Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Bend bulletin. (Bend, Deschutes County, Or.) 1917-1963 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1922)
PAGE THE BKXD lU'lXKTIN, VAlhX KDITION, HKNI), OUWOOX. HATI'IIIMV, JAM AltV 7, 10'JJ. lillS The ZStT..T. OF O COPYRIGHT, PV Tlie grin on Tlnrrls' Tuoe maddened nie. "Woll," 1 km lit colilly, "It was a stall, was II? Wlml Is the Idea?" He laughed, without changing his nttitude. "This happens to be our turn to play, Paly," he returnerf, apparently well yallslii.l with his smuilnes.i. "Then you have nothing to tell me?" "Oh, yes, I have; I've got a I I of a lot to U'll you. Hut first of all you nre going to tell me a few things. Push hack your right sleeve to the el bow, shirt and all." "What's that for." . "Never you mind what It's for; you do what I nay. If you know what Is best for yourself." I looked at the faces of the others, but they were hard as flint. My hesi tancy caused Harris to lower his feet, and sit up angrily. "Push up that sleeve, you, or Pll have Waldron do, it for you. We've got you foul, you fool !" I stripped back my sleeve, exposing my right forearm, yet never remov ing my eyes from their faces. Harris and Costipin bent forward. Intent on the operation, hut Waldron never shifted his position. Harris slapped a hand on the desk, and gave utter ance to an outh. "By G d, Dan, we're right. This bird's not I.ily!" "Not In a thousand years he ain't. He's sure a dendrlnger. though." Harris straightened up, the same hateful grin still exposing his teeth. "We've got your number this time, son," he announced. "Harry Daly has a tattooed anchor on his right arm. I didn't know It, but Dan did. I'll tell you what made us wise. In the shin dig over at Perond's tonight, a card case was jarred loose from your pocket. There was only one kind of card inside, and that wasn't Daly by a d n sight. I told Dan about it. and he was for getting n squint at that right arm. Said for me to cnll you up at the number you pave me, believing that if I threw in 'con' enough you'd come over here. I asked for 'G 14.r," the operator there named yer, and it was the same name what was on them cards. So now we know yer're a dirty liar and spy, Mister Philip Severn." "You called mo Daly yourself. Har ris," I said quietly, realizing the game was up, but not yet sure of their In tentions. "I merely let it go." "Sure: but what was the game? You ain't no fly-cop?" "Nothing of the kind." "Then you was uftcr the dough. That's what I thought : you and the pirl are iti cahoots. Well, what did you do with it?" I shook my head, but this only an gered Cost I gan. "Ah, stow that," he broke In rough ly, "we know you never got It, but she dirt. There ain't no other way It could have been done. The dame left with Alva. George here saw her go out with him. Then the next morn ing the guy was found dead, his pock ets rifled, and the hag of cash gone. How was he croaked do you know? Punctured from behind with some soiter sharp instrument, no bigger than a hat-pin. It looked like a wom an's job, hut she got away clean. And what then? The next night she turns up with you over at Perond's blowing In the coin, and the two of yer bavin" h 1 of a time. That proves yer Were together, don't It?" ' "We're not going to blow this to the police," broke in Harris, as Dan paused for breath. "That ain't the Idea at all. But we want, a share of that dough. You come across, and there won't be no more trouble." But suppose I don't? Suppose I tell you I haven't the slightest Idea where that money Is, or who got It? What then?" Harris grin was more malicious and hateful than never, but he waited and deliberately lit his slump of a cigar. "What then?" he echoed finally. "Well, In Ihc first place, we've got you, haven't we? You'll squeal, believe me, before you ever get out of our bands. See here. Severn, I ain't got any direct proof that'll put you In the chair nt Sing-Sing; that's true enough, but, unless the two of you cough up liberal, I'll turn sunielliing over to the police of this town what will give you a term In the jug, us accessory, and fix that fly dume of yours for oil time." "You are bluffing; you have no such proof." "Oh, hnven't I? Look here, you fool; do you know where I got that?" He whipped something from out the concealment of an Inner coat pocket, and flung It fully revealed onto the desk nn ornamental dagger, glitter ing In the light, which I as Instantly recognized, "Ever see that baby weapon