St. Tammany farmer., 1922-07-15

the mining man bluntly. ''We're here
to do what we can for you.''
Little wells of tears brimmed over
Beatrice's lids. "l've been so worried 81
''Don't you. It'll be all right" !"
Strangely enough he felt now that 1t
would. Her coming had brought rip
pling sunshine into drab world.
II won't now. I'm going to get evi-
dence for you. Tell us all about IT.
"Why, there isn't much to tell that
!. you haven't read in the papers prob
ably. He came a-shootin' and was hit
by chair"
l "Was 1t you that hit hfm7'
'Wouldn't be justtfied1'' he asked
gently.
"But did your
/ For a moment he hesitated, then
made up his mind swiftly. "Yes," he
told her gravely.
She WINGED. "You couldn't help It.
How did you come to be thereT
II just dropped In
"AloneT
"Yes."
He had burned the bridges behind
him and was lying aglibly. Why bring
Bromfeld into it? She was going to
marry him in n few days. If her fiance
was man enough to come forward and
| tell the truth he would do so anyhow.
It was up to him. Clay was not going
to betray him to Beatrice.
'+The paper says there was some one
| with you"
"Sho! Reporters sure enough have
lively imaginations."
johnnie told me you had an engage
ment with Mr.. Bromfield."
"Did you ever know Johnnie get any
thing nght?"
."And Clarendon says he was with
| you at Mnddock's."
| cumulative evidence. He gave q low
laugh of relief. "I'm an awful poor
liar. So Brom1eld says he was with
me, does he?"
EYES,"
He intended to wait for a lead before
showing his hand. ''Then you know all
about it?' he asked carelessly.
Their eyes were on each other, keen
md watchful. She knew he was con-
cealing something Of Importance. He
had meant not to tell her that Brom-
field had been with him. Why7 To
protect the man to whom she was en-
gagged. She jumped to the conclusion !
that he was still shielding him.
"Yes, you're poor liar, Clay" she
agreed. "You stayed to keep back COL
Inns SO as to give Clarendon chance to
escape"
ibid II"
"Can you deny it1 Clarendon heard
the shots as he was running down ]
stairs"
"He told you that, did hep
"Yes."
"That ought to help a lot. II can
prove Collins was shootin' at me I can
plead self-defense."
'"That's what it was, of course"
"Yes. But Durand doesn't mean to
let it go at that. He was here to see
me this mo'nin'." Clay turned to the
mining man. his voice low but inclsive.
His brain was working clear and fast.
"Mr. Whitford, have ehunch he's go
ing to destroy the evidence that's in
my favor. There must be two bullet
holes in the partition Of the rear room
where Collins was killed. See II you
can't flnd those bullet holes and the
bullets In the wall behind"
'Pll do that, Lindsay"
"And hire me good lawyer. Send
him to me- won't use q smart one
whose business Is toy help crooks es-
cape. II he doesn't believe In me,
don't want him. I'll have him get the
names of all those pulled In the raid
and visit, them to see If he can't find
some one who heard the shots or saw
shooting Then there's the gun. Some
ones got that gun. It's up to us to
learn who.'
'That's right"
'.Tim Muldoon will do anything he
can for me- There's a girl lives with
his mother. Her names Annie MILL
kan. She has ways OF finding ont
things. Better talk it. over with her
rs
too. We've got to get busy in hurry"
"Yes,"' agreed Whitford. ''We'll do
that, boy.''
"Oh, Clay. I'm sure it's going ito be
all right !" cried Beatrice, In glow Of
enthusiasm. wen give oil our time.
Well get evidence to show the truth.
And Wen let you know every day
what uo ara dOinp -
'How about my going bail for your
asked her father.
Clay shook his head. mo chance just
yet. Let's make our showing at the
coroner's- inquest. I'll do fine and
dandy here till them
He shook hands with them both and
was taken back to his cell. But hope
was in his heart now. He knew his
friends would do their best to get the
evidence to free him. It would be
battle royal between the truth and
lie.
CONTINUED next week)