The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-09-23

wrapped tight in grasp thai nut r,or.
Harry could loosen.
Don't take them from mel? the
insane woman screamed. He tried
1t, didn't he? And where's he now
up there burning! He hit me-and
threw the lamp at him! He wanted
my books-he wanted to take them
away from m>but I wouldn't let
him. And you can't have them-hear
me-let go Of my arm-let gol"
She bit at them. She twisted and
butted them with her gray head. She
screamed and squirmed-at last to
weaken. Slowly Harry forced her
arms aside and took from them the
precious cOntents-whatever they
might be. Grimly old Sheriff Mason
wrapped her in his coat and led her
to horse, there to force her to mount
and ride with him into town.The house
with Squint Rodaine-was gone.
Back in the Office of Sheriff Bard
well the books were opened, and Fair
child uttered an exclamation.
Harry Didn't she talk about her
books at the coroners inquest? See
If there's any entry along early in
July-about the time of the inquest"
Bardwe1 turned the closely written
pages. At last he stopped.
"Testified today at the inquest
he read. I lied. Ready made me do
1t. never saw anybody Quarreling.
| Besides, l did it myself"
whats she mean-did it herselfT'
the sheriff looked up. Guess Wen
have to go way back for that"
First let's see how accurate the
| thing isl Fairchild interrupted. "See
| If there's an item under November 9
of this year"
The sheriff searched, then read:
ST dug a grave tonight. 1t was
not filled. The immortal thing left
me. knew it would. Ready had come
and told me to dig a grave and put
it In there. l did. We filed it with
quicklime Then we went upstairs
and 1t was gone. do not understand
1t. If Ready wanted me to kill him
why didn't he say so? l will kill il
| Ready will be good to me. I've killed
before for him"
"Still referring to somebody she's
killed." cut in Anita. Il wonder II
it could be possible"
1--WE just thought of the date !"
Harry broke in excitedly. sit was along
about June Z, 1892. I'm sure it wa:
around there"
N 20
one after the other. At last Bardwel
leaned forward and pointed to a Ger
tain page.
Here's an item under May %.
says: Ready has been at me again
He wants me to fix things so that thu
three men In the Blue Poppy min,
will get caught in there by a cave-in.'
The sheriff looked up. "This seem
to read a little better than the othe
stuff. It's not SO jagged. Don't CUES
she was as much off her nut then a
she Is now. Let's see. Where's tn
place? Oh, yes: IF I'll help him,
can have half, and We'll live togethe
again and he'll be good to me and
can have IT, hoy. I know what it
all about. He wants~to get the min
without Sissie Larsen having any L..
to do with it. Sissie has cemented u
the hole he drilled into the pay or
and hasn't told Fairchild about 1t, be
cause he thinks Ready will 90 partner
ships with him and help him buy il
But Ready won't do it. He want
that extra money for me. He told II
So. Ready is good to me sometime:
, But that's when he wants me to {!
something. If he'll keep his pro.IiS
I'll fix the mine so they won't &c
out"
THE poor old soul" there was acl
ing sympathy in Anita Richmond
voice. II can't help it if she wa
willing to kill people The poor OF
, thing was crazy"
Yes. and she's 'ad us bloody nea
J crazy too. Maybe there's anothe
, entry"
. I'm coming to it. It's along
l June The dates blurred. Listen
I did what Ready wanted me to.
sneaked into the mine and plante
dynamite in the timbers l wanted I
wait until the third man was Their
but I couldn't Fairchild and Larse
were fussing. Fairchild had learne
about the hole and wanted to kno
what Larsen had found. Finally La
sen pulled a gun and shot Fairchil
He fell, and l knew he was deaf
Then Larsen bent over him, and whe
e he did l hit him-on the head with
|