New Britain herald., 1929-06-22
CHAPTER 48 NINE LINKS

CHAPTER 4s
 NINE LINKS
 put away my little red notebook Those" I said. are the nine link in my chain of evidence agains . MacNair. In bulk. the chain is i'm preaive; unlink it and you vii find that most of the links arr weak"
 T don't know about that" Dea con objected. II thought you hae . pretty strong case"
 I shook my head. Tt might have rot . conviction in an Englisf court. but I doubt if it would hay. in an American.
 'MacNair had been too clever te leave any tangible clew behind him. Moreover. he hadn't been sending men to the death penalty for 90 years without learning 3 thing or two about evidence and h. knew just as we'll as I did that l hadn't enough to be sure of con victing him.
 50 that you may understand what happened tonight I shall try to give you q sort of moving pie ture of MxcNair's mental processes from just before he left for Tor ridity Sunday morning up to the end.
 "NacNfir knew I believed him to bs Andrews murderer and that his attempt to implicate Jerry wasn't apt 10 succeed: 90 he looked around for . likeiier candidate. He fixed on the cunning. half-witted old des crt rat. Furie. Furie's violent quar- rel with Andrew had provided him with motive for the crime.
 But first he must plant Jerry's fiannels in Torridity, as the trail inevitably would lead there. And this on Sunday morning MacNair proceeded to do. Not to further in. volvs Jerry. remember. but to sup port the charge of murdering An drew and getting away in Jerry's flannels that he purposed bringing against Furie.
 "I. also, went to Torridity Sun day morning. Neither of us had expected the other to be there yet. MacNair now saw that while might not have enough evidence to convict him he could not fasten the guilt on Furie while I lived. And - was an increasing source of danger to him. He concocted his beautiful scheme for disposins of Furie and me and insuring his own safety at one blow.
 His scheme vas absurdly sim pie. He would shoot both of Us here in Torridity and bring our bodies together. Then he would re- port to you. Deacon. that Furie had killed Andrew. that I had charged Furie with the crime. that Furie had shot me. and that he. MacNair. had come running up and dispatch ed Furie just a moment too late to save my dfe. Later. he would get possession of the little red note- book on my desk.
 ''MacNair waited until night. but night brought the sandstorm with it and upset his plans"
 Here I described that dreadful Sunday night.
 "And TOW we come to my reason ! for letting MacNair know I believ- eA him guilty. l wanted him to do precisely what he did. Only Sun day night I wasn't ready for him.
 T don't get that" Henry ejacu lated.
 chuckled. T mean that I want ed MacNair to regard me as an increasing source of danger. It would make him force the issue. commit that overt act which would complete my chain of evidence against him."
 You mean you deliberately in vited him to murder you?" Henry shouted.
 ''Something of the sort" I con- fessed.
 Lucy was staring at me with fas- cinated, mortified eyes. She seemeA beyond speech. Jerry's mouth hune open. Hyde hal forgotten his sar- donic grin. Furie. whom Jerry's  flask had brought to himself looked saner than I had ever seen him.
 Tt was to be duel of wits, you see. and was pretty sure Skull Valley would be the field of honor MacNair telcphoned me this after. noon that he was going down 10 Skull Valley to arrest Furie for the murder of Andrew. Did ] want 10 be in at the finish? If so. I was 10 come alone. I knew what he meant and he knew that I did We'll, I came.''
 then recounted what had hap pened up to the moment when lad knocked Furie out. "Aye. that's it!" Furie suddenly thrilled. '"The white bellied covot. eIled me you wuz a-gon' 10 break nc neck fer me. 'Tis a good thing