The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-06-09


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 it
thus far. and now he is using your
check-cashing excursion as club with
which he proposes. to brain the entire
railroad management, your uncle in
cluded, If we interfere with his plans"
Collingwood 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 al the time, and Uncle
Breck stands pat and slips him the
ace he was needing to make his hand
a winner. Between you and me, Nor
cross, 1 believe this id pilzer needs
killing a few times, himself"
The boss sat back in his swing chair
and l could just imagine that he was
trying to get some sort of proper angle
on this young fellow who, in addition
to his other scoundrelisms, big and
little, had wrecked the life of Sheila
Macrae. l knew what he was think
ing. He had theory that no man
that was ever born was either all
angel or all devil, and he was hunting
for the redeeming streak in this one.
When you looked right hard at the
haggard face you could see something
sort of half-appealing in it; something
to make you think that perhaps, away
back yonder before the spelling be-
gan, there used to be a man: never
strong man, guess, but one that might
have been generous and free-hearted,
maybe. l got fieeting little glimpse
of that back-number man when he
turned suddenly and said:
"One night few weeks ago when
l was full up, Hatch got hold of me
and told me you were out at the Ken
drick place with -Sheila. He made me
believe that 1 ought to go out there
and kill you, and l started to do 1t.
Do you know why didn't do it?"
NO" said the chief, mighty quietly.
"Well, I'll tell you. One night last
spring up at the Bullard you slammed
me one in the face and dragged me off
to my room to keep me from making
a bigger ass of myself than I'd al
ready made. haven't forgotten that.
In all these crooked years, nobody else
has even taken the trouble to chuck
me decently out of sight and give me
a chance to brace. Drunk as was,
I remembered 1t that night when /
was climbing up to a window in the
majors house and trying to get shot
at you."
Mr.. Norcross shook his head, more
than half sympathetically, 1 thought.
Let that part of 1t go and tell me
about this other trouble" he said.
"How badly are you tangled up in
this political busihessT
1--WE given 1t to you straight on the
bribing proposition. Uncle Breck used
me as a money carrier because-well,
maybe It was because he couldn't
trust Bullock. didn't know definitely
what Bullock was doing with the
checks cashed for him, though 1 sup
posed, of course. 1t was something that
wouldn't stand daylight. 1t was only
a side issue with me. I was coming
out here anyway. I knew Sheila had
made up her mind-God knows she's
had cause enough; but had a crazy
notion that I'd like to be on the same
side of the earth with her again for
Just little while. Then this" he
trailed of In a babble of maledictions
poured out upon The man who had
trapped him and used him.
The boss Strengthened himself in his
chair, but he still was speaking gently
when he said:
"You are not asking my advice, and
I don't owe you anything. personally.
Mr.. Collingwood. But I'll say to you
what might say to a better man In
like circumstances. You have done all
the harm you can. but, as / see It,
there doesn't seem to be any need Of
your staying here to suffer the con-
sequences. Why don't you go back to
New York, taking your wife with you.
If she will go"
Collingwood's smile was a mere
teeth-baring grimace.
"Sheila made her wedding journey
with me once, when she was Just
eighteen. The next time she rides
with me It will be at my funeral. Oh.
I've earned II. and I'm not kicking.
And about this other thing: can't
duck. You know what Hatch is hold
ing me for. He told me just a little
while ago that II stepped aboard Of
a train. I'd be arrested before the
train could pull out"
1t was handsome little precaution
on the part Of the chief Of the graft
ers. II fight should be precipitated-
If the boss should try to checkmate
the c. s. 4 w. gobble-the arrest and
indictment Of President Dunton's
nephew would serve bully good and
well as u dramauc bit Of side play
to keep the newspapers from print
ing too much about the other thing.
III you really want to go. think
It can be arranged In some way, In