Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-28

and shook his head.
LES is telling the truth, Steve. ne
sid. He hadn't thing TO do with It.,
like | told YOU before, he hasn't the
e3ts. Well talk later. Take on your
S,1eepSkin. I've cut poles already and
esth your jacket and mine We can
sake fair-to-middling Stretcher
Wen have to carry Meek out He came
~ for lust a minute and then tainted
ezain. and his heart sounds like
sack running down. Pretty far gone
Shock. mostly. You can't normally klll
man by hurting his feet, even the
ray those devils did"
Cameron fumhled obediently at the
hs,ttons of his Jacket and, still stupc-
SD with incredulity, handed 1t over
to the sergeant
4 don't see he stammered, as De
laney gently withdrew his own lacket
from beneath Meek ana squatteo Wlth
both garments before the saplingS ne
had cut, Il mean l don't unosrSsaii 70
wl,v voure--- Who did II, then, IL
es didn't"
S"Dont know-uuite" the sergeant re-
n,sed still bent over his work, only
# wasn't Les and it was Lister
t3d, Can YOU image a WoodpecSo
smoking cigarettes Of any sort, eSpe-
,;aIlv trick ones with paSteboard tubes
\, their ends? Well. ! found four such
l,sstts right in front of that blrSn tree
--hev'd been using them on the poor
And another thing" he added, as
re thrust a pole through a sleeve on
zach of the jackets, "a man, unless
he's got more brains than all the Moou-
rockers put together. ooeSn sVop
IN of KIDNAPPING and torture 10 snoot
gray squirrel as an alioi There,
thaf's as good a Stretcher as we can
make mi hold him, all right.
he stood up again, lean ana COM
ratent in his gray-and-biack uniform,
and thrust one hand into oreecnes
And Furthermore" said Sergt. De-
lnney some one did take crack al
les lust as he said. We heard the
shot ard I've got the empty carthage.
He held the tiny brass cyiinder OUT
Il, his cupped palm.
1T was fired from the same pistol
that killed Ithamar Strake, ne con-
Guided gently. a..
Wind followed by snrill hallooing.
aIes has sighted carl" the ser
reant exclaimed. Lift him onto that
strptcher. Easy now. AL right. Let's
20" A..
They lowered their burden over the
.rchonknner,t into the road snd rested
IL gently on the pavement. Cameron
ulped the sweat from his eyes with
a briar-scarred hand. Delaney kneH
beside the motionless figure and tnen
rose quickly. and nodded 70 Walker.
Hes still alive, he said. Give
hand Wade. Get him into the car.
On the broad face of the police chief
I,Slrnation battled with unwilling hor-
rur From the front seat OF the car
tFe fingerprint expert craned his neck
md behind the machine Les POPPING
s:sraddIed Harriaan and clutched the
f,ssfsie of Hannibal. one OF his long legs
,.Yagnned In q too short stirrup, the
1fs1er. with its injured ankle, dangling
NMurder," Walker managed to utter.
.Thss Popline zap was right, then.
Thought he'd gone Graz ana was
sbootin' at us at first. Who did THIS
r1snny?"
-srhis Is 4 hospital case. Wade. Got
sshianket9 Spread it on the back seat
fnrn. Now lift him in. lid. There
Hen ride comfortably, guess.
Re hesitated an instant, eyeiios and
Tins compressed. and then cut snort
another OF walkers queries with
ssrfng Of commands:
sIes climb of that horse and get
III back here. Squat on the floor and
hold that body on the seat. III want
van later. steve III ride HarTigan as
<ar as the West Dusquesne house and
then 90 the rest OF the way into toWn
na the running board. You ride down
I'd Meek's and tell his children Wnat
haupened. Break it as easily as you
can wait there till / phone. III call
I'D from the hospital. Drive slowly
and easily, Wade, or you'll have
r0rpse to take out Of there. The poor
Cd boy Is almost gone. Stop for me at
tf1e hotel. III stable Harrigan and be
with you. Right"
walker nodded a none too hearty
agreement. cianbered over his assist
ant and pumped himself behind the
wheel. Les Popiing already was
suIiatted on the floor Of the. tonneau.
Delaney swung himself into the saddle,
tossed Hannibai's bridal rein TO Cam
efon and gpurred Harrigan into gal
IN IN the wake OF the automobile.
Cameron rode more slowly down the
fii toward the Meek home. His task
was bitter in his mouth. and rehearsal
after rehearsal thereof made 1t only
additionally distastefui. Hannibals
fvnt slowed down Of its own accord 70
p soher walk as he turned into the lane
ieadin. tn the house. The trooper tied
him in the barn and approached the
dwelling with his task still unprepared.
Molly Somers opened the kitchen
6Oor at his i1esitant repping and smiled
shyiy.
HeIlo,v he croaked and cleared his
THROAT
t.HeIio." she replied and then the
spsendor Of her task oyercanae her
tAFniditT.
Look" she said pointing 10 a mound
of evergreen on the kitchen table, I'm
making Christmas wreaths 70 hang In
tine windows Sister showed me how.
and they'll please Santa Claus. she said
You do honest and truly believe In
Santa Claus, don't your"
Honest and truly" ne answered
With q construction about his heart.
where's your sister honey"
"Shels In the parior, and mustn't
20 in" she replied, but maybe YOU
car. Did YOU find Dad7n she Queried