Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-01-20

chose to deny his belief. His glare
was ugly.
$50 that's the stall, is it2"
You ask Charlie. He'll tell you
the truth-you needn't look to get II
out of Inez-Only hell tell you too
late"
"What do you mean, too Iate?"
"ToO late to stop you making a
d-n fool of yourself"
"How's that? Howm I goin' to
make d-n fool out of myself?"
81 don't know yet; but 1 hope you
don't think I'm such a fiat as to think
you've come here tonight just for a
friendly talk"
you're dead right therew His
laugh rang with brutal scorn. 'IIl
say 1 didn't come for no friendly talk
with him and you"
"Well -. What did you come for?"
She confronted him with sullen, yet
fearless eyes. His own shifted. He
had little stomach for plain speech.
The instinct of his kind was strong
in him, to kill, if he could, what he
openly in anticipation, to discuss it
in cold blood with an intended victim,
was more than he had bargained for.
Inarticulately resentful of such
squeamishness in himself, he looked
furtively aside, licking his lips, and
discovered the decanter of Madeira
which Mario had left unstoppered on
r 40 of r.
Carnehan brimmed an ordinary
drinking glass with the wine and
drank it in one long draught, grateful
for its pungent warmth, deluded by
its mellow smoothness.
Now, Madeira may not wisely be
taken on top of rye whisky. Con-
scious of reinforced bravado, the man
leaned against the table, his back to
it, leering truculently.
what did I come for? Oh, dun
no. What d'you think?"
you've threatened me often enough,
if you ever caught me with him
again
He nodded in heavy humor. "You
got that right, kid. No girl of mine can
pass me up for any stool pigeon or
dick that ever lived"
'He isn't
"And get away with it. You wait
you'll seeT'
She shut her eyes. In spite of her
self she shuddered. He laughed with
qualification, and her eyes reopened
| of a sudden, passionately unafraid,
seeking first the pistol in his hand,
/ then his face.
You're going to &. Kill me, Red?'
"I'll say I am"
! In spite of his shamefaced smirk,
he meant it in deadly earnestness. She
had another shudder, but fought it
down without releasing his gaze.
After a minute she said: Every
well; I'm ready. only"
He Interrupted: You're worse'n
ready; you're in heluva hurry. His
turn comes first, yours next. Get me?''
"But''-she implored his credulitv
with clasped hands extended-T tell
you, you're wrong about him, Red. He
hasn't got anything to do with the
cops-hOnest to God, he HASN'T"
The Madeira was working powerful.
ly. A flash of unwonted insight Wis
tied his sodden intelligence. "You
wouldn't be beggin' for that pill if
you wasn't stuck on him. And that's
enough. Bull or no bull, he amt goin
to live to say he store Red Carnehan's
grill"
you're wrong, Red-you're all
wrong" she protested wildly. "And
anyhow, What goodll it do you? Don't
you know you're just playing Inez
game"
"G'wan. Inez amt nothin' to me-
81 know she isn't, and she knows it.
too and that's why. Don't you seei
You turned her down for me and she's
been crazy jealous ever since. Now
she gets even with US both-gets me
out of the way right of the bat and
sends you to the chair for it. My
God, Red! You don't trust that hell
cat, do you? Don't you know she's
only waiting to fix things safe for Lee
before she squeals on you?"
"Ah forget it!' That, together
with more profanity, silenced her
lie me and Inez alone. Mebbe I die
pass her up for you; but that's a lone
time ago and she's forgot all about II
by now. She don't think of nobody
but Leo"
IF you believe that you're as big 6
boob as she thinks"
'Maybe-but not as big a one as
you think" Carnehan emptied the
decanter into the glass and swilled il
at a gulp. "'Most anybody I'm strong
for can fool me once, but not ever
you can fool me twice"
'Tnez has"
"Ah, sure! You'd say so -
But there was an accent of dOubr
in his jeering retort and in the looF
he gave the girl as well. Far gone
in befuddlement, he was insure OF
himself, unsure of anything within the
scope of his perceptions, and uneasy
What if Leonora were telling the trutf
about Inez? Inez whom he secretly
despised, Leonora who was worth &
score of Inez' sort
"How do you mean she's fooled me
twice?' he demanded thickly.
''First, when she made you think
cared anything about anybody but you
Red" The girl inched nearer, playing
to perfection a part upon which hel
life depended-her life and Mario's
"She was the one told you about Ma
rio-lied to you, told you I was see
ing him Often-a man I hardly knew
hadn't spoken to a dozen times in al
my life. Why, Red before tonight
never have seen that man anywheres
but in the street, and then only tc
pass the time of day! But you'd take
anytOdy's word instead of mine, you'll
believe anybody except the girl thai
loves your
Her hands came lightly to rest upo1
his forearms. He gave them no vel
come but made no move to repulse
them. The uncertainty in his eyes was
giving way to another emotion, one