Charlevoix county herald., 1921-05-06
(Continued)

"Clanahan," he began, as cold as an
icicle. 81 didn't get you down here to
argue with you. You've bungled this
thing once, and for that reason you've
got It to do over again. We haven't
asked you to 'croak' anybody, as you
put 1t, and we are not asking 1t now"
"'Tis id little you lack av asking
It." retorted the divekeeper.
Listen" said Hatch, leaning for
ward with his hands on his knees.
Besides keeping cases on Norcross
here, we've been digging back into his
record a few lines. Every man has
his sore spot, If you can only find it,
Canahan-just as you have yours.
What II should tell you that NOrcross
v wanted in another state-for a
crime7 Before he came here he was
chief Of construction on the Oregon
Midland. There was right-Of-way
fight back In the mountains-fifty
miles from the nearest sheriff-with
the p. & 8. T. Norcross armed his
track-layers, and In the bluffing there
was a man killed"
Though 1t was a warm night, as I
have said, the cold chills began to
chase themselves up and down my
back. What Hatch said was perfectly
true. In the right-of-way scrap he
was talking about, there had been a
few wild shots fred, and one of them
had found p. & S. +. grade laborer.
I don't believe anybody had ever real
ly blamed the boss for it. But there
had been a man killed.
While was shivering, Clanahan
said: "Well, what av it?"
"Norcross was responsible for that
mans death. II he was having trouble
over his right-of-way, his recourse was
to the law, and he took the law into
his own hands. Nothing was ever
done about 1t, because nobody took
the trouble to prosecute. A week ago
we sent a man to Oregon to look up
the facts. He succeeded in finding
q brother Of the dead man, and war
rant has now been sworn out for Nor
cross arrest"
"Well?" said Clanahan again. I'VE
have the stirring in yer own hand /;
why don't We pull itf"
THAT'S where you come in," was the
answer. 1.-THE Oregon justice issued
the warrant because it was demanded,
but he refused to incur, for his county,
the expense of sending a deputy sheriff
to another state, or to take the neces-
sary steps to have Norcross extra
dited. If Norcross could be produced
In court, he would try him and either
discharge him or bind him over, as
the facts might warrant. He took his
stand upon the ground that Norcross
was only technically responsible, and
told the brother that In all probability
nothing would come of an attempt to
prosecute"
"Thin we've got nothing on him,
after ALL" the Irishman grunted.
YES" Hatch came back; "we have
the warrant, and, in addition to that,
we have you, Pete. A word from you
to the Portal City police headquarters,
and our man finds himself arrested
and locked up-to wait for requisi-
ton from the governor of Oregon"
But you said tn requisition wouldn't
come" Clanahan put In.
Hatch was sitting back now and
stroking his ugly jaw.
at might come, Pete, II 1t had to-:
there's no knowing. In the meantime
we get delay. There'll be habeas cor
pus proceedings, of course, to get him
out of jail, but there's where you'll
come in again; you've got your own
man for city attorney. And, after all,
the delay is all we need. With Nor
cross In trouble, and in jail on u charge
of murder the railroad ship'll go on
the rocks in short order. The Nor
cross management is having plenty
Of trouble-wrecks and the like. With
Norcross locked up, New York will be
heard from, and Dismuke will step in
and clean house. That will wind up
the reform spasm."
"'Tis a small chance" growled the
chief Of the ward heelers. "Tll talk
II over with the big fellow"
Again Hatch leaned forward and
put his hands on his knees.
you'll do nothing Of the sort, Pete.
You'll act, and act on your own re-
sponsibility. II you don't, somebody
may wire the sheriff Of Silver Bow
county, Montana, that the man he
knew In Butte as Michael Clancy
10. :"
The divekeeper put up both hands
as IL to ward off blow.
"'Tis enough" he mumbled, speak
ing as II he had bunch of dry cotton
in his mouth. "Slip me tn warrant"
Hatch went to a small safe and
worked the combination. When the
door was opened he passed folded
paper to Clanahan. Through all this
talk, Henckel had said nothing, and
I suspected that Hatch had him there
solely for safety's sake, and to provide
q witness. With the paper In his
pocket, Clanahan got up to go. 1t
was time for me to make a move.
It's curious how an idea will some
times lay hold Of you and knock out
reason ana. common sense and every