The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-29
CHAPTER VIII.
Jasper Finds His FTash-Ligh

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 Norton and Jasper hopped down from the freight-train along toward seven o'clock. They went through the outskirts of. the town till they reached drugstore from which they could telephone.
 Jasper called up Dan Quinlan.
 Quinlan, Jaspel decided, had a real grouch in his system He growled into the phone, and when Jasper re- quested an interview, he said he was a very sick man. and didn't care to see anyone, much less talk to any one.
 s'But I" said Jasper soothing1y, .'have a. message for you from Miss Norton
 Miss Who?" Dan asked haughtiIy.
 ''Uhuh!" said Jasper. ..I know ex- actly how you feel though I've never felt like that myself, exactly. You're saying to yourself that you don't know any person by that name. and you don't want to know any such person.
 ''You'n keep that little jest up with yourself till it's too late and then you'll be sorry for the rest of your life"
 'ewhatd you say your name was?" Quinlan demanded
 'J- Lee" Jasper answered.
 Where can I meet you right away" Quinlan asked.
 Jasper Finds His F1ash-Light-
 Talking in that tone, you can't meet me at all" Jasper retorted. We meet with Q white flag waving in the breeze or we talk to each other only 1n the breeze or we talk to each other only in the present manner.
 'You-e got your rrsts doubled up right now. I'm not afraid of you, Dan. old hoss, but I haven't time to go to the mat with you"
 'I would take one poke at you if you were near enough" QuinIan said. -tAll the time you'd lose would be after that, and it would be some, though you wouldn't know it"
 Very we'll" said Jasper Let me ring off in your ear right now. was going to give you look in on a little fracas tonight, but I guess you're not tEe man I'm after.
 "I want man with a good. level head on his shoulders. I'll explain ao Miss Norton. Good day, MT. Dan Quinlan. You'll be sorry by and by"
 Hello ,heIIo,' said Ouinlan. Wait @ minute. No use blowing out a cyl Under head, you know. What is all this dope you have? ??
 'Oh. it doesn't matter" Jasper re- xcrted. I'm on my way
 .swait a minute Ouin1an said. s@Wait minute, DO you know where
 q looked you up in the telephone book" Jasper answered. T can read and I can remember a number and a name" .sWell, come up here" Quinlan said. els it to be a peaceful meeting?" Jasper asked.
 "Oh. yes" Quinlan agreed. But if you're stringing me I'll knock your block off
 Jasper hung up the receiver. He and Norton walked to Quinlan's boarding house. 0uinlan himself let ouinIan looked anything except man crossed in love. He had cold. He parked as he told Jasper and Nor His nose and eyes were red. He hadn't shaved that morning. His looks were not improved by the ugly frown that came to his lace as ra sight of Norton. ssSo you've come back to mako more trouble, have your" he said. 'I'm trying to straishten things
 SYou'n have to be fine little etraightener, Quinlan sneered s.You've just about wrecked my lie" .oh. it isn't much of a wreck. Dan" Jasper interposed. "A couple of cars off the track. That's all. eve can lit them out and go spin ming into the yards as nice as If we were a string of vanished cars" s-Teu me the history of your young life" Quinlan flared out How do you happen to be in this?'' How do you happen to have pick ed Norton for . pal? I'd as soon think Of picking Q young baboon." You're popping fast Jasper said ..Let us draw up our~chairs and min gle our thoughts. tsIere's one Ger you. Dan Kirby, Htfe alert ard energetic agent at Mar H in Center, accuses me of helping to S 3b a bank there last night. Would A 'u believe that?" T don't say I wouldn't put It past
 -puininn replied
 The only thing in your favor < lazbe that you were accused by | v If he said you were crooked, l lrse he would be wrong as usu- | t by disIikes me" Jasper said. 1 E1 ggsd a policeman to me. I D he policeman on the Jaw and
 time I see Kirby I'm going TS sa so hard he will be in . week. Do my clsarances