The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-11-10

lifted. "You seem much In Mr.. Feiis
confidence. Ben. But think I'll leave
you tied up little while. Memphis
Ivy is going down to his summer cot
! tage tomorrow. isn't he7 I'll be there
but you won't. BY the way. think
I'd better look through your pockets"
Ben Chacherre writhed suddenly,
hurting u storm of curses at Gramont.
The latter, unheeding the contor-
tons of his captive, searched the man
thoroughly. Except for a roll Of
money, the pockets gave up little Of
interest. The only paper Gramont Sc
cured was fresh telegraph blank.
He would have passed this unheeded
had he not noted snaky fitting Of
Chacherre's eyes to it.
"Ahl" he said. pleasantly. "You APP
pear to be interested in this, Ben
Pray, what Is the secret?"
Chacherre merely glared at him, and
a sudden exclamation broke from him
He held the bit Of yellow paper to
the light at varying angles.
tits the most natural thing In the
world" he said after moment, for
a man to walk into telegraph office,
write out telegram, and then find
that he's torn two blanks instead Of
one from the pad on the desk. Eh7
I've done 1t. often-and I've always
put the extra blank into my pocket.
Ben, thinking 1t might come In handy;
Just as you did, eh7 Now, let's see
'You were excited when you wrote
this, weren't your You'd just thought
of something very important and you
took care of IT hurriedly-that made
you jab down your pencil pretty hard.
Who's Dick Hearne at Houma? An
agent of the bang theref
Chacherre merely glared, sullenly
defiant. Word by word, Gramont
made out the message:
Burn bundle under rear seat my
car. Have done at once"
Gramont looked up and smiled
thinly.
"Your car? Why, you left 1t in the
garage at Gumberts' place. Ell? That
little roadster of Fell's. with the extra
seat behind. If you'd been just little
bit cooler yesterday, Ben. you would
have made fewer mistakes. 1t never
occurred to you that other people
might have been there In the bushes
when the sheriff was murdered, chr
Chacherre went livid.
"It was another mistake to throw
away your knife after you killed him.
pursued Gramont, refiectively. you
should have held on to that knife, Ben.
There's no blood, remember, on Ham
.lE I'D I'M mr. H0
and your friends to explain plausibly.
Yet your knife is heavy with blood.
which tests will show to be human
blood. Also, the knife has your name
on 1t; quite a handsome knife, too.
On the whole, you must admit that
YOU bungIed the murder from start
to finish"
Chacherre broke In with frfghtful
oath-a frantically obscene storm Of
curses. SO furious were his words
that Gramont very efficiently gagged
him with cloths. gagged hifh mad and
fast.
~ think that III send another wire
to Dick Hearne on this blank which
you so thoughtfully provided. I'll or
der him, in your name. not to burn
that bundle after all; / fancy II may
prove of some value to me. And I'll
also tell your friend-I suppose he
has some familiar cognomen, such as
Slippery Dick-to meet Henry Ora
mont at Houma early in the morning.
I'd like 10 gather Dick In with the |
other gentlemen. I'll mention that |
you were kind enough to supply few
names and incidents"
At this last Ben Chacherre writhcd |
anew, for 1t was shrewd blow. He
and his friends belonged to that class
Of crook which never peaches" II
by any mischance one Of that class II
jailed and convicted, he invariably
takes mis- medicine silently, knowing
and that when he energies from pris-
on he will be sure to find money and
friends and occupation awaiting him.
To know that he would be placed.
In the estimation of the gang, In the
same class with stool-pigeons, must
have bitten deeper into Ben Chacherre
than any other lash.
0tuihoit, iutdutiihCs NdS Wiling Oue
the telegram to Dick Hearne. This
finished, he got his hat and coat, and
from the bureau drawer took an auto
matte pistol, which he pocketed. Then
he smiled pleasantly at his prisoner.
This evening, Ben, / think that I'll
attend meeting Of my post Of the
American Legion. You don't belong to
that organization by any CHANGER No,
I'm quite sure you don't Very few
Of your exclusive acquaintance do be-
long. Well, see you later Work on
those bonds all you like-you're quite
safe. I'm curious to see what is in
that bundle under the rear seat of
your car; have an idea that 1t may
prove interesting. Good afternoon !"
Gramont closed the door, and left
the house.
Going downtown, he mailed the let
Ter to Fell, confident that the latter
would receive 1t on the following
morning; but he did not telephone