The log cabin Democrat., 1921-07-15
Putting Evans Out
 of the Way
(Ic, 1921, Western Newspaper Union)
By MURIEL BLAIR


 you see. Came in a night, too. You have read of that in many an eerie tale of fiction. Let me tell you one | where it was an actual occurrence. l am the man to tell it, for l vas one | of the main actors in the life drama | very nearly a tragedy.
 was young and foolish in those old | days, especially so over the Gaddon girls, Mary and Bertha. The latter was the younger sister, but favored | Mary. She was sweet gentle, gra- cious. Bertha was just the reverse rompish and a cOquette. A lovers tiff with Mary caused an estrangement. She was only pained but-silent.
 Bertha WAS ready for any innocent frole. I made up to her. and it pleased her Tickle nature to boast that she had stolen her sisters suitor away. Perhaps she liked me, but when Ross Evans came along she changed her mind. 1-..s- ->..
 Young Evans was a fine, manly fel- low, hut l was in such mood that dis content with my work, jealousy, con ceit and d miserable chagrin over Alary's calm, quiet ways combined to make me bitter and yengeful. Evans had come to work ill the drafting de partment of the great Vulcan Iron works He was quite bright, clever and accommodating but the first time l saw him in Bertha'S company, and noted the mischievOuS twinkling in her bright eyes, 1 marked him down for my worst enemy.
 There was a young fellow named Dave Tompkins, who was member of the reckless group 1 was trailing with. In some way he fathomed my feelings regarding the Gladdons. One evening when we were together he made the casual remark:
 T suppose you feel none too kindly towards that fellow Evans"
 Kindly" I snarled, T hate him "
 Then maybe you and can do some business together?' intimated Tomp- kins, with u wicked laugh.
 I'll admit he's smart and steady" said Tompkins, but if he was out Of the way I'd get the job. The company knows I'm good at it; they couldn't find more experienced man, so-whl you help me give Evans vacation!
 How do you mean?' l asked.
 It was precarious scheme that Tompkins proposed.
 Some good friends are willing to assist me in getting my rights" was the plausible way in which he put it.
 We caught Evans one night just as he was coming out of the works. He was promptly seized, tied hand and foot, and gagged.
 Quick" said Tompkins, we've got to hide him. There's No 6 cupoIa. It's dead. Run him up the ladder and throw him into the chute" No. 6 was furnace supposedly blown out for lack of working force. At the top platform was the coal chute which fed into the melting pot. Pol1- tics had run high in the district the week previous, and a crowd had hung ! the effigy of disliked candidate there two days before. We knew our ground well. We rudely dumped our victim through the feeding hole, the others scurried to cover, and I crouched down on the platform.
 I was wicked enough to think how scared and uncomfortable Evans must be. It was perhaps the end of hve minutes, when with shock my venge- ful emotion was changed to wild hor- TOT.
 There was q rasping cang. From below some one had pulled the feeding chain. A binding glare from the red hot furnace singed me as the fuel be gan to slip down. I saw a rolling tumbling form shoot with the moving mass and plunge into that molten void One blood -curtiling shriek rent the air C1ang! went the Shut-of again, and fell flat on the platform-a Wrlthlng terrified wretch.
 II have dim memory Of coming Daci | to the village. Some powerful in | duence drew me to the home wher | Evans lived. A light in room kneV | to be his led me to took in. IT was to view, tranquil and visibl | in All form and substance the man had murdered. Then the last shocf and fell, crashing helplessly throug the window,
 l When I came back to life, lay on l couch. Bending over me, kindly an ! anxious, was Evans. He smiled sa' | Iy. and gently stroked my Whitene
 hair with the pathetic words; l Poor, poor fellow :"
 i lay like man of stone until l learned how he had escaped Wht
 thrown into the cupola bin, his clot
 ing had caught on a tool hook. IL W.
 the ehigy used to ridieule the poli'
 cal candidate that had seen rollil
 down into that molten furnace. thoa'
 it wa Evans o"n }ea had heard
 the hopper opened beneath where