Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-01-19
ton persisted. Tell me what It VAST
Crane knocked Colton's hand from
hiS cloovo ond croccod RI a windovu r.

something exceedingly discOncerting
it was plain that she was checking and
baking Cranes plan.
Standing off by himself, Cotton Of.
fered no defense whatever. He had
become almost helpless in his terror
now. "What're we going to do?" he
begged abjectly of Crane.
'DO" Knocked Crane. BLOW
that's what we're going to do. But
first" and he leered across at Ber-
tram, well fix you'll"
"No!" cried Cotton. "No more here
Or"
Scared, eh?" Crane jeered at him.
swell, I'll handle this" He turned to
the negro. Get him strings-quick."
Strings" cried Cotton.
"Ah, shut up," growled Crane. A
few seconds later the negro hurried
in from the kitchen with a coil Of
clothesline. "Now," ordered Crane
CURLY, "get hold of him." Doctor Oar
and leaped to his feet start some
thing" snarled Crane, thrusting a
hand quickly in his side pocket. land
you'll never leave this house. Get
me-?
And Doctor Darand knew it was
useless to fight. Menacingly, Crane
and the negro came toward him with
the rope. They seized him and bound
his wrists, and he did not resist nor
cry out, for he knew his voice would
not carry beyond the heavy paned and
curtained front windows. They bound
his legs and sat him down and with
Cranes broom under his knees, tied
him, bent forward. in such position he
could not rise.
"All right" ordered Crane, breath
ing heavily. White-faced, Cotton left
the room, the negro following, and
went upstairs. After a couple of min
utes both of them came down again,
and Crane stepped into the hall.
There came sounds of whispering and
steps toward the front door. Then
Bertram heard the door close; he was
not turned so that he could see, but
he knew that they had gone, Crane,
Cotton and the negro. He was left
alone with the body of Billy Severson.
a door opened. Not the front door
this time; the steps came from the
kitchen. Who had come?
Bertram hunched himself around to
see better. The door to the pantry
swung back, and young man Doctor
H. I Il
in.
Bertram recognized the face now.
This was Eddie Pellen, Kitty Hewitt's
friend, for whom Kitty had sought
doctor on that night when he had been
shot; this was the youth whose life
Doctor Darand had saved that night
and who had later become his enemy;
this was Eddie the Immune" the gun
man.
"Well," demanded Eddie the I'M
mune" in a harsh voice, what about
it?"
"What about what?" Bertram asked
hollowly.
Look here, don't you get funny!"
Suddenly he skipped to the window,
parted the curtains and peered out.
He chuckled again and Bertram,
watching him, knew that he had wait
ed too long in this house which Crane
and Cotton and the negro had de-
serted. Pellen sided into the hall,
around the partition and out Of Ber-
trans sight Whether he went up
stairs or whether he went to the
rear Bertram did not know, but he
admired the immune ones nerve. For
whatever maneuver Eddie Pellen at
tempted, he had little time. The po-
lice were coming.
minute later they had arrived.
"Who are you?" demanded the po-
lice captain.
doctor Darand," answered Ber-
tram hoarsely, getting to his feet. His
knees felt shaky; he sat down in the
chair. 'I-was called here-profes-
sional visit"
"Who is this boy here?" pointing to
the motionless figure on the couch.
"What happened? What was"
A confusion of demands crowded on
Bertram, and more blue-coated police
men came in. Suddenly there was
feminine cry from the doorway. Der
tram!" 1t was Kitty Hewitt's voice.
He started She had never called him
that before. An officer was removing
the clothesline from his ankles, and as
Bertram twisted round to see her
fragrance that he well remembered
filled the air, and Kitty Hewitt's
arms were about him and her cheek
touched his.
She raised her head with a sigh Of
relief. "Thank God," she exclaimed
aloud. you're safe!" Then in his
ear: "Pellen-keep him out Of this.
He wasn't in!"
"What?" muttered Bertram.
Eddie Pellen wasn't in. So keep
him out Of this"
Bertram nodded.
"Say, captain" shouted police off,
Ger, "who d'you say we've found here?
That boy James MacLaren the depart
ment and the papers are maxim the
howl about!'
Look at i'm, captain!" urged an
other voice. cts MacLaren, all right"
"Good Lord!" exclaimed the cap
IL