The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1921-05-11


a bundle OF broken bones that can't
unarmed as i am, and stamp on your
lying lips"
But Cranston only laughed and tied
Lennox's feet with cord from the
window shade.
He went to work very systematical-
ly. First he rifled Lennox's desk In
the living room. Then he looked on
all the mantels and ransacked the
cupboards and the drawers. He was
haunting and calm at first. But as the
moments passed, his passion grew up
on him. He no longer smiled. The
rodent features became intent; the
eyes narrowed TO curious. bright Sits
under the dark lashes. He went TO
Dams room, searched his bureau
drawer and all the pockets of the
clothes hanging I'm his closet. He up
set his trunk and paved among old
letters in the suitcase. Then, stealing
like some creature of the wilderness,
he came back to the living room.
Lennox was not on the divan where
ne had left him. He lay instead on
the floor near the fireplace; and he
met the passion-drawn face with entire
calmness. His motives were perfectly
plain. He had just made desperate
effort TO procure Dams rife that hung
on two sets Of deer horns over the fire
place, and was entirely exhausted
from II. He had succeeded In getting
down from the couch. though wracked
by agony, but had been unable to lift
himself up In reach OF the gun.
Cranston read his intention In one
glance. Lennox knew 1t, but he sim
ply didn't care. He had passed the
point where anything seemed to mat
ter.
"Tell me where II is" Cranston or
dered him. Again he pointed his rifle
at Lennox's wasted breast.
Tell you where what Is? My
money!"
"You know what / want-and II
isn't money. / mean those letters that
Failing found on the ridge. I'm
through fooling, Lennox. Dan learned
that long ago, and it's time you learned
II now"
Dan learned il because he was sick.
He isn't sick now. Don't presume too
much on that"
Cranston laughed with harsh scorn.
But that isn't the question. j said
I've wasted all the time I'm going TO.
You are an old man and helpless; but
I'm not going to let that stand in the
way of getting what | came TO get
They're hidden somewhere around this
house. I've watched, and he's had no
chance to take them into town. I'll
give you-just five seconds TO tell me
where they're hidden"
"And / give you," Lennox replied
lone second less than that-to go TO
h-llw
Both of them breathed hard in the
quiet room. Cranston was trembling
now, shivering just a little in his arms
and shoulders. Don't get me wrong,
Lennox," he warned.
"And don't have any decisions in re-
gard TO me. either" Lennox replied.
1--WE stood worse pain from this acct
dent than any man can give me while
/ yet live, no matter what he does. If
you want to get on me and hammer
me In the approved Cranston way,
can't defend myself-but you won't
get a civil answer out OF me. I'm used
to pain, and l can stand it. I'm not
used to fawning to coyote like you,
and l can't stand it."
But Cranston hardly heard. An idea
had famed in his mind and cast a red
glamor over all the scene about him.
II was instilling poison in his nerves
and a madness In his blood, and ii was
soaring him, like fire, in his dark
brain. Nothing seemed real. He sud-
denly bent forward, tense.
That's all right about you," he said.
But you'd be little more polite IL 1t
was Snowbird-and Dan-that would
have to pay"
Perhaps the color faded slightly In
Lennox's face; but his voice did not
change.
They'll see your footprints before
they come in and be ready" Lennox
replied evenly. "They always come In
by the back way. And even with a
pistol, Snowblrds match for you"
'Did you think that was what l
meant?" Cranston scorned. 81 know
way to destroy those letters, and TIL
do it--in the four seconds that ! said,
unless you tell I'm not even sure I'm
gOin' TO give you chance to tell now |;
| it's too good a scheme There won't
be any witnesses then TO yell around
in the courts What If | choose to set
fire TO this house,"
ut wouldn't surprise me great
deal. It's your own trade" Lennox
shuddered once or his place on the
floor.
~ wouldn't have to worry about
those letters then, would /? They are
somewhere in the house, and they'd be
| burned TO ashes. But that isn't all
that would be burned. You could may
be crawl out, but you couldn't carry