The Adair County news., 1922-06-06


want to murder Joe? He was Joe's
best friend. Everyone in Clayton can
tell you that. Why, he risked his own
life to save him! Somebody's put
you on the wrong track. They're try
ing to make use of you to keep him
out Of the way while they ruin the
line. And you'll pay for your mistake,
that's surev
And, with frenzied desperation, she
succeeded in pushing Myers away
from Wilton, and interposed between
him and the sergeant, whose revolver
pointed steadily at his forehead.
Peters scOwled viciously at her.
"You can tell all that at the inquest"
he snapped. 1--WE got orders to bring
you in, too. Get out of the way!"
At that the superhuman tension that
held Wilton's rage in bounds seemed
to snap. His ears were ringing, and a
spotted mist f1oated before his eyes.
Through this he saw Peters an infinite
distance away, the revolver, now hard
ly larger than a pencil, pointing at his
head. Behind the sergeant he saw An
dersen, a doll-like figure with a toy
pan in his hand. He leaped at Peters,
heard the weapon discharged, and was
conscious of the sting of powder on
his forehead and a commOtion in his
hair.
Peters had shot to kill, but the
weapon, the least bit diverted by Mol
ly's Intervention, had been re-aimed
at Wilton's forehead little hurriedly,
and he had forgotten that the strong
ammunition, of which complaint had
frequently been made by the police su-
perintendents, was apt to throw the
bullet high at short distances.
Wilton shot his uninjured arm for
ward with vicious swing that caught
the sergeant on the cheek and sent
him staggering backward. But the
force of the blow, communicated to
Wilton's left shoulder, wrenched the
wound and forced a groan of pain
from his lips. Peters reeied, regained
his balance, and rushed forward again,
swinging the revolver alOft, butt for
ward. in his hand.
With his powerful build he could
have delivered a blow that would have
crushed Wilton's skull. But e1ore the
blow fell Andersen had raised his pan
and brought it down edgewise upon
the Sergeant's head, cutting the scalp
to the bone and drenching the man
with the boiling grease.
With a scream of pain Peters STUN
bled forward, letting the revolver fall
from his hand, slipped in the grease
that had begun to oOze along the floor,
and fell full length on the planks.
where he lay writhing in anguish, and
trying to clear his eyes Of the melted
fat and the blood that streamed down
his forehead.
Instantly Molly stopped, snatched up
the weapon, which had fallen at her
feet. and covered the constable, who
had flung himself upon Wilton again.
Myers stopped dead and threw his
hands up automatically.
"Get over there 2" said Molly briskly,
pointing toward the wall behind the
sergeant.
Myers Obeyed Immediately, and took
his post against the wall, the picture
of confusion. Peters struggled slowly
to his feet. Has face and pea-jacket
were covered with a film of grease,
over which the blood from his wound
was trickling. The tables were turned
with dramatic completeness.
you know what this means!" splut-
tered the sergeant, trying to clear the
fat from his eyes.
81 do, and I'll take my chance" an
swered Wilton, gritting his teeth at the
pain from his injured arm. The wound
did not seem to have reOpened, but
either his blow or the grasp of the
constable had displaced the broken
ends of the bone, and he cou;G feel
them grating together at his slightest
movement. Keep your hands up, both
of you!" he ordered "Give me the re,
volver, Molly! Got a rope, AndersenT'
"WelI, guess 1 have" grinned the
Swede. He stepped to a packing case
behind the stove, and brought ont q
Gull VI lldLllid, NDlNup Will q
kitchen knife, he sliced into four OF
five lengths.
81 tank 1 tie them to that beam,
he said, indicating one of the vertical
uprights of the wooden shack.
"All right, Andersen" said Wilton
Tie 'em so that they can sit down
They'll have some time to wait, ant
they may get tired of standing"
He took the revolver from Molly anC
slipped it into his pocket. Peters Ie
loose a string of vicious oaths as An
dersen proceeded to truss him up, bu
neither man offered any resistance
The caretaker stepped back and looked
at his work with critical satisfaction
Il tank you get to Clayton by to
morrow night, all right, Mr.. Carruth
ers," he said with droll complacency
putting some more potatoes in the pan
Despite their elation, Molly ant
Wilton could eat but little, wash
ing down the food, which they coult
! hardly niasticate, with gulps of coffee