The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-01-15

eyes and every muscle of his body
seemed to tremble.
cle's eyes, giving way to a bleak
fatality.
Name of God!" James Wayne
said, his voice low and thick. Name
of God!"
He turned his head and looked out
the window, across the darkening
fog; and that slight movement en-
phasized the stiffness with which he
sat, hardly seeming to breathe. BY
clear daylight you could see the bay
from that window, miles away and
far below. Nothing was to be seen
there now.
When James Wayne spoke again
his voice was fiat and dead. 1t was
as if their interchange was over,
with nothing more to be said, and
that the words he now spoke were
routine words, hopeless of result.
''If you've talked with your broth
ers," James Wayne said, ''you know
the situation here"
"Yes," said Dick.
Have you seen this man John
Colt?"
''Only at distance, SIR"
''I've seen him." James Wayne
said, speaking without emotion. "An
acquisitive and predatory type, al
most piratic type; but a man
born to succeed, in his way"
''But the girl I have not seen,"
Dicks uncle said now. "This Karen
Waterson - have you seen her,
Dick?"
Tonga Dick hesitated. "Yes," he
said at last.
Wayne demanded, his voice rising
little. docs she look hard? Does
she appear grasping-predatory?"
Tonga Dick stirred uneasily.
'No," he said after a moment.
"Yet she must be-" James Wayne
said, his voice vibrant. 'That girl
is evidently made of something
harder than glass"
II suppose, sir" Tonga Dick said,
''that nowadays all girls who make
their way in the world without help
must be a little bit hard. They
need to be-"
"This is different thing" James
Wayne insisted. when young
woman seeks profit for herself by
theft, and when that theft is based
upon calumny of her own grand
father, discrediting of the very
blood in her own veins"
James Wayne had always spoken
well; but at the same time he had
always spoken briefly, choosing few
words. Except for the curtness of
anger, Dick had never seen him
speak with emotion before. Now, as
James Wayne fell silent, Dick
wished that he were away.
"Dick," James Wayne said with a
deep conviction, ~ don't believe
she's his granddaughter at ALL"
''My brothers told me-" Dick said,
"that they had thoroughly investi-
gated that; they say that her claim
of identity can be substantiated In
any court"
~ don't believe it," the old man
repeated. "I'd disbelieve it in the
face of every court on earth"
Nevertheless" Dick said, "if
their claim can be substantiated In
court
James Wayne's eyes jumped to
Dicks face again. II want your own
opinion as to whether she is an inn
postor or not"
This time Dick was definitely rest
less under his uncle's gaze. 81 think
she's telling the TRUTH" he said.
The old man drew a deep breath.
He dropped his eyes with curious
effect of effort, as if it cost him a
great trial of self control. "But you
do not definitely know"
"No."
81 suppose" James Wayne said
YEARLY, 1--WE may assume that the
claim of relationship will be SUBJ
stantiated-at least to the satisfac-
ton of the court. Beyond that-be-
yond that, what is your impression
of her case?"
s'My advice" Tonga Dick said, lis
to settle at once, out of court, at the
cost OF any compromise whatever.
This case must never come to trial.
If it comes to trial, they will win.
A strange thing happened then.
The immobile, apparently bloodless
| figure of James Wayne suddenly gal
| vanized with such an explosion of
energy as Dick had never seen
James Wayne use. The old man
| shot straight up, and behind him
the heavy chair crashed onto its
back, and the blankets fell away to
muff1e about his legs. A white
blaze was in the old mans eyes, and
every muscle of his body seemed to
| tremble.
mol" he shouted mo, I sayi
Never while I live! Not one cent
| not one cent"
| The door opened and Charles
Wong was there, and his thick
glasses were beseeching upon Tonga