The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-03-15
The ig>Town Round Up
BY WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE
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Forget IT. Durand brushed the
plea away with motion of the hand.
Its your cell pal I've come to take a
look at-the one who's goin' to the
chair"
With one 1.-THE movement Clay swung
down to the floor. He sauntered for
ward to the grating. his level gaze on
the ward boss.
shiny, this fellows rotten" he said
evenly and impersonally. 'IIe's not
only crook, but he's crooked crook.
He'd throw down his own brother II 1t
paid him."
Durand's cruel lips laughed. "Your
pals a little worried this mornin',
Shiny. He amt slept much. You see
the bulls sot him right. It's the death
chair FOR him and no lifeboat in sight.
Cliy leaned against the bars negli-
gently. He spoke with touch of lazy
scor1. See those scars on his face,
Sniny-the one on the cheek bone and
the other above the eye Ask him where
he got 'em and how?"
Jerry cursed. He broke into a storm
of threats, anger sweeping over him
In furious gusts. He had come to
make sport Of his victim and Lindsay
somehow took the upper hand at once
He had this fellow where he wanted
him at last. Yet the mans soft voice
still carried the note of easy contempt
If the Arizonan was afraid, he gave nc
least sign of 1t.
you'll sing another tune before Tn
through with you" the prize-fightei
prophesied savagely.
The westerner turned away and
swung back to his upper berth. Hf
knew, what he had before suspected
that Durand was going to frame" hin
If he could. That information gained
the man no longer interested him.
Sullenly Jerry left. There was nc
profit In jeering at Lindsay. He was
too entirely master of every situation
that confronted him.
Within the hour Clay was Weakened
from sleep by another guard with wore
that he was wanted at the office of the
warden. He found waiting him there
Beatrice and her father. The cir
bloomed in that dingy room like cac
tus in the desert.
She came toward him with hands ex
tended, in her eyes gifts of friendship
and faith.
"Oh, Clayi" she cried.
"Much obliged, little pardner." Hel
voice went to his heart like water t.
the thirsty roots of prickly pears. A
warm glow beat through his veins. TIL,
doubts that had weighed on him dur
ing the night were gone. Beatrice be
lieved In him. All was well with tn,
world.
He shook hands with Whitford
BLAMED good of you to come, SIR"
"Why wouldn't we Gomez" demande,
the mining man bluntly. "We're her
to do what we can for you"
Little wells of tears brimmed owe
Beatrice's lids. "rve been so worried
"Don't you. It'll be all right
Strangely enough he felt now that 1
would. Her coming had brought rip
pling sunshine into drab world.
II won't now. I'm going to get EVIL
dence for you. Tell us all about it."
"Why, there isn't much to tell tina
you haven't read in the papers prob
ably. He came a-shootin' and was hi
by a chair"
"Was 1t you that hit him?'
wouldn't l be justified?" he aske,
gently.
"But did you"
For a moment he hesitated, ther
made up his mind swiftly. "Yes," h,
told her gravely.
She WINGED. you couldn't help IL
How did you come to be there?'
81 just dropped in"
"AloneT
"Yes."
He had burned the bridges behint
him and was lying glibly. Why brin.
Bromfield into 1t? She was going t.
marry him in few days. If her fame,
was man enough to come forward ant
tell the truth he would do so anyhow
1t was up to him. Clay was not goin.
to betray him to Beatrice.
1.-THE paper says there was some on,
with YOU"
"Sho! Reporters sure enough hav,
lively imaginations."