The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-11-23
l, ana lifted Anita ID his sYd9.

darkness which Fairchild longed to
turn I'd his. advantage, darkness which
seemed to call to him To throw his
arms about the girl ut his side, To
crush her to- him, to- seek out with an
instinct that needed no guiding light
the laughing, pretty lips which had
caused him many a day Of happiness,
many d day Of worried ~wonderment.
He strove to talk away the desire
but the grinding Of the wheels Id the
narrow shaft denied that. His fingers
twitched, his arms trembled as he
sought to hold back the muscles, then,
yielding to the impulse, he started
sDa-a-a-g-gone it!n
What's the matter?" s5
Nothing 4 II 4 4
But Fairchild wasn't telling the
truth. They had reached the light
just ait the wrong, wrong moment. Out
OF the skip he lifted her, then inquired
the way to- the sheriff's office Of this,
a new county. The direction was Civ
en-. and they went there. They told
their story. you say Bardwell and
your partner went out on the Ohadi
road to head the young 'un Off"
Eyes Do you think-"
But a noise from without cut of the
conversation. Stamping feet sounded
on the steps, the knob turned, and
Sheriff BardWell, snow-white, entered.
shaking himself like a great dog. as
he sought to rid himself Of the effects
! of the blizzard.
"Hello, Bardwell, what'd you ind?"
The sheriff Of Clear Creek county
glanced toward Anita Richmond.
"No matter how much a person dis
likes another one-it's, it's-always a
| shock" <S&
Anita came closer "You mean that
he's dead?" The sheriff nodded. HE
must have rushed his horse too hard.
When we got to him he was just about
gone-tried to stagger to his feet when
we came up, but couldn't make it. Kind
Of acted like he'd lost his senses
through fear or exposure or something.
Asked me who I was, and I said Bard
| well. Seemed to be tickled to hear
| my name-but he called it Barnham.
Then he got up on his hands and knees
and clutched at me and asked me If
I'd drawn. out all the money and had
1t safe. Just to humor him, I said I
had. He tried to say something after
I that, but It wasn't much use. The first
thing we knew he'd passed out. That's
where Harry Is now-took him over
to the mortuary. There isn't anybody
named Barnham, Is there?"
"Barnham?" The name had awak-
ened re%collections for Fairchild; "why
| he's the fellow that"
But Anita. cut in.
Hes a lawyer in Denver. They've
been sending all the income from stock
sales to him for deposit. If Maurice
asked If he'd gotten the money out,
it must mean that they meant to run
| with all the proceeds. Wen have to
telephone Denver"
/ The message went through. Then
the two sheriffs rose and looked at
their revolvers.
snow for the tough one" Bardwell
made the remark, and Mason smiled
| grimly. Fairchild rose and went to
them. = -
"May I go along?"
Eyes, but not the girl. Not this
time.''
Anita did not demur. Fairchild
walked to her side.
"You won't7run away" he begged.
"I1l be right here" she answered,
and with that assurance, he followed
the other two men out into the night.
Far down the street, where the
rather bleak outlines of the hotel
showed bleaker than ever In the frigid
night, a light was cleaning in a sec
ond-story window. Mason turned te
his fellow sheriff. H..
"He usually stays there. That must
be him-waiting for the kid"
The three entered Tfptoeing, they
went to the door and knocked. A high.
pitched voice came from within.
"That you, Maurice7"
Fairchild answered in the best imi.
tation he could give.
Eyes. I've got Anita with me-"
| Steps, then the door opened. For
just a second Squirt Rodaine stared
at them in CHASTITY, sickly fashion.
Then he moved back into the room,
still facing them. 80
whats the idea OF thisfs' came his
forced query. Fairchild stepped for.
ward ~
"Simply to tell you that every
things blown up as far as you're
concerned, Mr.. Rodaine..
"You needn't be SO dramatic about
It. You act like I'd committed a muir
derl What We I done that you
should" + :
"Just a minute. / wouldn't try to
act innocent. For one thing, I hap
pened to be in the same house with
you one night when you showed Crazy
Laura, your wife, how to make people
immortal. And well probably learn a
few more things about your character
when we've gotten back there and
interviewed
He stopped his accusations to leap
forward, clutching wildly. But In
vain. With a lunge, Squint Rodaine
had turned, then, springing high from
the door, had seemed to double In the
,lANhll