The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-06-02

and the dispatcher was instructed to
work them out on the line during the
night, distributing them to the towns
that had reported shortages. They
were not to be turned over to the reg
ular coal yards; they were to be side
tracked and held for emergencies.
Mr.. Norcross came back about eight
o'clock. and gcye him my report Of
low things were going on the line.
A little later Mr.. Cantrell dropped In,
and there was a quiet talk about the
situation. and what 1t was likely to
develop. The Mountaineer editor was
given, all the facts. except the one
big one about Hateli's death-grip on
us, and In turn Mr. Cantrell promised
the help of his paper to the last ditch
though of course. he had no idea Of
how deep that last ditch, was going to
be- had lot of fling and indexing
to do, and 1 kept at work while they
were talking, wondering all the time
IL the boss would venture to tell the
editor about theqdepth Of that "last
ditch" He didn't. guess he thought
he wouldn't until he had to. ~
1t was pretty nearly nine O'Clock
when the editor went away. and Mr..
Norcross was just saying to me that
he guessed we'd better knock on for
the night when we both heard step
In Mays room. A second later the
door was pushed open and man
came In. making for the nearest chair
and fiinging himself into 1t as If he'd
reached the limit. 1t was Colling-
wood. He was chewing on dead
of corpse. But he was sober.
Naturally. supposed he had come
to make trouble with the boss on Mrs.
Sheila's account, and quietly edged
open the drawer of my desk where
I kept Fred Mays automatic. SO as
to be ready. He didn't waste much
time.
81 saw you as I was coming away
from Kendrick's last night" he be-
gan. with pickering rasp In his voice.
"Did you go up against the gun had
loaded for you?'
Mr.. Norcross cut straight through to
the bottom of that little complica-
ton at single stroke.
"What Mrs. Collingwood said to me.
or what I said to her, can have no
possible bearing upon anything that
you may have TO say to me, or that
1 can consent to listen to, Mr.. Colling-
wood"
The derelict sat up in his chair.
But you've got to keep hands off,
just the same; at Hendricks. and in
this other business. too. If you don't.
there is. going to be blood on the
moon Get me?"
The boss never batted an eye. "Tm
taking it for granted that you are
sober. Mr.. Collingwood," he said. "If
you are. You must surely know that
threats are about the poorest possible
weapons you can use just now"
"It's plant. from start to finish !"
gritted the man in the chair. 81 haven't
done id thing more than to cash
few checks for-for expenses. and
turn the money over to Bullock. Now
Hatch tells me that / was working
with spotter-his spotter-and that
he can send me up for bribery. It's
a lie. l don't know what Bullock did
with the money. and 1 don't want to
know"
But you had orders to give 1t to
him when he required 1t. didn't your
Mr.. Norcross cut In.
That's none of your business.
want you to choke this man Hatch off
of me I"
The boss had picked up his paper
knife. II don't know why you should
come to me for help" he said. "You
have been hand-in-glove with these
conspirators ever since you came out
here. Two days ago you knew that
they had set trap for my special
train on the Strathcona branch-a trap
that was meant to kill me-"
II was random shot. and knew
that Mr.. Norcross was just guessing
at where 1t might land when he fired
1t. But it went home; oh, you bet 1t
went home
"D-n your gurgled the bounder,
half starting to his feet. "Why shouldn't