The Ocala evening star., 1922-09-02


She'll never give no more testimony.
I've been talking with Tm-'e stopped
In just after you came upstairs. It's
only a crazy woman
"But they took her word for 1t,
Harry. They believed her. And they
gave the verdict-against my father J"
+T know. l was there, right beside
you. I card it. But it'll come out
right, some way"
There was a moment of silence.
then a gripping fear at the heart of
Fairchild-
"Just how crazy is she, HarryT'
"'Er? Plumb daft OF course, as
Mother 'Oward says, there's times
when she's straight-but they don't
last long. And, if she'd given 'er tes-
timony in writing, Mother 'Oward
says 1t all might ave been different,
and we'd not ave 'ad anything to
worry about"
'1n writing"
Yes, she's 'arfway sane then. It
seems 'er minds disconnected, some
wye. / don't know 'ow-Mother
'Oward's got the ole lingo, and every
body In town knows about it. When
ever anybody wants to get anything
real straight from Crazy Laura, they
make 'er write it. That part of 'er
brain seems all right. She remem-
bers everything she does then and 'ow
crazy it is, and tells you all about it.
Notice 'ow fiustered up she got when
the coroner asked 'er about that
book?''
81 wonder what it would really
tellr'
Harry chuckled.
Nobody knows. Nobody's ever
seen it. Not even Squint Rodaine /
guess it's a part of 'er right brain that
tells 'er to keep it a secret I'm going
to bed now. SO re you. And you're
going to sleep. Good night"
He went out of the room then, and
Fairchild, obedient to the big Cornish
mans command. sought rest But IT
was a hard struggle. Morning came
and he joined Harry at breakfast. fac
ing the curious glances of the other
boarders, staving off their inquiries
and their lily couched consultations
For, in spite of the fact that it was
not voiced in so many words, the con-
vfctiOn was present that Crazy Laura
had told at least a semblance of the
truth, and that the dovetailing Incl
dents of the past fitted into a we'll
connected story for which there must
be some foundation. There were
those who were plainly curious; there
were others who professed not to be-
lieve the testimony and who talked
loudly of action against the coroner
for having introduced the evidence of
woman known by every one to be
lacking in balanced mentality. There
were offers who, by their remarks,
showed that they were concealing the
real truth of their thoughts and only
using a cloak of interest to guide
them to other food for the carrion
proclivities of their minds.
An hour later Harry. wandering by
the younger mans side, strove for
words and at last uttered them.
81 know it's disagreeable," came
finally. But it's necessary. You
'aven't quit?'
"Quit what?"
''The mine. You're going to keep
on, amt your
silent. The answer needed strength
| Finally 1t came.
Harry, are you with meY
81 amt stopped yeti"
| "Then that's the answer. AS long
as there's bit of fight left in us, well
keep at that mine"
| Harry hitched at his trousers.
| They've got that blooming skeleton
out by this time. I'm willing to start
any time you say"
The breath went over Fairchild's
| teeth in a long, slow intake. He
| clenched his hands and held then
trembling before him for a lengthy
moment. Then he turned to his part
| ner
"Give me an hour" he begged. "rI
60 then-but 1t takes a little gri
| to"
"Whos Fairchild herer' A messen
ger boy was making his way along tn,
curb with telegram. Rober
stretched forth hand In surprise.
81 am. Why"
The answer came as the boy shovet
forth the yellow envelope. Fairchild
wondering, read:
"Please come to Denver at once
Have most important information TO
you.
"R. Y. BARNHAM,
"H. & r. Building"
A moment Of staring, then Fairchilt
passed the telegram over to Harry 70
his opinion. There was none. TIC
gether they went across the stree
and to the Office of Farrell, their al
torney. He studied the telegram lons
Then:
st can't see what on earth it mean:
unless there is some infOrmatio
about this skeleton or the inquest.
/ were you, I'd 60"
But supposing it's some sort G
trap?"
mo matter what 1t is, go and le
the other fellow do all the talkin.
. Listen to what he has to say and te
= / u 81 OO"h OAi AOO
, train-that'H get you there about TIVE
, You can be back by 1920 tomorrow,
mo e can't" 1t was Harry's intel
ruption as he grasped pencil and pi
t per. "I've got list of things mil
] long for i'm to get. We're going afte
this mine anime rand tongs now!"
Continued Monday