The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-14
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde


ness.
ITS up 60 you. CANADIAN. and you
know it, he declared. You've had
your tip from the Big Fellow. The
railroad people must be made 20 get
into the fight In the coming cleo
ton. and get In on the right side.
II they don't, and II Norcross stays
and keeps his fire burning. you fol.
lows lose cut, So shall we, but
what we lose win be n mere drop In
tho bucket; and. a. l have said, We
stand 10 get IL back. after this co
operative scheme has had time TO
burn itself OUT
CANADIAN sat back I'm his chair
and showed his hands into his peck
cts.
-Ye'd stirring me as n was a
boyr' he scoffed. ITS your own
game FIRM first 20 last Dye think
I'm not knowing thatf IT'S bread
and huttheN and IN biz rake-off for
you. and little ye care how tn cleo
ton goes Suppose we'd croak this
man in tn hot part nv tn p'liucal
fight: what happensf Half IN
noos paypers In tn state a play him
up f'r a martyr TO IN cause nv good
govcrnmint. and we'd all so 10 he'll
In a hand.basketr'
was cramped and sore and one
OF my legs had gone 60 sleep. but |
couldn't have moved n I had wanted
TO. My heart was skipping beats
right along while waited for
Hatch's answer. when Il came. tho
drumming In my ears pretty nearly
made me lose H.
y "Clanahan." he began. as cold rs
an icicle. II didn't set you down
here 20 argue with you. We've got
your number 5000 all your different
numbers - and they are written
down In a book. You've bungled
this thing once. and for that reason
you've got IL 20 do over again. We
haven't asked you 'croak' anybody.
as you put Il. and we are not ask
ing Il now
It's domned little you lack nv
asking it, rctorted the dive-kccper.
-IAsten.- said Hatch. leaning for
NsAI win AAAT AAAtat 0A 1tE ktA'fHa
BESIDES keeping cases on Norcross
here. we've been digging back into
his record a few lines. Every man
has his sore spot. II you can only
find II. Clanahan--just as you have
yours. What II should tell you
that Noreross IA wanted In another
state-for n crimcf''
Nobody would believe ut was
the prompt rejolndcr. IF he's want.
ed he e'u'd be had"
Wait" Hatch went on. before
he came here he was chief OF con
strEctton on the Oregon Midland.
There was a right-ofway fight back
IN tho mountaln~-5o miles from the
nearest shcriff-with the Z. & s. r.
Norcross armed his track. layers. and
In the blutfing there was a man
killed.
Tho II WIS n warm night as !
have said. the cold chiIis began TO
chase themselves up and down my
back. What Hatch said was per.
fcctly true. In the rtEht.of way
scrap he was talking about there
had been few wild shots fired.
and one OF them had found a r. a
:. r. grade laborer. don't believe
anybody had ever really blamed the
boss for f. He had given strict or
ders that we were only TO make a
show OF force. and. besides. the other
fellows were armed. too. and had
armed first. But there had been a
man killed.
While I was shIvcring. CANADIAN
said: We'll. what nv it,
''Norcross was responsible. for that
mans death. II he was having
trouble over his rightof.way. his
recourse was to the law. and he
took the law into his own hands.
Nothing was ever done about Il. be.
cause nobody took the trouble 10
prosecute. A week ago we sent
man to oregon to look up the facts.
He succeeded I'm finding a brother
% the dead man. and a warrant has
now been sworn out for Norcross'
arrest"
Weir said CANADIAN again -Ye
have the stirring in yer own hand.
why don't ye pun it7-
That's where you come IN was
the answer. The Oregon justice
issued the warrant because 81 was
demanded. but he refused to incur.
for his county. the expense OF send.
ing a deputy sheriff TO another
state, or 20 take the necessary steps
to have Norcross extradited. II Nor.
cross could be produced In court. he
would try him and either discharge
him or bind him over. as the facts
might warrant He took bis stand
upon the ground that Norcross was
only technically responsible. and told
the brother that In all probability
nothing would come of an attempt
TO prosecute"
Thin we've got nothing on him.
after ALL" the Irishman grunted.
YES" Hatch came back; I'VE have
the warrant. and. In addition 10
that, we have you. Pete. A word
from you 10 the Portal City police
headquarters, and our man finds
himself arrested and locked up-to
wait for a requisitlon from the gov.
ernor Of oregon.
But you said tn requisition
wouldn't come" Clanahan put In.
Hatch was sitting back now and
stroking his ugly jaw.
ut might come, Pete. II II had TO:
there's no knowing. In the mean
time we get delay. There1l De
habeas corpus proceedings. OF course.
TO get him out Of Jail. but there's
where youll come In again; you've
got your own man In for city attor-
ney. And. after all. the delay Is all we
need. With Norcross In trouble. and
In Jail on a charge Of murder, the
railroad shipn go on the rocks in
short order. The Norcross manage
ment is having plenty Of trouble
- - a. ILL., tUtfb Nor,roaa