The Holbrook news., 1922-09-08

Asked 6luntly. hand. "What does this message mean?" he asked bluntly.
 Your daughters engaged to Brom- field, ain't she?" demanded the ex- prize fighter, his bulbous eyes full on his host.
 That's our business, sir"
 q got reason for asking. She is or she ain't. Which Is it?'
 "Well not discuss my daughters af- fairs"
 All right, since you're so d-d par ticular. We'll discuss Bromfield's. l warned him to keep his mouth shut or he'd get into trouble"
 "He was released from prison this afternoon"
 Did I say anything about prison" ?" Durand asked. There's other kinds of grief beside being in stir. I've got this guy right"
 Just what do you mean, Mr. Dur and?'
 q mean that he hired me to get Lindsay in bad with you and the girl. He was to be caught at the Omnium club with woman when the police raided the place, and it was to get in- to the papers,"
 q don't believe it." said Whitford promptly.
 You will. I had dictagraph in the room when Bromfield came to see me. You can hear 1t all in his own voice." | But there wasn't any woman with Lindsay at Maddock's when the raid was pulled off"
 Sure there wasn't. I threw Brom- field down."
 You arranged to have Lindsay killed instead"
 Forget that stuff. The point is that if you don't call off the district attorney, I'll tell all I know about son-in-law Bromfield. He'll be ruined for life"
 "To hear you tell it."
 All right. Ask him."
 q shall"
 Conspiracy is what the law calls it. Maybe he can keep outa stir. But when his swell friends hear it they'll turn their backs on Bromfield You know it.'
 "I'r not know it unless Mir. Brom- field tells me so himself. I don't care anything for your dictagraph. I'm no eavesdropper."
 You tell him what he's up against and he'll come through all right. I'll see that every newspaper in New York carries the story if you don't notify me today that this attack on me is off. I'll learn you silk stockings you can't make Jerry Durand the goat"
 Whitford announced his decision sharply. If you'll leave me your tele- phone number, I'll let you know later in the day what we'll do."
 He had told Durand that he did not believe his story. He had tried to reject it because he did not want to accept it, but after the man had gone and he thought it over, his judgment was that it held some germ of truth. If so, he was bound to protect Brom- field as far as he could. No matter what Clarendon had done, he could not throw overheard to the sharks the man who was still engaged to his daughter. He might not like him. In point of fact he did not. But he had to stand by him till he was out of his trouble.
 Colin Whitford went straight to his daughter.
 Honey, this man Durand has just brought me a story about Clarendon. He says he paid him to get Clay into trouble at the Omnium club in order to discredit him with us."
 "Oh, dad!"
 "Tm going to see Clarendon. If it's true I don't want yor to see him again. Authorize me to break the en- gagement for you"
 They talked it over a few minutes. Beatrice slipped the engagement ring from her finger and gave it to her father with sigh.
 "You can't do wrong without paying for it, dad"
 "That's right. Bromfield-"
 "Im not thinking of Clarendon. I'm thinking about me. I feel as if 1 had been dragged in the dust" she said wearily.