The Washington times., 1938-03-05

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you?" he asked gently.
The posseman backed up. "She's
all right, st. Vrain. She run out
Of shells and we rushed the place
and found her. She's all right"
els that right2" POGO asked an
other posSeman.
Sure" the man sa i'd quickly.
POGO turned and tossed the gun
to Van and said nothing.
Van said Lets go somewhere
where we can talk"
Cooper set guard of soldiers
around the gold and they went
into the hotel lobby-Cooper
Shayne, Van, Kate and POGO.
Kate took a deep leather chair
and POGO sat on the arm of it.
II think I understand now,"
Van said to POGO.
Van sat down. mfr. Shayne,
you arranged to have the gold
shipped, didn't you?"
Eyes. signed the papers"
Van nodded. Where are the
men the company sent?"
POGO said, Dead" He explained
the killing of Shelton and Finger,
one by Cardowan in a stage
holdup, the other by q hardcase
named Conaghan at Silver City.
COVERS POCO'S RECORD
"And where were you?" Van
asked.
/ II was over at a fiesta in SAGA
ton county for one week"
Can you prove that?"
"A hundred people can"
Van said, But you stole the
goldp"
POGO nodded gravely.
And you got it back, didn't
youP"
Again POGO nodded.
Van sighed and said, "It would
be . mighty queer outfit that
would Jail you for that. You killed
Cardowan. We saw hiS-well, we
saw him on the tracks. He had
stolen the gold and you recov-
cred it,"
+ "Wait a minute" POGO said
slowly. IT thought you were
naming all the laws broke"
Vans face did not change. "You
rescued Miss Shayne from a kid
nap and will collect considerable
bounty for Cardowan's death. You
rescued me from a mob, you risked
your life dozen times to get the
gold back for the insurance COM
pany. What charge have they got
against you?"
Stealing it,"
CHAPTER XLIII
THE FUTURE HE HOPED FOR
WAS the money ever found in
your possession except when you
turned 1t over to the authorities
after you recovered it?" asked
Van.
POGO looked puzzled. mo"
WAS 1t ever known to be in your
posSeSsion?"
POGO looked at Kate. "Kate
knew it,"
A woman can't testify against
her husband. Any one else?"
"Shayne gave it to U.s."
Shayne said: "I'll be in Mexico
in a week on a new job. I'll re-
fuse to testify, and I'll fight extra
dition in case they try (which
they won't"
ANY one else?" Van asked.
1.-THE men there at the NINE"
"They're scattered all over the
country" Shayne put in. 1T would
cost a fortune to find them again,
and If they learned the circum-
stances the company would have
to spend another fortune getting
them together"
ANY one elSe?"
POGO, bewildered, shook his
head.
POGO FREE-ALMOST
Van leaned forward and said:
'"Then I don't see what case they
have against you, st. Vrain. Your
wife won't testify that you stole
it; Shayne won't because he won't
be there. The men won't because
1t would cost too much to get them
together. The company has every
single ounce Of dust. Why should
they spend money to prosecute a
man who's saved them a nice tidy
sum of money? You aren't impli-
Gated in either of the killings of
their agents. I'll testify you helped
me to try and recover the gold
after saving my life. You've rid
the country of the worst outlaw
it has ever Seen."
POGO looked from Van to Kate
to Shayne to Van again. You
mean I'm free?"
Not until you ride with me to
interview the company and let me
tell the story. At least, that's all
I'll hold you for" He looked at
Cooper. What about you, lieuten-
ant?"