Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17

But won't you tell me why, jedi"
she begged.
ut amt nobody't business but mine. -
Jed, If I ask you one question, will
/ you answer me?"
You amt asked it."
Was all this about letter."
He fenced desperately.
"All-all this what?"
| This quarrel? Was 1t, Jed? About
a letter that Brad said he was going to
put out on Thornton?"
The ski clattered to the floor.
You keep them questions to your
self" Jed snapped
Then he returned to his labors, the
rounding of the ski points, the cut
ting away of the rough spots, the scrap
ing OF the buttons to gliding snnoothness
the fastening Of refractory straps. At
last he rose.
"1f you're ready, Mary" he said
Storms clearin-just looked out.
Moon shining through little. We can
take the long way round. Be swift
goin' with these skis"
He wrapped her coat about her. and
then. affixing his skis. stumbled across
| the floor and raised the girl, trembling
with pain that his action caused her.
/ Then to the awkward task of his exit.
A few minutes later, on the hum
mock at the top of the ridge. the break
| ing moon showed the hulking form of
big man. gliding swiftly upon home
made skis, with burden in his arms.
Hours Of toll. Of WEAKNESS. Of clumsy
| tenderness, of silence. Paling stars, and
the beginning of the last descent. Dawn,
| and knock upon the door of the sher-
| IFS house.
Il guess you want me-" said Jed
Lawrence to the sleepy-eyed man who
faced him. "They told me up at the
hospital that you'd just come back"
The sheriff nodded.
Yes. Just been talking to EN-. They
said you'd brought Mary Preston down
Hurt bad?"
Strained ligaments. Guess she'll be
all right" Jed said it prosaically in
the dullness of utter tragedy. As
prosaically he obeyed the man to whom
he had surrendered, and, when the
cell door had closed he viewed the steel
bars about him with the blankness of
one from whom all rebellion had de-
parted
An hour passed Jed Lawrence found
the hospital doctor. at his cell, for what
reason he did not know.
Here, put your right hand through
the bars. Farther-up to the elbow.
That's right"
The doctor concluded his examina-
ton and went away. Jed Lawrence
pulled back his arm and stared at 1t.
Il ought've told him." he mumbled.
1T was the other hand I done 1t with"
BY and by the under-sheriff came.
Better put on your coat, Jed" he
said. handing 1t through the bars. THE
sheriff's telephoned for you. He's down
the street."
THEY went forth. into the crispness
- of the morning. At last they
reached big building and passed with
In. A door opened and Jed Lawrence
saw features of Mary Preston above the
white coverings of the cot within. He
drew back in sudden panic.
II amt going in there!" he rebelled.
There wasn't nobody mixed up in this
but"
There he halted, mouth agape. A
voice had come from within. petulantly
answering question from the sheriff.
Whats Thornton Luce doing here?"
he asked sharply.
The under-sherif evaded his ques-
ton.
Get in there!" came his suddenly
there was nothing else to do. Blankly
he took the place designated for him,
staring from the determined eyes Of
Mary Preston TO the pasty-faced Thorn
ton Luce. and beyond him to the sher-
if and the district attorney. who APP
preached the self-accused man and shot
a question.
Now, Mr.. Lawrence. what happened
when you were fighting with Brad
Masters?"
"why"-he stared from one to an
other-"I guess I stuck my knife"
II don't mean that. You told Miss
Preston something about turning your
head. Why did you do it?"
why. I heard door open"
WAS that before or after the kill
ing?"
"Why-why. before. I was just goin'
down. Brad'd hit me pretty hard
one"
And then WHAT"
II don't know" He spread his
hands. Except that I must've knitted
him then"
"How?"
why" The man rose and sent
his left hand to his hip. II guess I
yanked out my knife, this way, and
brought 1t over and around. SOS to
plant 1t In his side"
Was that what you saw, Mr.. Luce?"
he asked. and Jed Lawrence straight
ened. So there had been witness!
The pasty-faced man stirred.
"Exactly-exactly," he said.
The district attorney turned again to
Jed Lawrence. "Your friend Mr.. Luce
has been a very unwilling witness. In
fact. 1t wasn't until we had found
man who saw him going toward
pool-hall that he would admit
that he'd seen anything He insisted
that he didn't know anything about 1t
until he came along later with some
other people. What were you fighting
about? Was 1t letter."
Bud Jed Lawrence answered de-
family:
I've said enough" he mumbled.
THE door opened; the hospital doctor
handed a slip of paper to the dis
trict attorney. who passed 1t quickly to
the sheriff and then to Mary Preston.
And now came the voice Of the district
attorney:
mfr. Luce, you heard the prisoner
describe the blow as he thought he
must have struck 1t. You said 1t was
the blow you had seen. Is that right?"
Yes SIR"
"Then how do you account for the
fact that a doctors examination shows |
two things--first, that the prisoner J
cannot handle a knife with his right /
hand, and second. that the blow that |
killed Brad Masters could not have |
haen struck tv n left-handed nnan?"