The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-16
CHAPTER NNu
Number Three ZONES In

CONTINUED Prom Yesterday
CHAPTER Xxi
Number Three Comes In
joyce opened the door 90 the
knock OF tho young men. Al SIGHT
Of them her face ne.
"oh. I'm 30 giad you've Gomez
shc cried. tears In her voice. she
oausht her hands together in a con,
vulsiVc little gesture. Isn't Il
drcAdfult i've been afraid an he
time that something awful would
happcn-And now II has
Don't you worry. Miss Joyce.
Bob told her chccrfully. 1--WE amt
gonna let anything happen 90 yore
paw. We aim to set busy righs
away and run this thing down.
D4ehks like a frame.up. II Il Is. you
betcha wen get az the TRUTH
-Will your Can your" She
turned TO Dave In appeal. eyes star.
shining oval In the semi.darkne-s.
Wen try he said simply.
Something In tho way he said Il.
IN the quiet rcticcncc OF his prom
ise. sent courage flowing 10 her
heart she had called on him once
before. and he had answered SPLEEN
didly and reckiessly.
where's MIR. crawfordr- asked
Bob.
Hes In the sittlng.rOom. Come
right in
Her father was sitting IN big
chair. one icgA. thrown careiessly
over his arm. He was smoking a
cigar composedly.
Come in. boys he called ''Iteck
on you've heard that I'm a stage
hustler and a murderer"
Joyce cried out AT this. the wide.
mobile mouth trembling.
Just now. AZ the Gushcr,- said
Bob. They didn't arrest your"
mot yet. They're watchin' the
house. Sit down. and I'll tell It to
you"
g lie had gone out TO see a home
Z&(eader about doing some work for
him. on the way he had met
johnson and Purdy near the Bend.
Just before he had turned up
draw leading TO the place In the
hills owned BY the man whom he
wanted To see. Two hours had been
spent riding TO the little valley
where the hester had built his cor.
rails and his log house, and when
Crawford arrived neither he nor his
wife was at home. He returned 90
the road. without having met soul
since he had left II. and from there
logged on back To town On the
way hs bad fired twice at a rattle
snake.
You never reached the Bend,
then. at ALL" said Dave.
no. but I cayn't prove 7 didn't
The Old cattleman looked at the end
OF his cigar thoughtnlty. Nor
cayn't prove I went out 20 Dick
Grcin's place in that three four
hours not accounted for"
Anyhow. you can chow where
you got the ten thousand dollars
you paid the bank" said Bob hope
fully.
A moment OF silence. then Craw-
ford spoke. mo. son. caynr
tell that either
Faint and or-nthi-sS with sus-
,<ofnse. Joyce looked nj her sather
With diia,ed eyes. why not--
Because the money was loaned
me on those conditlons-
-Bat--but-dont you see. Dad----
n you don't tell that"
They'll think I'm guilty Wei.
] reckon they'll have to think IL.
Joy" The steady gray eyes looked
straight into the brown ones OF the
Ei1 I've been In this country.
boy and man, for meet fIfiy years.
Any one that's wiilin' TO think me
a cold blooded murderer at this date.
why. he's welcome TO hold any
opinion he pleases. don't give
damn what he thinks.-
But we've got 20 prove"
NO. We haven't They got to do
the proving. The law holds me In.
nocsnt till I'm found guilty"
But you don't aim to keep stu
and let a lot OF miscreanss biacken
yore good manner suggested Hart.
You bet I don't. Bob. But 7
reckon III not break my word 10
friend either, especially under the
circumstances this money was
loaned"
Hell release you when he un
derstands." cried Joyce.
Don't bank on that. honey
Crawford said slowly. You ain't 10
mention this. I'm teliin' you three
private. He caynt come out and
ten that he let me have the rnogcy.
UnderstaRdg You don't any OF you
know thing about how come by
that ten thousand. I've refused 90
answer Questions about that money.
That's my business"
"oh. but. Dad. you can't do that.
foun have 70 give an explanation.
You1l have to-"
The best explanation I can give.
Joy. is To find out who held up the
stage and killed Tim Harrigan. It's
the only one that will satisfy me.
It's the only one that will satIsfy
my friends"
That's true said Sanders.
steve Russell IL brinRfn'
hawsses," said Bob. Wen ride
cut to the Bend tonight and be