Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-11-24

no" uucn VIII you tel Cous1l
Bssil7"
Nothing of what you have toll,
me-
ThHnE you. size whispered back
you are as big 10 your friendship a,
ynu are In other ways" And with
that she was gone.
II was right along ia the same half
minute. while the boss was standing
with his back TO the fire and the ma
jor was going in TO talk 10 him. thai
| lost Maisie Ann. ! don't know where
she went. or how. Size had let go OF
my wrist. and when ! CROPPED for her
she was gone Since / didn't zee any
good reason why ! should stay and
spy upon the boss and Tie major. |
slipped ont 20 flfe hall and curIed up
on the big settee beyond the coat
rack curIed up. and after listening
a while 10 the drope of voices In the
farther room. went\to sleep.
1t was away deep IN the might when
the boss took hold Of me and shook me
awake. The long talk was Just get
ting itself finished. and the major had
fome to the door with his guest.
I'VE must manage TO pull Coiiing-
wood out OF II In some way" the ma
t0r was saying. IL don't love the
d-n' s%coundrel any betteh than you
do. Graham; but that's a
family reason. as you might say"
Then he switched or quickly. .You
haven't asked me YET why | ran away
from home this evenin when was
expecting you"
mo" said the boss. "Shella told
me that you had a telephone call to
the Billiard"
The old Kenfuckian c~huckled.
Yes. sub and you'd neveh guess
in a thousand yeahs who sent the
call, or what was wanted. II was Duh
friend Hatch. and no otheh. And he
had the face to ofTeh me ten thousand
doiiahs a yeah to act as consulting
counsel for him against the railroad
"0f course you accepted" said the
boss. meaning just the opposite.
The major chuckled again. 81
talked with him long enough to find
Dut about where he stood. He thinks
he's got you by the neck. but. like
most men o. his breed. he's a paItry
sub. at heart"
The boss laughed. what Is he
,fraid Off"
HE is afraid Of his life. He told
ne. with his eyes buggIn' out. that
hah was one man heah In Portal
5Ity who would Kill him to get pos
OF certain pspehs that were
ocked up in the cash vault OF the
National"
The boss was pulling on hts gloves.
II didn't give him any reason TO
hiHk3 that WIS anxious to murder
he said.
"0h. no. my deah boy 1t Isn't you,
( all. It's Howie Coilingwood. That's
shere we land affeh all Is said and
one. You'll, hands are tied, and we've
OF this heah young maniac to deal
nth. IL C~oIiingwood gets about three
ngehs of red llkkeh under his belt.
thy, thah's one murder Ia prospect.
nd IL Hatch has any reason TO think
nat you can still get the underlloit
u him. why. thah's another. I'm glad
ou,ve seen at to take RIpley's advice
I last. and got you a b~odyguard.'
whats THAR" Gueried the boss
mt the query was answered q minute
tier when we hit the sidewalk for
he tramp back TO town and Tarbeii
III In TO walk three steps behind Ms
the way TO the door of the rail
Dad club.
IL sure did look as if things were
isf abeHt=as bad as they could ever
?. now. Hatch once more on top,
re Whole bottom knocked our OF the
experiment. u good name
n political honesty gone glimmering.
nd. worst of all. perhaps. the boss
heart broken right Ia two over
Iose four little words that nothing
'uId ever rub out-"he Is my hus-
didn't wonder that the boss
lid never q word In all that long
ak downtown. or that he forgot to
me goodnight When he locked
mself up In his room st the club.