be fore?" '.'Yes." njirt. I felt a sudden relief at THE LAEK$ $NDAUPAIIISH author or r THE, SfflANffE CASS CAVENDISH , $ IL-LUO 1 ic'.ni I WIN J J-WEIL RANDALL PA1RISH the discovery. "You slashed open my valise, nml found It." "Kxactly; that's what 1 did," evi dently proud of himself. "It was ar. easy euiHiuh trick. Just as sour, as I got eves on this pretty plaything I knew I'd got the slicker that put Alva out of business an' 1 knew where It come from." "Where?" "Oh, h I! do you think I ain't got any eyes? That skirt wore It In her hat when she and Alva went out to gether." "Oh. did she? This same pin, was it? Say, Harris, I wish I could be as bright as you think you are. And did you happen to observe also that the lady's hat was held In place by ex actly the same pin tonight when she was In Perond's? Well, it was; now how could It be iu your pocket and In her hut at th same time?" He stared at me, his mouth wide oen. mid 1 was equally amused at the expression upon the fures of the other two. 1 realized fully the peril I was In, and that these men would hesitate at nothing to obtain their end. Vet. In spite of all this, 1 was inexpressibly happy. 1 spiked their big gun with a single blow; moreover. I had learned the truth about her, and my faith in her Innocence came back In a tlood. Harris had done too much boasting; he had ruined his own case, lie hud placed the very weapon In my grasp which I most desired to have tth solute assurance that the girl herself was Innocent. The fellow felt, and realized, the change. "That's easy," he sneered. "She bought herself another. That proves nothing, except that she Is smart enough to play safe. Neither one of you can get away on that sort of dope." "Perhaps not; bnt It clears her of the murder charge." "Oh, does It? That remains to be seen. We know who she is, and thai is more than you do. oh, h 1. I got onto that over the wire: the only thing that interested you Into coming here was to learn who the dame real ly was. That's part of her play, as I figure It, Severn. She won't give her self away, but Is Just using yon. When she's good nnrl ready she means to fade, an' she ll take the dough along with her. You will have sold out for a few cheap kisses, an' that's all." He laughed coarsely. "She is stringing you for a fool. Come now, wake up, before It is too late, an' let's all get a hand In the pot ; what'de yer say?" "You still think I am that kind? One of your class?" I questioned, thor oughly angered by his sneering speech. "One of my class? I should say not; you nre the rawest kind of a mutt, but so far you've been In luck that's all. Now your luck has changed, and yer up against it." "What do you want me to do?" "Blow her; tell us all you know. We'll piny the game for you, and dl- I vide square." "You will let me out of here?" "Sure, once you give us the right steer." "And If I refuse?" He laughed contemptuously. "You're not going to; you've got too d n much sense. Hut Just to satisfy I'And If I Rofuse?" your curiosity I'll tell you. We've gol the girl spotted; we can lay our bunds on her In an hour; and, believe me, we've got the goods on the young lady. Here's the sticker that did the busi ness, mid I found It right where you had hidden It away. I can find three men they nre keeping nut of sight, iUt. I tun. i'.lt them uy who.'ll swear n i that she went away alone with Alva from thai factory over there; Hint he had the hag Willi htm, and that th two got Into Iho auto together. That makes one It 1 of a straight case, don't It?" "The way you put It yea. Hut what good will It do you follows to havo her pinched? Where do you gain iinyiiiiug?" "Time; It blocks the get-away with the swag. That's all wo want. See here, Severn, we know where the stuff Is planted ; at least we've got nn Idea. hut we've got to work slow and cau tious In order to lift It. If It wasn't for that we wouldn't euro if she sklpivd. If you'll help us to gel quirk action, we'll let the girl go, and give yon a share, lake my word for It, that's a d n sight more than you'll ever get by staying with her." "Hut If she tlnils out that I have turned her down?" "She won't never llud It out ; we'll keep mum. Besides, you're doln' her a Konrt turn, keeplu' her out of the electric chair. Well, there's the prop osition you can leavo It, or la!e II.1 Serious as the situation was, 1 could not fall to see Its absurdity. This was no threat to frighten me; the fellows meanc what they said, although I doubted If they really