The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-07-10
43
THE LEAD BULLE

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brought a realistic picture of the
meeting between Furie and Andrew.
Our eyes were fixed on the boy as he
continued his long story.
"Furie brought a specimen from the
new vein and he said he figured he
was entitled to a $3.50 share in the
profits. He has some claim, of course,
but when dad realized Furie had vio-
lated Uncle Jerry's tomb he went
crazy. What else had Furie done or
found in the mine? Well, Furie had
found a gold mounted As and a pas
sci o'bones.' One of the back rib
bones had a bullet stickin' in it, Dad
must have gone mad for the moment.
Where was the gun? Furie had sold
it that morning. Dad seized him BY
the throat. TO whom had he sold it?
That suave old stick, Nathan Hyde, it
seemed. Dad sprang to the telephone.
but Hyde had already sold the As to
you.
"Furie was wffimpering and snarl-
ing on the floor where dad had
dropped him. But he was scared and
he must have got 1t into his head that
dad was raving because of the value
OF the pistol. Anyhow, he pulled out
the contents of n of his trousers
pockets and planked them down on
the desk. That's the price O. the six
gum Among the trash mixed up with
the money was a bit Of metal. Furie
bounced on it. An that's the bullet
that wuz stuck in his rib! he shouted.
Dad got the shock Of his life, then.
It had never occurred to him in all
these years that Jerry hadn't COM
mitted suicide. Now, If Jerry had
killed himself, the bullet would be
gold.
1T was lead!"
I sat bolt upright in my chair and
Deacon all but leaped out of his.
Dad was stunned. He put Furie
out. It meant upsetting the assump-
tons of q lifetime, but he soon got
it straight. Do you see it, Uncle
John?"
"see it?" I shouted. "of course
I see It! And so docs Deacon. Lundy
hired Dillon. the ex-Flinkerton man
to trap Jerry. Dillon got him and
double crossed Lundy by persuading
Jerry to 60 in with him on something
bigger. Jerry agreed and he was
caught. Lundy naturally set Dillon
on guard outside the mine. AS soou
rs the crowd had gone, Dillon spoke
to Jerry, told him to push out the key
your father had thrust under the
door. Jerry. thinking he was to be
freed. obeyed. Dillon opened the door
and shot him.
why? Because he reasoned that
when Jerry felt q rope around hi:
neck he'd try to saw his own life b,
exposing the plot and naming his &C.
complete. Dillon saw no danger ir
shooting Jerry. He would report HI
had heard a shot in the mine. Thu
miners and your father would fine
the door locked, the key under it. ane
Jerry dead with his brothers pistol a
his side. one chamber exploded. Be
ing a stranger, he probably knew
nothing Of Peterson's gold bullets ane
he reasoned his alibi was perfect.
But before Dillon could get holt
Of Jerry's gold-mounted pistol ane
discharge it to account for the bull,
let hole in Jerry's body, Jerry, whit
was MORALLY wounded, managed t.
put q bullet in him. The impac
knocked Dillon down. Jerry was dy'
ing, but he penciled those few word'
we found. slowed them away in thu
cartridge case. and reloaded the gun
I expect he reasoned like this: I
he concealed 1t in an unexplodcd cart
ridge Peterson was bound to see tina
cartridge had been tempered with, 81
soon as be broke the gun to replace