The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-09-15

| hhsEaru facN yuu cUulo So sofnetnlhs
sort Of halfepptailng In n something
10 make you think that perhaps. away
back yooder before The spelling be
| gan. thsre used 20 be q man: never q
strong man. guess. but one that might
have besn genervus and freehearted.
maybe ! gp a fieefing little giiInpse
Of that bsck-numter man when be
turned suddenly and said;
-One night a few weeks ago when
| was full up. Hatch got hold Of me
and told me you were out at the Ken
drick place with sheila. He made me
believe that ought 10 20 out there
and Kill you and ! started 20 do II.
DO you know why didn't do itT'
mo" said the chief. mighty quietly.
"Well. I'll tell you One night last
spring up at the Bullard you slammed
me one In the face and dragged me off
TO my room 70 keep me from making
bigger ass Of myself than I'd al
ready made. ! haven't forgotten that.
In all these crooked years nobody else
has even staken the trouble 10 chuck
me decentfy ox of sight and give me
a chance to brocsl Drunk as / was
I remembered Il uhat night when ]
was climbing up 20 q window In the
maj tors house md tyyfng TO get q shot
at you
Mr.. Norcros shook his head. more
than half sympatheticaly. | thought
let that part q n 90 and tell me
about this otha truubfs.- he said.
"How badly sre yu tangled up IN
this political busineyT'
I've given n 10 yuu straight on the
bribing proposition. Uncie Breck used
me as a money cnrrter because-veil,
maybe n was because he couldn't
trust Bullock. I dItin't know definitely
what Bullock was doing with the
checks cashed for HIM, though ! sup
posed, OF course, n was something that
wouldn't stand daylight II was only
a side issue with me. WIS coming
out here anyway. I knew Sheila had
made up her mind-God knows she's
had cause enough hut had crazy
notion that I'd like to be on the same
side OF the earth with her again for
Just a little while. Then this" he
trailed on in babble Of maledictions
poured out upon the man who had
trapped him and used him.
The boss Strengthened himself In his
chair, but he still was speaking gently
when he said:
"You are not asking my advice. and
| don't owe you anything, personally,
Mr.. Collingwood. But I'll say to you
what I might say 90 a better man IN |
like circumstances. You have done all
the harm You can, but, az I see II,
there doesn't seem TO be any need OF |
your staying here to suffer the con-
sequences. Why don't you go back TO |
New York. taking your wife with You.
II she win gof'
Co,lingwood's smile was mere |
teeth-baring grimace.
"Sheila made her wedding journey |
with me once, when she was just |
eighteen. The next time she rides
with me II win be at my funeral oh.
I've earned IT, and I'm not kicking 1
And about this other thing: ! can't |
duck. You know what Hatch is hold
ing me for. He told me just a little
while ago that II ! stepped aboard Of
train, I'd he arrested before the
train could pun out"
II was a handsome little precdution
on the part of the chief Of the graft
ers. Ifs ight should be precipitated-
II the b-ss should try to checkmate
the G. s. a ". gobble-the arrest and
indictment Of President Dunton's
nephew would serve bully good and
well as a dramatic bit OF side play
to keep the newspapers from print
Ing too much about the other thing.
IF you really want to 90, l think
L can be arranged In some way. in
spite Of Hatch and his bluffing." Mr..
Sorcross put In quietly. 80 far as
bur railroad troubles are concerned IL
will neither help nor hinder for you
10 stay on here. now"
As II the helpful suggestion had been
, lighted match 10 FIRE hidden mine
,f rage Collingwood sprang TO his feet
With his dull eyes ablaze.
"No. BY God" he swore. I'm go
ng to make him come across with
hose affidavit papers nrsti You walt. I
light here, Eorcross. You think I'm
N cur. but I'll show you. There isn't
much left OF me but hound dog. but |
wen a hound dog will bite II you kick
him hard enough. Lend me a gun,
Z you've got one and Tll-"
Hold on-none Of that !" the boss
'roke in sternly. jumping out Of his I
hair TO enforce the command. But
,efore he could make the grabbing
move the corridor door slammed nolsily !
md the madman was gone.
CHAPTER XVI
The Deaer4er :