The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-10-13

She caught at the corner Of desk to
steady herself. Murder! 1t can't be
Must be some one Of the same name"
"I reckon not, honey. It's Clay sure
enough. Listen" He read the head
lines Of front-page story.
at can't be Clay! What would he
be doing In gambling-dlvel" She
reached for the paper. but when she
had 1t the lines blurred before her
eyes. Read 1t. please"
Whitford read the story to the last
line. Long before he had finished. his
daughter knew the one arrested was
Clay. She sat down heavily, aIl the
life stricken from her young body.
"It's that man Durand. He's done
this and fastened It on Clay. Wen
find q way to prove Clay didn't do
It."
Maybe, In seIf-defense-"
Beatrice pushed hack her fathers
hesitant suggestion and even while
she did II wave Of dread swept over
her. The dead man was the same
criminal "Slim" Jim Collins whom the
cattleman had threatened in order to
protect the Mllllkan girl. The facts
that the man had been struck down by
q chair and that her friend claimed,
according to the paper. that the gun
man had fired two shots. huttresspd
the solution offered by Whitford. But
the horror of it was too strong for
her. Against reason her soul protested
that Clay could not have killed a man.
Il was too horrible. too CHASTITY. that
! through the faults II others he should
he put in such n situation.
And why should her friend he In
such place unless he had been
trapped by the enemies who were de.
termined TO ruin him? She knew he
had a contempt for men who wasted
their energies In futile designations
He was too clean. too much son OF
the wind.swept desert. to care any.
thing about the low pleasures Of In
decent and furtive vice. He was the
last man she knew likely to be found
enjoying q den of this sort.
dad. I'm going to him." she an
nounced with crisp decision.
Her father offered no protest. His
impulse, too, was to stand by The
friend in need. He had no doubt Cla!
had killed the man. but he had sure
conviction ii had been done In self-de
Tense.
"ye'n get the best lawyers in New
York for him. honey" he said. mo
body will slip anything over on Lind
say II we can help It,"
"Will they let us see him? Or shal
we have to get permission from SOM
Onet'
"well have to get an order. know
the district attorney. He'll do who
he can for me, but maybe It'll TAX
time"
Beatrice rose, strong again and re
silent Her voice was vibrant wit
confidence. "'rheu after you've Gale
up the district attorney, we'll drive I
Clays fiat In Harlem and find out frOI
Johnnie what he can tell MS. Perhap
ne knows what Clay WIS doing in tina
place they raided."
IL was not necessary to go to tn
Runt. He came to them. AS Beatric
and her father stepped into the Ca
Johnnie and Kitty appeared round tn
corner Both of them had the news {
catastrophe written on their faces.
very little encouragement and the
would he In tears.
"Ain't it tur'ble, Miss Beatrice? The
, done got Clay ut last. After he mad
'em all look like plugged nickels the
done fixed 1t so he'll mebbe go to II
electric chair and"
stop that nonsense. Johnnie" o
dered Miss Wbitford sharply. pal
stabbing her heart at his word
. Don't begin whining already. We''
got to see him through. Buck up an