of me
told ms you were out at the Ken G
rick place with Sheila. He made me G
elieve that l. ought TO go out there v
kill you. and / started to do II. b
10 you know why I didn't do lt?' c
mo. said the chief. mighty quietly. &
well. I'll tell you. One night last a
oring up at the Billiard you slammed
lie N In the face and dragged me off Z
!, my room to keep me from making
bigger ass OF myself than I'd al Z
lady made. haven't forgotten that. n
! all these crooked years. nobody else Il
rs even taken The trouble To- chnckjf
decently out of sight and give me
chance to brace. Drunk as | was. s.
remembered II that night when 1 a
as climbing up to a window in the d
ajor's house and trying to get a shot Il
you. L
MFR. Norcross shook hts head. more h
an half alphabetically. thought.
"Let that part of 1t go and tell me Il
,out this other trouble" he said.
badly are you tangled up in m
Is political b~usiness?" W
1--WE given II to you straight on the CT
ibIng proposition. Uncle Brock used m
; as a aTeHey carrier beesess-~e5i.
aybe 1t because be conldn't II
lst Bullock. | didn't know definitely
Bullock was doing with the al
ecks | cashed for him. though ] sup CO
sed. of course. it was something that Z
,uldn't stand daylight. Ii was only ht
side Issue with me- was coming
( here anyway. knew SheiIa had III
,de ND her mind-God knows she's II
d cause enough but | had a crazy a.
fion that I'd like TO be on the same
lie Of the earth with her again for
Il a little while, Then this" he tn
lied or In a babbie of maledictions III
ured out upon the man who had a
Ipped him and used him, b
rhe BOSS Strengthened himself In his vi
air. but he still was speaking gently
uen he said nv
You are not asking my advice. and ev
,pn'f owe ron anything. personally iii
- Dxk Ys9f -. - ..x nsf