Phoenix tribune., 1923-10-27
The CrOSS-Cut
CONTINUED from last issue)


benches of the car behind the motor.
The trolley was attached Then clat-
tering ovef the frogs, green lights
flashing from the trolley wire, the
speeding journey was begun.
Three miles, four, five, while Anita
Richmond held close to Fairchild as
the speed became greater and the
sparks from the wire above threw their
green, vicious light over the yawning
stretch before them. A last squirt,
slightly down-grade, with the motor
pushing the wheels at their greatest
velocity; then the cracking of cleo
tricity suddenly ceased, the motor
slowed in its progress, finally to stop.
A greasy being faced them and Bard
well, the sheriff, shouted his mission.
"GOt to catch some people that are
making a getaway through Center
City. Can you send us up in the skip?"
"Yes, two at a time"
"All rightw The sheriff turned to
Harry. "You and I'll go on the first
trip and hurry for the Ohadi road.
Fairchild and Miss Richmond will wait
for the second and go to Sheriff Ma
sons office and tell him what's up.
Meet us there" he said to Fairchild,
as he went forward.
long wait followed while Fairchild
strove to talk of many things-and
failed In all of them. Things were
happening too swiftly for them to be
put into crisp sentences by a man
whose thoughts were muddled by the
fact that beside him waited a girl in
whipcord riding suit-the same girl
who had leaped from an automobile
on the Denver highway and
1t crystalized things for him momen-
tarily.
"Pm going to ask you something
after a while-something that I've
wondered and wondered about. /
know 1t wasn't anything-but-"
She laughed at him.
"You really didn't think 1 was the
Smelter bandit, did your"
"Darned If / know what l thought
And l don't know what l think yet"
"It's very very awfulI" came in
low, mock-awed voice. But" then
the laugh came again-"maybe If
you're good and-well, maybe I'll tell
you after while."
Honest"
"Of course I'm honestl Isn't thai
the skip?"
Fairchild walked to the skip, stepped
In nj 10 sid
The journey was made in darkness
darkness which Fairchild longed to
turn to his advantage, darkness which
seemed to call to him to throw his
arms about the girl at his side, to
crush her to him, to seek out with an
instinct that needed no guiding light
the laughing, pretty lips which had
caused him many a day of happiness,
many day of worried wonderment.
He strOve to talk away the desire
but the grinding Of the wheels In the
narrow shaft denied that. His fingers
twitched, his arms trembled as he
sought to hold back the muscles, then.
yielding to the impulse, he started
"Da-a-a-g-gone It'll"
whats the matterT"
Nothing"
But Fairchild wasn't telling the
truth. They had reached the light
just at the wrong. wrong moment. Out
Of the skip he lifted her, then inquired
the way to the sherif's office of this,
new county. The direction was Civ
en-, and they went there. They told
their story. "YOu say Bardwell and
your partner went out on the Ohadi
road to head the young 'un OFF,"
"Yes Do you think-T
But noise from without cut off the
conversation. Stamping feet sounded
on the steps, the knob turned, and
Sheriff Bardwell, snow-white, entered
shaking himself like a great dog. as
he sought to rid himself Of the effects
Of the blizzard.
Hello, Bardwell, whatd you find?"
The sheriff Of Clear Creek county
glanced toward Anita Richmond.
'No matter how much a person dis
likes another one-it's, 2's-always a
shock"
Anita came closer "You mean that
he's deadT The sheriff nodded. "He
must have rushed his horse too hard
When we got to him he was just about
gone-tried to stagger to his feet when
we came up, but couldn't make It, Kind
Of acted like he'd lost his senses
through fear or exposure or something
Asked me who was, and said Bard
WELL Seemed to be tickled to hear
my name-but he called it Barnham.
Then he got up on his hands and knees
and clutched at me and asked me II
I'd drawn out all the money and had
1t safe. Just to humor him, said
had. He tried to say something after
that, but 1t wasn't much use. The first
thing we knew he'd passed out That's
where Harry is now-took him over
to the mortuary. There isn't anybody
named Barnham, is there7"
"BarnhamT The name had awak-
ened recollections for Fairchild; "why
he's the fellow that"