The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-02-14
tn. Wreckers
Francis Lynde
Continued From Saturday


The boss sat back In his swing
chair and l could Just imagine that
he was trying 20 get some sort Of
proper angie on this young fellow
" ho. In addition 90 his other scoun.
drelisms. big and little. had wrecked
the life Of Sheila Mscrae. knew
what he was thinking. lie had
theory that no man that was ever
born was either all angel or all
dcvil. and he was hunting for the
redesming streak In this one.
when you looked right hard at
the hagEard face you could sec
sort OF halfappeaiing IN
Il; something to make you think
that perhaps. away back yondcr
before the spelling began. there
used TO be a man: never a strong
man. I guess. but one that might
have been generous and free.heart-
ca. maybe. got fleetlng little
of that baek-numher man
when he turned suddenly and said
'One night a few weeks ago when
was fun up. Hatch got hold OF me
and told me you were out at the
kendrick place with Sheiia. lie
made me believe that ought 10
so out there and kin you. and
started to do H. DO Sou know why
| didn't Co itf-
NO." said the chief mighty
quietly.
We'll. III tell you. One night
last spring up at the Billiard you
slammed me one In the face and
dragged me off 10 my room 10 keep
me from making bigger ass Of
myself than ia already made. I
haven't forgotten that In all these
crooked years. nobody else has ever
taken the trouble TO chuck me de-
Gently out OF sight and give me
chance to brace. Drunk as I was.
remembered Il that night when
was climbing up 10 a window In
the majors house and trying TO get
a shot at you
Mr.. Norcross shook hts head.
more than half sympathsuoaIly. I
thought.
Let that part OF n 20 and tell
me about this other trouble he
said. How badly are you tangled
up I'm this political husinensr-
i've given Il 10 you straight on
the brtblng proposition. Uncle
Breck used me as money carrier
maybe II was be
cause he couldn't trus, Bullock I
didn't know definitely what Bullock
was doing with the checks cashei
for him. tho I supposed. Of course.
Il was something that wouldn't
stand daylight IL was only n side
issue with me. was coming out
here anyway. knew Shsiia had
made up her mind-God knows
she's had cause enough: but I had
a crazy notion that I'd like To BE-
on the same side Of the earth with
her again for jus; a little while
Then this ne traIied off In
babbls Of maiedictions poured out
upon IN. man who bad trapped him
and used him
The boss straighsened himself m
his chair. but he stiil was speaking
gently when he said:
You are not asking my advice.
Ind don't owe you anything. per-
sonaiiy. Mr.. colllngwood But III
say to you what I might say 10 .
better man In like circumstan
fou have done all the BARN you
san. but as I see H. Their. doesn't
seem to be any need Of your stay.
ing here to suffer the consequences
Why don't you go back to New
York. taking your wife with you.
Z she will go7-
Collins~ood's smile was q mere
teeth barring grimace.
-sheila made her wedding journey
with me once. when she was Just
stghseen. The. next time she rides
with mo II will be at my funeral
Oh. I've earned H. and I'm not
And abou, this other
hing can't duck. You know
~hat Hatch 10 holding me for. He
old me just a little while ago that
Z I stepped aboard OF a train. I'd
be arrested before the train could
pull out"
IL was . handsome little precau.
ion on the part Of the chief Of the
yrafters. II a figh, should be pre-
the boss should try TO
the C. s. a W. gobbie-
he arrest and Indictment Of Preri.
lent Dunton's nephew would serve
bully good and well as a dramatic
bit OF side play to keep the newspa.
pcrs from printing too much about
tho other. thing.
IF you really want to 70. I think
L can be arranged In some way. IN
spite of Hatch and his bluffins.-
Mr.. Norcross put In quietly. so
far as our railroad troubles are con
cerned Il viii neither help nor hin.
der for you TO stay on here. now
As IL the helpful suggestion had
been a lighted match to fire a hid.
Zen mine OF rage. coilingwood
spranz to his feet with his dull
Eyes ablaze.
mo. by God- he swore. TIN
going to make him come across
with those affidavit papers first
You wait right here. Norcross. You
.hink I'm all cur, but I'll show
you. There Isn't much left Of me
but hound dog. but even hound
log will bite II you kick him hard
snough. Lend me a gun. IL you've
rot one and I'LL"
Hold on--nons Of THAR the boss
broke In sternly. jumping out OF
Ills chair TO enforce the command.
But before he could make the grab
ling move the corridor door slammed
loisily and the mailman was gone.
CHAPTER XVII
Tho Dcsertsr
Mr.. Sorcross chased out and tried
o overtake Collingwood, going as