The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-03-23
aEsYELLOM Stub

crOuched outside, hardly daring 10
breathe. could hear what he was
saying: !.
"Huh. ~. Yeah. Well. I'm
gcttin' ready to pull my freight"
There was long silence, during
on the other end Of the wire was
Jcnsen's drunken rumble resumed:
"Yeah.. she's here. -. Well, ] might
take her along with the, an If she
amt agreeable l can dump her off
some place. The Kids gonna bring
the car tonight. Huh? No, !
don't think she would. don't think
she likes me too much"
He laughed loudly at something
that must have amused him. Huh?
No, not me. I'm not bumpin'
off any woman. 1t amt in my line.
What do care is she does tell?
I'll be over the border. Who.
you? No. not a chance. She don't
know thing. Not = thing"
Again he stopped talking, and
Jimmy found himself trying TO piece
together the fragments Of converse
ton. to imagine what the other man
must be saying to Jensen. ..,,,
the mention Of his name. That Jen-
sen and his unknown should be dis
cussing him. ;.
NO." Jensen went on. "let the
Kid do it. I'm leavin' tonight. !.
Sure, he can. -. He should q got
him that night when he took shot
at him. Just a bum break, that's
all. -. Yeah. 1 got the>dough. The
Kid give it to me. sn. Yeah. one
grand. =. And say. don't forget.
As soon as you hear from me down
in Mexico, don't forget to send the
rest Of it. Five grand. And
say. don't try to slip me no double
cross, cause il you do, your goose
i is cooked. See? -.
Jaw don't bother about Rand. The
Kid'll get him II you give him time.
t. Sure"
49," Jimmy was thinking as the
, Others voice trailed off again, lit
was Kid Divis that took the shot
at me that night. Now ! wonder
why? ~. wonder who it is that's
80 anxious to get me?''
/ NO." Jensen was saying. r'Tll
take her with me. Sure. she
won't get away. know where to
stop got friends take me
in. sure. Yeah. Charles
goin' with me -. most Of tn
/ "You goin' away? What for! +. !.
Oh, you're thinkin' Of it. Nav,
| l tell you she don't know q thing.
/ You're all right. Safe IS bug in
rug. Ha-ha." Jensen laughed up
roariously.
By "she" Jimmy felt certain Jen-
sen was referrin" to Olga Maynard.
He assumed that Jensen wanted to
get her out Of town so she could not
expose him in this kidnapping busi-
ness. sp
! He shifted his weight little, re-
lieving his cramped muscles. A
board creaked ominously. He held
his breath. waiting ready to
meet Jensen should he rush out Of
the room.
Jensen, the receiver at his ear.
heard it. Still keeping the instru-
ment clapped to the side Of his bead,
he turned questioningly around and
pccrcd out ut the blackness of the
hall.
!! "Wait a minute nc said. Then
after a long pause: THAT yO,L
;Kid?"
i He waited what seemed to Jimmy
! an Unfortunately long time before he
turned back again to the phone.
Jimmy breathcd a sigh of relief as he
!heard him say, "All right, go ahead.
Thought I heard something in the
hall. This house so old I. gives
me the creeps ... boards squeakin'.
y. Go ahead.
!, "Weli. all right, chief. BE good
! S. can't be good be careful. Ha."
His deep. grunting laugh filled the
room with raucous sound.
Il will. -. You bet. ;. Don't
forget about the dough, now. ;.
Soon's you hear from me. Yeah
Might % S SS ter s1svys you sgsi" some
! right. Bye"
Il Jimmy could hear the metallic
t click rs Jensen replaced the receives
on its hook. He rose heavily from
his chair. A match flared as he lii
!. q cigaret.
!. Jimmy. still crouched in the hall
4 outside, rose to f1atten himself
1 against the wall. and through hi
mind flashed memory ofea rainy
d night weeks ago, himself agsiast an
d other wall, waiting.
As he Strengthened up the hetray
e Ing board TsQueaked again, loudly
He could hear Jensen stop.
). "Who's thaty came his voice
:. Then. in loud tone. kid. tina
\ your
e He came out Of the room in
sudden rush. and doomed up in from
t Of Rand like monstrous giant, TIL
n largeness Of his figure semphasize'
! by the darkness. Wv.
And then he saw, and Jimmy swun,
It the andiron straight ct his head.
e But Jensen, unlike Divis, had tim
to meet the attack. He flung VI
n an arm and the heavy metal knol
d struck hard, unyielding flesh.
vi With amazing quickness he hat
grabbed the andiron and wrested il
IS from Jimmy's grasp. A loud crasl
on the stairs below told Jimmy tina
J. he had flung it away.
& ,Jensen's hand went behind hin
J. and when he slaughtered Tmm,
lie saw glipting steel
le "No~, you young mug. I'm goin
to square with you right away. RICH
IS where want you, Ell? How'd yo
e, git here? Where's Divis ?"
" Jimmy made no answer. He ha
N eyes for nothing, thoughts for moth
ing, save that revolver in Jensen
v. hand. And suddenly his taut muscle
le releasing him in 2 desperate leap. h
N menacing steel and with his hand
j sought to tear it from Jensen's grill
1t With all his despairing strengt
le he tugged at the others hand, bend
r ing it back on the wrist, unmindfu
IF Of the Furnishing blows Jensen wa
" raining on his lowered head.
And then Jensen. in profan
to agony. released his hold. The wea
&, pom went Gathering to the fleoi
as Jimmy saw sudden hope, and tn
Mt revolver. driven by his kicking foo
shot through the ratings and ella,
70 nns%h a s..c l.. ss.T.sE