The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-11-02

'AShS >sA' Ao tohS NAA "a
Lucie's money, and within three weeks
I should double 1t, treble 1t, for her.
Before the boom bursts she will be out
Of 1t all, and wealthy. Now, my dear
Gramont, ! do not presume that you
will still refuse to vote with met /
have been quite frank, you see."
GramOnt stirred In his chair.
"Yes! he said, lOw-voiced. Eyes,
by heavens, I do refuse"
With an effort he checked holly i'm
pulsive words that were on his tongue.
One word now might ruin him. He
dared not say that he did not want to
see Fell's money pass into the hands
Of Lucie-money gained by fraud and
theft and crime! He dared not give
his reasons for refusing. He meant
now to crush Fell utterly-but one
wrong word would give the man full
warning. He must say nothing.
IT'S not straight work, Fell. Re-
CARELESS Of your motives. I refuse to
Join YOU"
joachim Fell sighed slightly, and laid
down his cigar with precision.
"GramOnt," his voice came with the
softly purring Of a tigers
throat-tOne, Il shall now adjourn this
company meeting for two days. until
Saturday morning, In order to give you
n little time to reconsider. Today Is
Thursday. BY Saturday.
II need no time" said Gramont.
"But you will need It. / suppose
you know that Bob Maillard has been
arrested Cor parricide? You are ware
Of the evidence against him-all cir
cumstantial?"
GramOnt frOwned. "What has that
got to do with our present businessT'
"Quite a bit, I fancy" A thin smile
curved the lips OF Jachin Fell. Mail
lard Is not guilty Of the murder-but
you are"
Liar! !" Gramont started from his
chair as those three words burned into
him. "Liarl Why, you know that !
went home"
"Ah, wait!" Fell lifted his hand for
peace. His voice was calm. "Ansley
and / both saw you depart, certainly.
We have since learned that you did
not reach home until some time after
midnight. You have positively no
course, that you were wandering the
streets"
"As I vast" cried Gramont, heat
eddy.
"Then prove 1t, my dear fellow;
prove tiff you can. Now, we shall
keep Lucie out of all this. What re-
mains? I know that you were the
Midnight Masquer. My man, Ben Cha
cherre, can prove by another man who
accompanied him that the MasQuer's
loot was taken from your car. A die
tograph in the private Office, yonder.
has a record Of the talk between US
Of the other morning, in which you
made patent confession to being the
MasQuer.
"Once let me hand this array of
evidence over to the district attorney,
and you will most certainly stand
trial. And, If you do stand trial, l
can promise you faithfully that you
will meet conviction. I have friends,
you see, and many Of them are infiu-
entail In such small matters"
1t was not a nice smile that curved
the lips of Fell.
Gramont choked back any response,
holding himself to silence with a firm
Will. He dared say nothing, lest he
say too much. He saw that Fell
could indeed make trouble for him
and that he must strike his own blow
at Fell without great delay. 1t was q
battle, now a fight to the end.
Fell regarded Gramont cheerfully,
seeming to take this crushed silence
as evidence of his W triumph.
Further" he added, "your man
Hammond Is now In jail at Houma, as
YOU know, for the murder Of the sher-
If. Now, my influence Is not con-
fined to this city, Gramont l may be
able to clear Hammond Of this charge
If you decide to vote with me l
may keep what / know about he Mid
night Masquer from the press and
from the district attorney-it you de-
eide to vote with me. YoA compre-
hendT"
Gramont nodded. He saw asW why
Fell wanted to 'get something" on
Hammond. Fell had rightly reasoned
that Gramont would do more to a v
Hammond than to save himself.
"You think l murdered Malllard,
then 2" no asked
"Gramont, / don't know what tc
think, and that's the honest truth u
answered Fell, with a steady regard
But / am absolutely determined t.
put this oil deal across. to make Lucie
Ledanois at least independent, IL no
wealthy. l car do it, I've made a.
my plans to do it, and-I will do it!
Wen hold another meeting da
after tomorTow-Saturday morning.
Fell rose. THAT will give me time t
conclude all arrangements. l trus
Mr.. Gramont, that you will vote wit
me for the adjournment"
Yes said Gramont, DULY, 81 will.
Thank you," and Jachin Fee
bowed slightly, not without a trace c
mockery in his air.
Ito be continued)