The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-06-02

much and-and talk Part Of the fear
was realized. He saw me that Sun
day night in the Bullard. That was
why he was trying to fight the hotel
people-because they wouldn't let him
come upstairs. l saw what you did.
and was sorry. couldn't help feel
Ing that in some way 1t would prove
to be the beginning of tragedy"
you saw no more of him them
mo; l neither saw him nor heard
OF him until about month ago when
he came west with a man named
Bullock-a New York attorney.
didn't know why he came, but thought
1t was to annoy me-"
"And he has annoyed you?"
Until this night he has never missed
an opportunity of doing SO when he
could dodge Cousin Basil. 1t was his
taunting boast yesterday at the capital
that led me to telegraph Cousin Basil
and Upton Van Britt about your trip
to Strathcona. He knew that you were
going to the gold camp. and he declared
to me that you'd never come back
alive"
But tonight" the boss persisted.
Nhut uiu uc Whit tOulSiltf
He wanted toto use me. He said
that he had put something across
for his uncle, that he had gotten into
trouble for 1t, and that-to use his
own phrase again, you were the man
who would try to get his goat"
"And his object is telling you this"
"Was entirely worthy of the man.
He asked me. or rather / should say.
commanded me, to choke you off,
And, of course, he added the insult.
He said / was the one who could
do it."
without intending to, you have
tied my hands," the boss said gravely.
II wasn't meaning to spare Colling-
wood if there were any way in which
I could use him as a club to knock
Hatch out of the game"
II haven't asked you to spare him."
mo, know you haven't. But the
fact remains that he is your hus-
band. L"
The interruption was the opening
and closing of the front door and the
heavy tread of the major in the hall.
In flash Mrs. Sheila was up and
getting ready to vanish through the
door that led to the dining room. With
her hand on the door-knob she shot
| quick question at the boss.
How much will you tell Cousin
Basil?"
Nothing of what you have told
me-"
"Thank you," she whispered back !;
you are as big in your friendship as
you are in other ways" And with
that she was gone.
1t was right along in the same half
minute, while the boss was standing
with his back to the fire and the ma
5or was going in to talk to him. that
lost Maisie Ann. 1 don't know where
she went, or how. She had let go of
my wrist, and when groped for her
she was gone Since I didn't see any
good reason why l should stay and
spy upon the boss and the major. I
slipped out to the hall and curled up
on the big settee beyond the coat
rack: curled up. and after listening
while to the drone of voices In the
farther room. went to sleep.
1t was away deep in the night when
the boss took hold of me and shook me
awake. The long talk was just get
ting itself finished, and the major had
| come to the door with his guest
| 1--WE must manage to pull Colling-
wood out of 1t In some way" the ma
1or was saying. 81 don't love the
dEn' scoundrel any betteh than you
do. Graham; but that's a reason-a
family reason, as you might say"
Then he switched off quickly. you
haven't asked me yet why 1 ran away
from home this evenin' when 1 was
expecting you"
"No." said the boss. "Sheila told
me that you had telephone call to
the Bullard."
The old Kentuckian chuckled.
Eyes, sub; and you'd neveh guess
in a thousand yeahs who sent the
call, or what was wanted. 1t was ouh
friend Hatch. and no otheh. And he
had the face to offeh me ten thousand
dollahs yeah to act as consulting
counsel for him against the railroad
company!"
"Of course you accepted" said the
boss. meaning just the opposite.
The major chuckled again. II
talked with him long enough to find
out about where he stood. He thinks
he's got you by the neck, but, like
most men of his breed, he's paltry
coward, sub, at heart"
The boss laughed. what is he
afraid Off"
"He is afraid of his life. He told
me, with his eyes buggin' out, that
thah was one man heah in Portal
City who would kill him to get pos
session of certain papehs that were
locked up in the cash vault of the
Security National"
The boss was pulling on his gloves.
81 didn't give him any reason to
think that I was anxious to murder
him." he said.