The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-12-03

WSpI WIFI IUHnKIul0eSS.
As Doctor Darand stood in the don,
way OF the hospital, talking with IN.
reporters, two newspaper cameras wero
trained on him with q click. Iyneo.
lily, for he detested notoriely, youns
Doctor Darand moved aside and ho
turned up the collar Of his ulster, H,s
troubled glance swept up the corridos
Of the hospital. Kitty Hewitt was mo-
where in sight-and she had promised
to meet him here. Then suddenly no
caught sight Of her. waiting in q taxI
below at the curb, and he hurrioS
down the steps.
I'm tired" she murmured. "Tb,.
business rather got me-"
II don't wonder. I'm still a bn
hdgety myself
do you" she asked YEARLY, know
the real story2"
"Not all of It," he answered. "Thev
told me back there about young Mac
Laren coming to Chicago from tbe
little town, with twelve thousand dol.
lars In certified checks, and eighteen
thousand in Liberty bonds. He was
going into some sort Of q real estate
syndicate, and the money belonged IA
the people in his home town. Hs
must have been pretty young, guesa
and somebody swindled him out Of
half Of his bonds. He tried to get n
back by gambling"
"And there" said Kitty Hewitt, shs
lost the rest Of his bonds, and hin
checks, one by one. He cashed them
himself-they couldn't, without civ.
ing evidence against themselves"
"Theyw asked Bertram.
Don't you known" She glanced
round at him. Crane, of course. Hs
operates the biggest gambling Joint
on the South side. It's owned BY
Harper Cotton. That's where he gets
his money for his cars and clubs
and for his new wife and her plunre
into society,""
Bertram exclaimed, but she went on
This boy got up against Crane, him.
self; and the game was crooked Of
course. They leased him on for a
time to make him think he could get
back what he'd been swindled out Of;
then they just took everything away
from him. He found out that the
place was crooked, but protected; he
found out that Cotton owned 1t. Well,
last night he went to Colton's house.
Mrs. Cotton, who doesn't know much
about her husbands business, was out
of town-and there was a row all
right. The kid knew too much; he
had too much evidence to let him loose
and he threatened to spill It all and
ruin Cotton. So they kept him in the
house all night and sent for Crane
that's where / got in"
"You? What do you meanT
81 heard Cotton had sent for Crane
quick. / didn't know then what
Crane did, but I could guess Crane
went at 1t his own way; he slugged
the boy. He wanted to go all the way
through with it-kill him and carry
him out by night. But Cotton lost all
his nerve. He's protected gambling
and robbery-and, yes, murder before
this. But he's never had killing In
his house. He got nearly crazy with
that boy dying in the house. BE sent
for one Of their regular doctors; ana
he said the boy would live while
and then go. Then they cooked up
the idea to send for you; you'd the
right sort Of name and family .reputa-
ton. They'd have an accident-an
ordinary, perfectly natural accident
happen In the house when you were
there. You'd see Severson; you'o
hear him fall downstairs; then you'd
find MacLaren down at the bottom
You'd think he was Severson ana Ger
tffy to the whole business. NOBODY
outside who couldn't be handled would
ever have to see the boy; they'd nave
perfectly safe and proper serves
for Billy Severson, with the CONN
closed, and get him safe below grouno.
Stevenson was ready to go through
with his part-to give up suit OF
clothes and disappear. Well you
know the rest"
She said: az got the tip this morn
ing that Crane sent for you to come "
Colton's.
"You took q big risk for me-! Ga
claimed Bertram and seized her manu.
she did not draw it away, but she saio'
..Not for you-not entirely, that u.
came for that boy, too. 1 olunt
know who he was; but / figured tnere
was somebody else In trouble. Ihen
there was Eddie to think about lou.
Bertram's clasp became tenS0
"PellenT he cried
ed Pellen! Lob, what's the USE
You wouldn't understand. There's ~
much to this thing" She stoppeu
and gave II up and gazed from ni"
out of the cab window.
"By this thing you mean. ~
asked, your association with CRANE
and Colton?" ma
s.Not with them now. I've caileu
cops on them. I'm done with them
forever
"T'm glad of that" -
"But they won't be done with me
81 can understand that. They'll w
+o ,n,nra vou But surely there's