The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-06-02

it was for the Instant only. My hat
is Off" he said, with smile. rs
that sufficient?"
Make him take them Off" Beulah
insisted.
There is no rule against wearing
gauntlets in cOroner's court" said
the coroner. Il do not see the point
of your objection"
MAKE him take them Off" said
Beulah
"As the young lady insists" said
the coroner. turning to Gardiner, Il
suggest that you comply with her re-
quest"
II should be glad to-" said Gardi-
ner. but the fact is 1 have a sore
hand. When 1 was giving the horse
medicine the night TraverS left me
alone the brute nipped me a little,
and l have been keeping it covered
up since"
Make him take them off" said
BeuIah.
"Why should you be so insistent?"
said the coroner. Surely it makes
no difTerence-"
"Only this difference. You have
heard my fathers evidence of the
fight in the old house. The man
with whom he fought will have tooth
marks In his hand. Make him take
them off. Or if you wOn't-loOk at
hlese hands" She seized Jim's hands
in hers and held them up before the
coroner and the jury. ANY tooth
marks there? Now make this other
man show his
For a moment all eyes were on
TraverS' hands. In that moment Gar
diner rushed for the open window.
and in another instant would have
been through it. had not the quick
arm of the policeman intercepted.
Not SO fast, my man." said Grey
Now we will see this horse bite OF
yours" Gardiner made no further re-
sistance, and he drew the glove from
his hand. There was a fresh scar on
the right thumb.
The coroner examined 1t carefully.
When he spoke it was in the voice OF
a. judge delivering sentence. THAT
is not Il horse bite" he said. Those
are the marks of human teeth! %
Gardiner smiled a faint smile. "Well.
what are you going to do about it?" he
said.
1--WE are going to put you in Trav-
ers' place. and tender him our apollo
gies." said the coroner.
But Travers had crowded into the
center of the circle. Gardiner" he
said. IF you weren't under arrest I'd
thrash you here and now. But you
can at least do something to square
yourself. Where is that money!"
That's right. Jim. Everyone thinks
of what is nearest his heart"
You scoundrel! You know why it
Mr.. Harris of all that he had spent
his whole life for. You will have no
chance to use that money yourself.
You are sure of your living for the
next 20 years. Why not show that
you are not all bad-that you have
some human sentiments in you? 1t
seems as little as you can do
There may be something in what
you say" said Gardiner. 81 have a
slip of paper here with the key to the
secret"
He reached with his finger and
thumb in his vest pocket and drew out
a small folded paper. This he IN
folded very slowly and deliberately
before the eyes of the Onlookers. It
contained a small quantity OF white
powder. Before any hand could reach
him he had thrown his head back and
swallowed 1t.
TOO Later" he cried, as Grey
snatched the empty paper from his
fingers. TOO late! Well, 1 guess
beat you all out, Ell? And, as 1 said
before. what are you going to d3
about it? Twenty years, ell, Jim?
You'll be scrawny and rheumatic by
that time, and the beautiful Beulah
will be fat and figureless. Twenty
years for you, Jim, but 20 minutes for
me-and L wouldn't trade with you,
damn you'll l beg the pardon of the
ladies present. One should never for
get TO be a gentleman. even when
when"
But Gardeners breath was begin
ming to come fast. and he raised his
hands to his throat. A choking spell
seized him, and he would have fallen
had not the policeman and the cOro-
ner held him on his feet. LET me
lie down." he said, when he got his
~ve,dfI .Mh