The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1922-06-05
THIS BEGINS THE STORY

warning ana appoints a meeting.
Peter meets him for Mcclure and
recognizes him as Jim Coast
with whom he had worked as
steward on board ship. Coast says
he and MCGUIRE and Ben Cam
eron had proospected together in
the West, and that Mcclure had
killed Cameron. Mcclure later
gives Peter another version, and
1t bears the earmarks of truth.
Peter is practically interested be-
cause Cameron was the father of
Beth Cameron, girl with whom
he is beginning to fall in love.
Mcclure describes the scenes that
led up to the crime.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
My God. Nichols, 1 can see it all
like it happened yesterday. Hawk
Kennedy stood up as though to look
around and then before 1 knew what
he was about had struck Ben Cam
eron in the back with his knife
''It was all over in a minute. Ben
Cameron reached for his gun, but be-
fore his hand got to it he topp1ed
over sireways and lay quiet.
'I started up to my feet, but Hawk
had me covered and 1 knew from
what had happened that he'd shoot,
too.
Don't make a FUSS he says. "Give
me your gum L knew he had me to
rights and I did what he said. Now
he says, it's your and mine"
Mcclure made a motion toward the
glass. Peter filled it for him and he
drank.
And then-what happened ?" ask
ed Peter quietly.
Hawk Kennedy had me dead to
rights. There was only one thing to
do-to> make believe I was with him.
We buried Ben Cameron, then went
down and brought our outfit up.
Hawk watchin' me all the while. He'd
taken my gun and Ben Cameron's
and unIoaded them and carried all
the ammunition about him But I
didn't know what 1 was in for. That
night he made me sit down while he
drew up a paper, torn from an old
notebook of Ben Cameron's-a part
nership agreement, a contract"
Mcclure broke off suddenly and
got up, moving nervously to the safe,
from one of the drawers of which he
took a blue linen envelope and
brought forth paper which he
handed to Peter.
That's the hel1ish thing, Nichols
he said hoarsely. That's why I'm
afraid of Hawk Kennedy. A lie that
he forced me to sign, And there's
another paper like this in his possess
sion. Read it,, Nichols"
Peter took the paper in his fingers
and looked at it curiously. 1t was
soiled and worn, broken at the edges,
written over in lead pencil, but still
perfectly 1egible.
Arrangement Between Hawk Kennedy
and Mike Mcclure
Us two found Ben Cameron on his
copper claim in Madre GuIch. We
killed him. Both of us had a hand
in it The mine is Hawk Kennedy's
and Mike McGuire's and we are pard-
ners in the same until death US do
part, so help us God.
(Signed) MIKE MCGUIRE
HAWK KENNEDY.
HE wanted it on me- Mcclure
gasped. You see? To keep me
quiet"
ct understand" said Peter. This
is what you've got and what I've got
referred to in the placard."
Yes" said Mcclure. "a partner
ship. agreement and confessional
something I didn't do"
Peters eyes were searching him
through and through.
you swear it ?"
Mcclure held up his, right hand
and met Peters gaze without finch
ing.
s'Before God. do"
Peter was silent for a moment.
thinking.
And then you left Hawk Kennedy
there to die" he sai9 slowly, watch
ing the man.
Mcclure sank into his chair with a
sigh, the perspiratioh now beaded on
his pale forehead.
IT didn't know what to do. I tell
you," he almost whispered. HE had
me. I was unarmed- I'd "a killed
him if I'd had a gun. But I waited
a few days after we buried Cameron
maxim believe L was satisfied with
everything and hei believed me, and at
last he fell asleep tired with keepln-
watch on me. He was all in. I bored
the water out down the rocks, then
took the three horses and the mules
with all the water that was left and
got away before he woke up.
ut was a terrible thing to do, Mich
ols-caIl it murder if you like. But
it served him right. 1t was comm to
him-and I go away with it. At
first when I reached water I had
thought of goin' back-to save him
before he died-to get that paper I
couldn't get that was inside his shirt
Mcclure leaned forward, his face in
his hands for a moment, trying to
finish.
But I didn't 90 back, Nichols. I
didn't go back. That's the crime I'm
payfn' for now-not the other-not
the murder Ben Cameron didn't
do that-the murder of Hawk Ken
nedy-who has come back
What happened then?"
II turned Ben Cameron's horse and
burros loose where there was water
and grass and went on to Bisbee. I
told them my buddy had died of a
fever I thought he had by now
They didn't ask any questions. I was
safe. The resti was easy I filed a
claim, found some real money and
told what I'd found I waited
then went back to Madre
Gulch with Blk Munroe, the FELLOW
that helped stake us. There was no
III searched the rncl.a