The Farmington times., 1922-09-22

| sub did"
And If your mother took me In
they'd make her pay. You'd maybe
lose your job"
"rd find another. Tn thinkin' OF
| qrittIn', anyhow"
| Il don't think they'd get Tim," put
in Clay. "rm goln' TO see Collins and
have a talk with him."
you can't salve Jim with soft
soap
"Did I mention soft soap?"
81 heard some one most killed Jerry
Durand last night said Annie abrupt
| ly, staring at Lindsay's bruised face.
"NNas 1t you?"
"Yes,' said the Arlzonan simply.
did you get the girl2"
"They dropped her to save them
selves. My friend found her with n
man and took her from him."
Il hope you did up Jerry right"
| cried Annie, vindictive flash In her
dark eyes.
~ haven't called him up this mon
in to see how he's feelln'," said Clay
whimsically. Miss Annie, we're wor-
ricd some about you. Mrs. Muldoon
is right anxious for us to get you to
come and stay awhile with her. She's
honin' to have III girl to mother.
Don't you reckon you can go2"
IL wish yuh'd come, Annie"
blurted out Tim looking down his
nose.
"rm an alley cat you're offerin' to
take in and feed, Tim Muldoon," she
charged suspiciously.
"Yuh're the girl-my mother loves"
He choked on the impulslve avowal he
had almost made and finished the SEN
tence awkwardly.
The girls face softened. Inside,
she was a river Of tenderness flowing
toward the IrIshman. "Tll 90 to your
mother, Tim, If she really wants me-"
she said almost in murmur.
| you're shoutin' now, Miss Annie"
said Clay, smiling. "She sure wants
you. I'll hit the trail to have that talk
with Jim Collins"
He found "Slim" Jim at his stand.
That flashily dressed young crook eyed
him with dogged and wary defiance.
He had just come from call at the
bedside of Jerry Durand and he felt
Il healthy respect for the man who
could do what this light-stepping
young fellow had done to the cham
pion rough-houSer of New York. The
story Jerry had told was of an assault
from behind with club, but this Col
Inns did not accept at par. There were
too many bruises on his sides and cuts
on his face to be accounted for In any
A way except by hard toe-to-toe fight.
"Mo'nin', MFR. Collins. l left you In
q hurry last night and forgot to pay
my bill. What's the damageT asked
Clay in his gently ironlc drawl.
"SlIm" Jim growled something the
meaning Of which was drowned in an
oath.
"You say 1t was free rider Much
obliged. That's sure fair enough.
Clay went on easily. "Well, / didn't
come to talk to you about that. I've
got other business with you this mon
in"
The chauffeur looked at him sullen-
ly and silently.
Suppose we get inside the cab.
where we can talk comfortably" Clay
proposed.
"Slim" Jim stepped into the cab and
sat down. Clay followed him, closing
the door.
"Have you seen Jerry Durand this
sunny mo'nin'?" asked Lindsay, with
surface amiability.
"Wots it to you?' demanded Col
Inns.
mot a thing. NOthin' a-tall," agreed
Clay "But 1t may be somethin to you.
Fin kinda wOnderln' whether I'll have
to do to you what / did to him"
"Slim" Jim reached for the door
hastily.
A strong, slnewy hand fell on his
arm and tIghtened, slightly twisting
the flesh as the fingers sank deeper.
Collins let out yell. "Gawd! Don't
do that. You're KILN me-"
beg yore pardon. An accident, II
/ get annoyed I'm liable to hurt with
out meanin' to-" apOlogized Clay,
suavely. "I'll come right down to brass
tacks, MFR. Collins. You're through
with Annie Millikan. Understands"
"Say, wot tells this stuff you're pip
in? Who d. you tink youse are?"
"Never you mind who am. You'll
, keep away from Annie from now on
absolutely. II you bother her-if any
thing happens to her-well, you go
and take a good long look at Durand
before you make any mistakes"
"You touch me an I'll crOak you
Seew hissed Collins.
"a gun-play?" asked Clay pleasant
, ~. Say, there's shOotln'-gallery
, round the corner. Come along.
wantta show you somethin'."
! "Aw, go to h--lw
The sinewy hand moved again to-
} ward the aching muscles Of the gun
! man. Collins changed his mind hur
. riedly.
"AlI right. I'll come" he growled.
/, Clay tossed a dollar down on the
counter, took a % and aimed at tht
!. rnu nf dupkS smiling across the Eal