Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1921-09-23


and all that. He had the nerve to
tell me less than an hour ago that
he'd burn me alive if l didn't toe the
mark"
'What does he want you to dor
"IIe wants me TO stick around here
SO that he can use me against you,
He knows how you're mixed up with
Sheila and that you can't turn wheet
without making it look as if you were
going after me on your own personal
account"
There was silence for a little time
II was an awful middle, with bloody
murder sticking out of it on every side
IF YOU have come here with the
idea that l can force Hatchs hand, you
are very much misled" said the boss
al the close of the electric pause, And
then: HAS he made it appear to you
that he was merely trying to help you
avenge your own fancied wrongsF
He said | ought to get you; that
any man who would make love to
married woman ought to be got.
My chief was looking past the der
elct and out through the darkened
window.
you don't know me, Mr. Colling-
wood, but you do know your wife;
and you know that she is as far
above suspicion as the angels IN
heaven. Let that part of it go. Hatch
was merely using you for his own
ends. If he could persuade you to
kill me off out of the way it would
be merely that much gained in the
business fight You haven't done 1t
thus far and now he is using your
check -cashing excursion as n club win
which he proposes to brain the entire
railroad management your uncle In
Guided If we interfere with his plans
ColIingwOod scowled UP at the cell
Ing, shifting the dead cigar from one
corner Of his mouth to the other.
$50 that's the way of it, Is it, he
commented. "He was working for his
own pocket all the time and Uncle
Brock stands pat and slips him the
ace he was needing to make his hand
winner. Between you and me, Nor
cross believe this id plker needs
killing a few times, himself"
The boss sat back in his swing chall
and | could just imagine that he wa
trying to get some sort of proper angl'
on this young fellow 1Seao, in addition
to his other scoundreTIsms, big AM
, little, had wrecked the life Of Shelli
; Macrae. I knew what he was think
ing. He had a theory that no maj
that was ever born was either al
angel or all devil, and he was huntin
, for the redeeming streak in this one
+ When you looked right hard at tn
: haggard face you could see somethin
! sort Of half.appealing in it; somethn
n to make you think that perhaps, ava
back yonder before the spelling b.
= gan, there used to be man; never
5, strong man, guess, but one that migl
have been generous and free-hearte'
maybe. ! got feetng little glimps
60 of that back-number man when /
turned suddenly and said:
zone night a few weeks ago whf
| was full up, Hatch got hold of n
u and told me you were out at the ke
u drick place with Shela. lie made n
SC believe that l ought to go out the
II and kill you, and started TO do
II Do YOU know why didn't do it2"-
l' mo" said the chief, mighty quiet
Up "WeH, I'll tell you, One night la
spring up at the Billiard you slamm
~" me one in the face and dragged me
" TO nv room to keep me from maxi
- bigger ass Of myself than I'd
ready made. ! haven't forgotten tn
In all these crooked years, nobody e.
has even taken the trouble to ehu
me decentIy out of sight and give
a chance to brace. Drunk as W
I remembered It that night when
was climbing mp to a window in
majors house and trying to get a 81
II at you"
4 Mr. Norcross shook his head, m
than half sympathelicaly, | thong
b let that part Of il 90 and tell
M about this other trouble he Sc
W How badly are you tangled up
VA this political businessW
WI i've given it to you straight on
"A bribing proposition Uncle Breck Il
MI me as a money carrier because-W
FL maybe It was because he coult
~ trust Bullock. didn't know defini'
N what Bullock was doing with
checks cashed for him, though Il
Y poged. of course, it was something
4 wouldn't stand daylight. 1t was
side issue with me. | was con
out here anyway. knew Sheha
made up her mind-God knows S
had cause enough; but | had G.
notion that I'd like to be on the s
- side of the earth with her again
VI, lust little while Then this
raned off in habble Of maIedict
poured out upon the man who
ired trapped him and used him.
1t 1t The boss Strengthened himself II
chair but he still was speaking g
der when he said
Idn't "You are not asking my advice,
you I don't owe you anything, person
Mr. Colingwood But I'll say to
| at what might say to a better ma
AS Ike circumstances, You have dor
Won't the harm you can, but, as | Sc
Dives there doesn't seem to be any ne'
your your staying here to suffer the
me sequences. Why don't you 60 ha
ou?" New York. taking your wife with