The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-08-06
shack to find TwOmbley and Car
lin. He calls frantically, "ROsev


Rose was seated opposite the
men, her elbows on the table, hel
chin cupped in her hands. Alive
and well-and morose. A frowr
creased her forehead, her brown
eyes had contracted, her red lips
bent firmly downward.
Hello, Jerry. Don't listen tt
these birds. They've been trying
all afternoon to jolly me into sell.
ing or force me into it. And
won't"
Jerry leaned heavily against
the doorpost. "You're not hurt?'
"Only threatened"
Twombley significantly tapped
hip pocket. Don't start any
rough stuff, Glidden."
mo, DON'T" Rose supplement-
ed. 'It wouldn't be fair to these
gentlemen. They couldn't re-
taiate. You see, if I was dead,
couldn't give them Break O. Day
Iron for hundredth part of what
I've thought it must be worth
ever since they showed me how
badly they wanted it."
Carlin still considered Glidden
Shifted from the girls view, that
gray face rippled into cunning. A
sly smile twisted the thin lips
One gray eye winked:
81 don't know what interests
you represent, Mr.. Glidden; but
from what my friend Mr.. Twom-
bley tells me of your activities it's
clear you've found out, the way
we have, that this old dumps still
capable of producing little fifth
grade ore for perhaps two or three
year IT.
"We've got past the land re-
clamation bluff long ago, Jerry"
Miss Walker calmly broke in.
There was merely a legitimate
business strategem." explained
Carlin. "This clever lady saw
through it, and we admire her
sagacity."
$50 much so, you couldn't bear
to part with me. Redhead dove
for his gun every time tried to
break away"
Twombley cursed, but: the ad-
venturous insurance agent from
Albany winked again at Jerry
"Well, as I say, the things not
worth much; but we want to be
fair to her. Now, Mr.. Twombley
thinks you've got her interests at
heart even more than we have,
and more than you have the in
terests of your mere employers
In fact, being a sentimentallst, ne
thinks there's romance between
you, and if he's got that straight,
I congratulate you both. All
right. Just use your influence to
make her appreciate the hberallty
of our offer. Well give her ten
thousand cash down and sign o.
yer five per cent of the preferred
stock as soon as we're incorpora-
ted at Doncaster tomorrow"
Heaping new assumptions upon
old, Jerry thus enviSaged what
had happened:
Joe Slim, in Twombley's debt,
learned, through some accidental
discovery of his sister, resident
here, the probable new value of
Break O. Day Mine and dropped
a boasting hint to Twombley, who
having had forebears in 1ronburg
readily credited it. Twombley
sought Carlin's aid. 1nnocently
Bower examined and confirmed
specimens sent Carlin by Angie al
Joe's' request. But capital was
required. Twombley and Carlir
insured Joe in Twombley's behalf
Somehow the plotters forged q
suicide letter, then murdered Joe
so that the effect would seem that
of self destruction and so that the
body would be washed ashore al
convenient spot.
Here, apparently, was the pre-.
liminary crime.
Not, however, the last. 'Mur-
der will out"-yet only because
it develops too much momentum
The first offense entails others
Sooner or later human imperfec-
ton makes a slip and the final,
Is SS