The Coolidge examiner., 1932-01-01

They're not hoods mister" said
Stanton. They're boy scouts gone
wrong. I'm not protecting them
Their own foolishness protects
them, or should"
what have you to show it? The
case against them seems clear
These men try to take the Dutch
Mill. There were three whom the
people saw. There were, of course
others near the door. You assume
there weren't, and so you conclude
the three were simple-minded. Most
of the customers in there were
sheep when they were scared, but
Clayton wasn't. Can you imagine
him taking stick-up that way? He
started to clean out these hoods,
and at his first move one of them
back Of him shot him. Then they
all lost their nerve and ran. There
your story. It's not only plausible
it's insistent."
ITS also worthless" said Stan
ton, smiling. 1T doesn't take into
account why Clayton was in the
Dutch Min. He was put there to be
killed and that wasn't done by the
fellows who only wanted the cash
and ornaments of the customers"
How do you know that?"
ITS partly guessing, as usual. A
customer named Neutrality-suspicious.
or Buck, Trembly-had been sitting
at a table near Dunn. He vOlun-
teered to tell the story. He told il
too well. He had seen too much. al.
though he explained that plausihly
Ny impression was that he had
gone there to find Dunn. and that
Dunn was astOnished to see him
That assumes that they knew each
other. | think they did | think
Dunn knew at once that he was in
for trouble and was sorry for it.
not because he had any fear but
because it would spoil his re-
spectability. | doubt that he sus-
pected Buck of planting a killer on
him. He'd expect Trembly to dc
his own"
"Oh, wait a minute Stanton !" the
states attorney interrupted. "Can
you honestly think that there's even
semblance of probability or plausi-
bility to that? How do you know
they knew each other? Who says
they did? Did Trembly say soi
How do you know Clayton was
planted there? | don't think you're
quite reasonable. You say simple
case is no good. and then you pro
duce what really is a fantastic one. y
Isn't it the truth. miSterT said
the lieutenant. But that's the way
the police business goes now and
then. Why don't you stick to your
st0ry2 1t will get you few head
lines. Leonine Young Prosecutor
Promises Swift Justice for Dutch
Mil Bandits States Attorney Cor
valeski Aroused by Outrage. Hang
ing Horde Demands Rope for Kill
erS.'"
"Oh, 90 on with your story" said
the states attorney.
"Tll have to because I've been
holding out on you. I'll let you
judge in a minute whether Dunn
was epticed into the Dutch Mill AS
sumo he was. ! connect that with
Trembly. | guess that Buck had
some reason for killing Dunn and
that he intended to make sure of
it by having some other man do ii
while Dunn thought he had only
Buck on his hands. | happen to
know Dunn Clayton a little more
than by his reputation" said the
lieutenant. Il knew him in the
war"
"Oh, yes" said the states attor-
ney. 81 forgot. You were in the
war"
Go to HI" said Stanton. "You
weren't. But don't let that worry
you. Lots of other politicians
weren't, and the ones who were in
it kept it from being a really good
war. But never mind that. You
couldn't help it. The point is, Dunn
was man to have some enemies
Say Buck was one of them. Dunn
was smooth and cool and sometimes
hard. My guess would be that he
and Buck sat looking at each other
and knowing that there was mur.
der coming. l don't know much
about Buck, never having seen him
until Dunn was dead, but I'll guess
that Dunn sat there thinking he
could beat whatever started. Only
he didn't see it start. Now, said
l had been holding out on you.
took letter off Dunn before they
made a search of his pockets. A
little quiet exploration sometimes
helps. Here's the letter."
He handed it to Corvaleski who
read it aloud:
Dunn, Old Dear-I have been in
town so short a time that | have
just learned you were here. | must
leave Monday. 1t seems impossible
to see you and wholly impossible
M fA l.