possessed the knowledge claimed so glibly. Bui they evidently meant to go on : they were not Mulling, for they really hml an ugly case, and could undoubtedly make trouble. The evidence against the girl was strong, almost convincing; It even shook my own confidence In her In nocence. The absurdity of the situa tion lay in my absolute Ignorance. I knew even less than they pretended to know. What should I do? Protend, manufacture some story? I had no faith It would work. These fellows were criminals, suspicious and unscru pulous; they would only believe what I could prove. If they caught me In a deliberate lie, as they probably would, that would Instantly end every thing. I might, then, Just as welt fight It out with them now as later. I set my teeth, ready for what 1 felt sure was coining. "You fellows have sized mo up wrong," 1 said quietly, but firmly. "I am not the kind to squcul becauso of a threat. You'll And I'll protect the lady, but I'll do It in my own way not yours. The honest truth Is, I haven't anything to tell. You won't believe that, but it is so. 1 know less than you claim to know. 1 have no knowledge of where the money Is, or who got It. 1 do not know who killed Alva ; even now I haven't any suspi cions worth mentioning. But I will say this plainly 1 do not believe this girl did It, or that she had any hand in the robbery. I am going to stay with her till h 1 freezes over, If thnt is what you want to know. That's my answer, Harris, and It Is all I've got to give you." "You d d curl we'll show you somethlnlg!" ... . .... (iir((! t CUPPING llevn I lie Injury was a serious one. I eoidd UNO my lliiibs, Sallslled on this point, mid assured thai I was alone, I braced myself on one arm, and, In u sluing posture, endeavored to survey my RurroiiudlugN. I was resting on the floor of n bare room of ordinary size, containing mi vestige, of furniture. The place was cold, with that Indescribable chill peeu Mar lo iiuused apnrimenls, and through the nn window, which was unshaded by a curtain, Hiured the direct light of an almost full mnoti, In this silvery light every bit of Hint Itilerlor aloud revealed III lis hideous bareness, the roughly Mulshed walls, the patches of plaster scaled off, Hie dirty floor, Iho single door and window, Hie rags amid which I rested. It was u Iioh'Icns scene. I staggered to my fool reeling a moment like a drunken man. and thou Dually found my way along the side wall to Iho window. My strongl)! In creased as 1 advanced, nnd courage was born with II 1 was not dead; I might tuifflr those villains yet. They must have felt that I was safe eunuch Iu this place; thai, even If I regal;. oil eousolnusiicss, no escape was possible, for Ihcy had left no guard. A glanci without revealed the reason for such conlldeuee. I was four stories up. a sheer brick nail below, and. lit tin bottom, a concrele walk. There win uoihlng between to cling to unless It might be the narrow coping of stom Just beneath I he window sill. I slarei! at this, almost hopefully, for an In stnnt; then turned my eyes away with a shudder; II was scarcely as broad as the sole of my shoe and lo think of creeping along there was merely (lie dream of a iiindiunn. The bright moonlight flooded ever) thing nbout, yet I saw nothing fnmlllar; I was evi dently at the back end of a house, with others closely set on either side. and an alley beyond a small, enclosed IP YOU 5LUC YER. SKIN DON'T nUN DOWN ANYBODY'S RELIGION. V I ' i . l Alt LK ,! fa (mm Broadway at Stark Portland, Orb. It's convenient location in the heart of the city's activities and it's prox imity to the shopping and amusement centers during the Holiday Season, is merely another of this famous Hotel's attractions. Arthur H. Meyers Manag 1 B UTTER MADE IN BEND Is a I'll re, Wholesome, Sanitary Product, deserving of Ueiid's undivided support. WH11- ASK YOU II GROCER FOR BEN I) MADE BUTTER. It Always Satisfies SATISFACTION is the essential factor in Auto Repair Work THE BEST WORK TOR THE LEAST MONEY That is what you get from us. We Specialize in Dodge Repair Work A. W. Bontrager 135 Greenwood Avenue Otflct Slogan. If "illelnled bin not lead" Is a good biislnessllko slogan for Ilia head of Iho house, whal's the mailer wit li "added hill not balanced" fur Hut rashliir, or "slumped hul not mulled" fur the of Ilea boy? Leslie's. The tenderness of STEAKS depend" much on how they are cut Try Our Steaks Wc think they will please you. O'DONNELL BROS. I fln..,Cu,.'... .. BEHD. OREGON