The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-09-29


voice shaking.
He didn't know It was you-mis-
took you for Lindsay in the darkness"
Ny Cd. didn't mean to kill him.
I had TO do something"
You did 1t all right"
''I told you there wasn't to be any
violence. 1t was explicitly stated.
You promised. And all the time you
were planning murder. I'll tell all
know. BY Cd, I will"
go easy. Mr.. Bromfield," snarled
Jerry. If you do, where do ye think
you'll get on at?"
''rl go to the police and tell them
your hired gunman was shooting at
u.s."
"Will you now7 An I'll have plenty
of good witnesses to swear he wasn't"
Durand barred his teeth In a threat.
THAT'S not all. either. I'll tie you up
with the rube from the West. and send
you up to Sing Sing as accessory.
How'd you like that7"
IF I tell the truth"
you'll be convicted of murder In
place of him and he'll go up as Access
sorry. I don't care two straws how 1t
is. But you'd be id fool. I'll say
that for you"
Pm not going to let an innocent
man suffer in my place. 1t wouldn't
be playing the game"
Durand leaned forward and tapped
the table with his finger-tips. His voice
rasped like file. You can't save
him. He's goin' to get it right. But
you can hurt yourself HI of lot.
Get out of the country and stay out
till it's all over with. That's the best
thing you can do. Go TO the Hawaiian
islands, man. That's good healthy
climate an the hotel cooking's a lot
better than it Is at Sing Sing"
Il can't do It." moaned the clubman.
"My Cd. man, If it ever came out
that I'd paid money to-to-ruin his
reputation, and that I'd run away
when could have saved an innocent
man-Pd be done for. I'd be kicked
out of every club I'm in"
at won't ever come out IL you're
not here. But if you force my hand
well, that's different" Again Jerry's
grin slit his colorless face. He had
this poor devil where he wanted him,
and he was enjoying himself.
''What do you want me TO do,
then?" cried Bromfeld, tiny beads of
perspiration on his forehead.
you'll do as / say-beat it outa the
country till the things over with"
But Lindsay will talk
"The boOb's pad1ocked his mouth.
For some fool reason he's protectin'
you. Get out, an you're SAFE"
Bromfield sweated blood as he
walked up and down the room looking
for way out of his dilemma. He had
come to the parting of the road again.
If he did this thing he would be yell
low cur. 1t was one thing to destroy
Lindsay's influence with Beatrice by
giving her false impression. From
his point of view their friendship was
pernicious anyhow and ought to be
wiped out. At most the cattleman
would have gone back unhurt to the
Arizona desert he was always talking
about. Nobody there would care
about what had happened to him In
New York. But to leave him, an limo
cent man, to go to his death because
he was too chivalrous to betray his
partner in an adventure-this was
something that even Bromfield's afro
phied conscience revolted at. Clay
afo
rand's story. The news of it lifted a
weight from his soul. But it left him.
too, under stronger moral obligation
to step out and face the music.
The clubman made the only decision
he could, and that was to procrasti-
nate, to put off making any choice for
the present.
.''Tll think it over. Give me a day
to make up my mind" he begged.
Jerry shrugged his heavy shoulders.
He knew that every hour counted In
his favor, would make it more difficult
for the tortured man to come forward
and tell the truth. "Sure. Look II
over upside and down. Don't hurry.
But, man, what's there to think about?
1 thought you hated this guy-wanted
to get rid of him."
"Not that way. Cd, no! Durand,
I'll give you any sum in reason to let
him go without bringing me into 1t.
You can arrange it."
Jerry slammed down a fist heavily
on the table. Il can, but / won't. Not
If you was to go ffty-fifty with me to
your last cent. I'm goin' to get this
fellow. See? I'm goin' to get him
good. He'll be crawlin' on his hands
and knees to me before I'm through
with him"
'What good will that do you? Tn
offering you cold cash just to let the
truth get out-that Collins was trying
to kill him when he got hit"
"Nothin' doin'. I've been layin' for
this boob. I've got him now. I'm goin'
to turn the screws on and listen TO him
hoIler."
Bromfield's valet stepped into the
room. Mr.. and Miss Whitford to see
you, sir"
-
Annie Millikan nodded her wise lit.
tie head. "Jerry's gonna frame him II
he can. He's laid the wires for it.
That's lead pipe"
Sure" agreed Muldoon. "Ill bet
he's been busy all night fixfn' up his
story. Some poor divvles he'll bully
rag into swearin' lies an others HEN
buy. Trust Jerry for the crooked
stuff"
We've got to tell the truth" said
Beatrice crisply, pulling on her gloves.
And We'll do it, too. A pack OF lies