Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-11-30
CHAPTER x-continued.

ID
Whatever had happened, Hammond
had evidently not been easily cap
tured. His countenance was some
what battered and the one captor who
wore collar was bleeding copiously
from a cut cheek. The three turned
as Gramont's car drove up, and Ham
mond gave an ejaculation of relief.
Here he is SNOW"
"Shut upw snapped one of his
armed captors in an ugly tone. Hurry
up, Chacherre- get rope and tie this
gink !"
Gramont leaped from the car and
strobe forward.
whats been going on hereY he
demanded, sharply. Hammond"
81 found a dead man over in them
bushes" shot out Hammond, "and
these guys Jumped me before. I seen
'em They claim I done it,
"a dead manl'' repeated Gramont,
and looked at the three "What do
you mean?"
"Give him the spiel, Chacherre,"
stepped forward, his bold eyes fas-
tened on those of Gramont with a look
of defiance.
''The sheriff was here some time
ago, looking for a stolen boat" he
said land went off toward the Leda-
nois place. We were following, in or
der to help him search, when we came
upon this man standing in the bushes,
over the body of the sheriff. A knife
was in his hand, and the sheriff had
been stabbed to death. He drew pis-
tol and shot one of US"
Gramont was staggered for a mo-
ment Waltz he exclaimed Ham
mond, how much of this is true?"
''What Tm tellin' you, cap'n," an
swered Hammond, doggedly. Il found
a man layin' there and was looking at
him when these guys jumped me. I
shot that fellow in the arm, all right,
then they grabbed my gun and got me
down. That's all"
The murdered!
Into the mind Of Gramont leaped
that brief conversation which he had
overheard between Ben Chacherre and
the sheriff; the strange, unnatural ST.
lence which had concluded that
broken-off conversation. He stared
from Hammond to the others, speech
less for the moment, yet with hot
words rising impetuously in him.
Now he noticed that Chacherre and
his two companions were watching
him very intently, and were slightly
circling out. He sensed an acquaint-
ance among all these men. He saw
that the wounded man had finished his
bandaging, and was now holding his
unwounded hand in his pocket, bulk
lily, menacingly.
Danger flashed upon Gramont-
flashed upon him wildly and with
startling clearness. He realized that
anything was possible in this isolated
spot-this spot where murder had so
lately been consummated! He checked
on his very lips what he had been
about to blurt forth at this instant,
Hammond voiced the thought in his
mind.
II . u LIAM Up SolQ IlIG CIldul-
feur, angrily
That's likely, isn't it?" Chacherre
flung the words in a sneer, but with
covert glance at Gramont. 'aThis fell
low is your chauffeur, amt he? Well,
we got to take him in to Houma, that's
all"
where's the sheriff's body?" de-
manded Gramont, quietly.
"Over there" Chacherre gestured.
''7We amt had chance to bring him
back yet-this fellow kept us busy.
Maybe you want to frame up an alibi
for him?"
Gramont paid no attention to the
sneering tone of this last He regard
ed Chacherre fxedly, thinking hard,
keeping himself well in hand.
''You say the sheriff was here, then
went over toward the Ledanois land?"