Evening star., 1934-11-29
CHAPTER XIX.
NEW DAY DAWNS.


waiting to take him down tc his ONCE
as soon as that arrived. He had a
little conference on there that kept
him from coming out here. l char-
tered a plane and flew down, and the
minute 1 landed he sent me out here
after YOU. Ready to 60 on ln?'
Just wait until l get my hat ana
coat. And Dad, we can take Hero,
can't we?"
You bet we can. He used to go
fishing with me and Lon, you remem-
Der hello, old fellow. Still kind
of shaky aren't you?"
Hero showed him scant attention,
Growing deep in his throat, he made
a round of the room and stood before
the door.
Go for a ride in the automobile?"
suggested Marian. Go flnd your
leash"
His attention distracted, he went
for his leash, but not in his former
iovous manner. He walked Sedately,
and as they went down hill to the
car in which Gordon had driven from
town, he circled her constantly, as II
still intent upon guarding her from
unseen enemies.
Dad" said Marian, as they started
off, you said Mrs. McSwain was go
ing to need Silver. What did you
mean?"
"McSwain just did what he forced
his son-in-law to do, only he made
a thorough job of it. He's dead"
Marian started at the hill they
we're ascending. stared at the millions
of lights below, as they topped the
grade and skirted the skyline boule-
ward, then dipped down on the other
side.
How did it happen, Dad?" she
asked at length.
II don't know. Ian" he answered.
"We came out by the way of Dublin
canyon. There was another car with
us. with some of the district attor-
ney's men in it, going after McSWaln.
At the crossroads we met some Serv-
ants whose car had broken down 60
ing some place for Silver. They re-
fused to tell where. but they told us
McSwain had received a telephone
message and had then gone into the
garden Summer house, I be-
lieve, and :. finished off"
That Summer house. With DiaHo
looming up behind it, undisturbed in
its tranquility.
A few moments later they were driv-
ing up before the court house. Marian
hadn't seen it since the Brown bribery
trial. She blinked her eyes as they
came in from the darkness outside,
then stared in surprise.
~
friends and strangers. Hamlin, Cliff
Hondon, Nora Hondon, Anne and DR..
Steele, William Brown, few strange
mep and Lon.
Marian went straight to Lon, re-
strained an almost overwhelming de-
sire to throw her arms about him
and cry, but satisfied herself with sit
ting beside him, his arm about her,
one hand gripping hers tightly.
I'VE waited for you, Marian" the
district attorney said in greeting.
Thought you'd like to hear the whole
story"
Il would" she faltered. then,
"Will Lon have to 60 to trial?"
NO" her friend answered. There's
no one to charge him."
Mr.. McSwain's office?" she begged.
Digging up black and white proof
Of the material he was using in the
construction of the school. 1 figured
I'd have to take chance on robbing
him before he sent me to the pen, and
I couldn't stand by and let that build
ing go on the way it was going"
Marian looked to Clifford Hondon.
when did you arrive in town." she
questioned.
Yesterday. Came in on the Ma
lola, docked at noon and found half
the east bay waiting for me-"
THE reason I didn't call you"
Hamlin interposed, was because I
went back to the Steele apartment
remembered that on our way into
Reno that day you had talked about
your roommate Anne and her fiance
DR.. Steele. I figured these were the
same people
II told them about our interrupted
interview, said I wanted to help you
and didn't know how, and DR.. Steele
told me the facts that Mr.. Casad had
conf1ded to him."
That's where you went that night"
Marian said, turning to him.
Yes, I wanted to talk to some one
could trust, who wouldn't be preju-
diced one way or the other"
After what they told me-" Hamlin
continued. Il figured I'd better check
out and start for Honolulu to see Mr..
Hondon personally. I crossed the
bay and the next morning I chanced
to read in the morning paper a list
of passengers on the boat due in, and
found Hondon's name there, so I went
down to meet him"
But how did you happen to be
coming to the StateS?' Marian asked
Hondon.
u came because the district attor-
ney cabled me to-"
Well the district attorney took
up the tale, "in the meantime I had
had my Office check up on the two
men with whom your husband had
peen out the night the check was
cashed. I brought them in. They
confessed they had switched checks
on Mr.. Casad, at McSwain's orders
We couldn't a done different,
broke in husky voice, "he had it on
us, 1t was that or taking a trip to
the island"
Il believe that" said the district
attorney, "but I still can't see why
you'd let him place another man in
the same position"
They talked among themselves for
few minutes, then left the court
house for home some time later. the
faint gray of new day tinging the
sky above them. Marian and Lon
and Mr.. Gordon drove out to Lonian
Lodge, but while Mr.. Gordon was
ready to rest the moment he arrived,
the two younger people were restless.
Put on a heavy coat and let's 90
to the hilltop" suggested Lon.
With rugs over their arms, they
walked out to watch the day break,
Hero stretched out beside them, his
nose nuZZled into Marian'S free hand