The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-19

through the door to the snow with
out, Coleman, his hold broken by
the fall, striving again for the death
clutch, the man screaming in sud-
den frantic fear.
"Take him off" The voice of the
thin-visaged Fred Thayer was shrll
now. "Take him off-I'll tell you
about it-she did it-shc did it!
lake him off"
"Goemar!" Batistc had appeared
in the doorway. Below the dog
whirled in obedience to his command
and edged back, teeth still barred,
eyes vigilant, waiting for the first
movement of the man on the ground.
Houston went forward and stood
peering down at the frightened, hud-
died form of Thayer, wiping the
blood from the fang wound in his
neck.
You'll tell about what?' came
with sudden incisiveness.
The man stared, suddenly aware
that he had spoken of a thing that
had been mentioned by neither Ba'-
tiste nor Houston. His lips worked
crookedly. He tried to smile, but it
ended only in misshapen snarl.
II thought you fellows were look
ing for something. -1-wanted to
get The dog Off"
eve we're. We've found it. Ba'-
tiste,' and Houston forced back the
tigerish form of the big French
Canadian. "You walk in front of us.
I'm afraid to trust you right now.
And don't turn back. Do you prom
ise?"
The big hands worked convulsive
~. The eyes took on Il newer, fiercer
glare.
With an effort the Canadian
obeycd, the wolf dog trotting beside
him, Houston following, one hand
locked about the buckle Of the thin
ner mans belt, the other half sup
porting him as he limped and reelcd
through the snow.
cts my hip" The mans mind
had gone to trivial things. 81
sprained it-about ten days ago. I'd
been living over here with her up till
the storm. Then l had to be at
camp. L"
THAT was your child them"
Fred Thayer was silent. Barry
Hous ton repeated the question COM
mandingly.
"Whose would you think it was p"
They reached the sled, and Batiste
pointed to the seat.
"In there" he ordered. "Bateese
will walk. Ba'teese afraid-too
close" And then, in silence, the trip
to town was made, at last to draw
up in front of the boarding house.
Houston called. to a bystandcr.
"Phone the sheriff we want him.
1t has to do with the Renaud MUIR
der"
The loafer sprang to the street
and veered across, shouting the
news as he went, while Ba'tiste made
hurried arrangements regarding the
silent form Of the lonely cabin. A
few moments later, the makcshift
boarding house lobby was crowded,
while Barry Houston, reverting 20
the bitter lessons he had learned
during the days of his own cross
examinations, took his place in front
of the accused man.
''ln the first place, Thayer," he
commanded. "You might as we'll
know one thing. You're caught. The
goods are on YOU,
81 don't know anything about it.
She told me she did it-that those
were Mrs. Renaud's things"
"Ah! Then you have new seen that
ring, which my Julienne, she wore
on her finger. All, no?"
Thus the battle progressed, Ba'-
tiste storming, the frowning, sullen
captive in the chair replying in mo-
nosyllables, or refusing to answer
at all.
The afternoon grew old. The sher-
iff arrivcd-and still the contest
went on. Then, with sudden break
of reserve, Thayer leaned forward
and rubbed his gnarled hands, one
against the other.
"All right" he snapped. "Have 1t
your way. No use in trying to lay
it on the woman-you could prove
an alibi for her. You're right. l
killed them both"
Continued in Our Next Issue)