The Ordway new era., 1921-07-29
THE WRECKERS
By FRANCIS LYNDE

her hand on the door-suoo she shot
quick question al the boss
How much will you tell Cousin
BasilT-
Nothing of what you have told
me"
Thank you size whispered back;
''you are as big in your friendship as
You are in other ways And with
thar she was gone
II was right along in the same half
minute while the hoSS was Standing
with his back To the IRE and the ma
jor WAS going in TO talk 10 him. that
lost MaiSie Ann. ! don't know where
she went. o. how. She had let 90 OF
my wrist. and when | CROPPED for her
She was gone. Since I didn't see any
good reason why ! should stay and
spy upon the boss and tie major, !
slipped out TO the hall and cuFled up
on the big settee beyond the coat
rack; curied up, and after listening
a while TO the dr0ne Of voices In the
farther room. went 10 sleep.
1t was away deep in the night when
the boss took hold OF me and shook me
awake The long talk was just get
ting itself finished. and the major had
come TO the door with his guest.
I'VE must manage to pull Colling-
wood out of il in some way" the ma
jor was saving. Il don't love the
d-n' scoundreI any hetteh than you
do Graham; but that's reasOn-a
family reason. as you might say"
Then he switched of quickly. You
haven't asked ne yet why I ran away
from home this evenin' when l was
expecting you"
No" said the boss. "Sheila told
me that you had a telephone call TO
the BuIlard"
The old Kentuckian chuckled
Yes. sub; and you'd neveh guess
In a thousand yeahs who sent the
call. or what was wanted. 1t was ouh
friend Hatch. and no otheh. And he
had the face to offeh ne ten thousand
dnllahs yeah to act as consulting
counsel far him against the railroad
company,
"Of course you accepted" said the
boss, meaning just the opposite.
The major chuCkled again. ~
talked with him long enough to find
out about where he stood. He thinks
he's got you by the neck, but. like
most men o. his breed. he's a paltry
coward. sub. at heart
The boss laughed. what is he
afraid off"
He is afraid of his life. He told
me. with his eyes buggin' out. that
City who would kill him to get pos
session of certain papehs that were
locked up in the cash vault of the
Security National
The boss was pulling on his gloves.
'.I didn't give him any reason TO
think that ! was anxious to murder
him." he said.
"Oh, no, my deah boy: 1t isn't you,
al all. It's Howie Collingwood That's
where we land afteh all is said and
done. You'll hands are tied, and we've
got this heah young maniac TO deal
with. II Collingwood gets about three
fingehs of red likkeh under his belt.
why. thah's one murder in prospect.
And If Hatch has any reason to think
that you can still get the underholf
on him. why. thahs another. I'm glad
you've seen fit to take Ripley's advice
at last. and got you a bodyguard.'
whats that:" queried the boss
But the query was answered minute
later when we hit the sidewalk for
the tramp back to town and Tarbell
fell in to walk three steps behind US
all the way TO the door of the rail-
road club.
1t sure did look as If things were
just about as bad as they could ever
he. now. Hatch once more on top.
the whole bottom knocked out of the
railroad experiment. our good name
for political honesty gone glimmering.
and, worst Of all. perhaps, the boss
big heart broken right In two over
those four little words that nothing
could ever rub out-"he is my hus-
band" / didn't wonder that the boss
said never word In all that long
walk downtown, or that he forgot to
tell me goodnight when he locked
himself up In his room at the club.