TH EIR NAME
WAS LEGION?
6v Courtney
Ryley Cooper
¿Ae
Ac
WNB Servie«
(C ontili uad)
CHAPTER X
T h e S w a y o f J u stic e
[ something rar mors important—at
least to hlm I
When the streets of Bellalue became
ablaze again with the torches and gas
oline flares of their Illicit occupants,
It was with a surcharged air of un
certainty that appeared to pervade
everything. Bart learned the reason.
It was In the figure of a big man
who rolled down the center of the
sidewalk, a bandage about his head,
hla gait and his expression evidence
of the fact that the state of Intoxica
tion begun the day before had not
been allowed to wane.
•
"What they goln' to do with a
barbed wire fence, huh ?” he snei red
ns some frightened concessionaire ap
proached him. "Answer me that. Put
that fat-head mayor and hla tin-horn
marshal In it, to we can look at the
"It was very evident what had hap
pened,” reaumed Mrs. Jordan, "drunk,
he had wandered home, they had quar
reled and he had killed her. Jim stag
gered forth, gave lilmself up to the
first policeman he met— and confessed.
"It seems that after the arrest,
Bartholomew came forward as Jim's
friend and took charge of the baby,
stating to the court that he was send
ing It out West to be adopted by a
childless family. Then one night, In
the darkness of the Jail someone
■Upped a packet Into his cell. I t con
tained saws, money and an address—
the name of Frannlston out here In
monkeys. That’s all. Forget It — I
Wyoming. He sawed his way out of
told you that I ’d see you were all
the comparatively flimsy Jail and es
right, didn’t I?”
caped.
A week later he presented
"Bull” Frannlston had come out In
himself to Frannlston here In Bellalne
and asked for a Job. He was given the open. No longer was there any
one without question.
Nothing was concealment about tbe fact that It was
said to Indicate that Frannlston he who formed the bulwark upon
knew his ft-al Identity, nothing done which rested the hopes of Bellalue's
But Bart
to show that Frannlston had the slight unwelcome contingent.
est Idea that this man was the father walked on, knowing that many men
of the girl to whom Frannlston had awaited hla command at the mayor’s
given his own name, but whom he had home.
They came forth seemingly from a
not adopted.
So the relationship be
gan.
Then, a year later, the truth hundred places about the bouse as hg
dawned on Jim. Bartholomew showed reached tbe veranda and made himself
up In Bellalne, under the name of Bar- known to the sentry stationed there.
rows.
Frannlston could reveal the A moment later Bud Tarko, appearing
true Identity of the girl, and she would taller and slimmer than ever in the
be stained with the blackness of be shadows, slid forth, and In muffled
ing the daughter of a man who had tones began tbe giving of commands.
“Aw-rlgbt, you fellows. Don't wait
killed his wife.
So he bad Jim In
for no orders. Jam a dtp o' cart
his power.’’
"But was anything ever said to In ridges In them cannons and fix them
bayonets. I ’ve run out o* commands.
dicate that? Was—”
Hear me? Fix them bayonets I"
"Nothing.”
They soon were on the main street,
Bart Rogers stared nt the carpet.
“I t was strange that the officials murchlng toward town, the reflected
back East should team of Jim’s where lights gleaming on tlielr affixed bay
abouts so quickly—especially when onets, the rifles clicking softly with
they had been unable to find him for the Jar of the steady pace. A block
more and Bart brought his company
yeasa. I wonder If—”
to a h a lt Five minutes later, split
“Jim says that Qraham was the Jail
er back In Alkonla I suppose he was up Into three segments, the work of
the night was on.
bribed to sneak the saws Into the cell.
In the dance halls, pianos ceased
Anyway, there was an Investigation
suddenly to bang as determined ap
afterward and he lost his Job. Then
pearing men showed themselves In the
ba came out here. So there—” con
doorways, closed the places of e x it
cluded Mrs. Jordan, “la the story.”
and began to sift tbe crowds for the
For a moment Bart stood uncertain,
persons they sought
looking dully out the window, at the
The stockade began to fill. Bart
caaket-llke boxea which had been piled
sought the mayor.
on the front veranda. Then, with a
"We’ll have to start getting rid of
sudden resolve, he hurried up the stair
this crowd,” he announced. **Tbla
way and to the doorway of the room
place'll be Jammed In a minute. Don’t
Anita was In.
you believe you’d better start court / ’
•It'S Bart,” he announced when her
The mayor grinned and turned to two
faint answer had come to hit knock, of hla men.
“Bart Rogers. May I talk to you a
“Get me a table somewhere and con
moment / ’
fiscate a couple of those gasoline
Assent came from within. Bart torches. We're going to start building
opened the door, and walked Im a new city halU"
pulsively to the quiet, white-faced girl
Court proceedings were simple l
by the window.
“Guilty or not g u ilty /’
“I Just wanted to tell you that I ’ve
"Not guilty, your honor."
beard—the whole thing,” be blurted.
“All right. Go back there In the
stockade aod think It over." Then he
cocked hla bead toward the heavens
"Sorry we haven't got a roof there.
Looks a little like rain.”
”Er— er—guilty, your honor/
“Thanks. Always liked hoftesty. Just
for that. I ’ll let you off with a hun
dred and costa. Pay the gentleman
with tha alx-ehooter here and get out
of town on the 1:23.”
“Tea, sir, your honor."
"Thanks for tha donation. We’ll put
your name In the corner-stone of the
new city hall and Jail. Mr. Clerk, call
the next easel'*
Bart laughed, Joyonaly and happily,
and moved on. But at tbe corner he
baited.
Up In tha office of “Bull" Frannlston
a lamp was burning. Two men were
there—Bart could not see their forme
—but the shadows against tbe back
wall and celling were evident. It was
"Bull” Frannlston and tha man who
cared to ba known to the world only
I as Leon Barrows.
Plainly, from tha shadows, tha men
were quarreling.
“Give me back that memorandum I"
shouted “Bull.” "Bear me? Give me
back that memorandum 1”
A second'« pause, while the other
He man apparently pleaded for restraint.
"I’ve Heard— the W t > ' * Thln0.'
"Bull” flnng wide hla arms.
Blurted.
From across the street Bart Rogers
"And that I don’t care w»ho 7°»r ta saw the rrest form lurch forward. A
tte r Is or what ha'a done <7r~ ° r ,n y ‘ big hand went out to grasp about the
thing of the kind I T hat r u helD you standard of tha old oil lamp Then
In an»««ray yon say and t h *t 1—1 110 with another cursing demand, the
proud (b know you as |t! you were— giant form of "Bull" Frannlston
swerved forward, the lamp swinging
were a queen 1"
Then Just as sudden!/ • • he h*d high over his head as he raised It
spoken, he was silent ag-'ln> wlth • to send It erashlng toward bis unseen
strange, boyish bashfulneaa. , A second visitor. Higher, higher went the flam-
mdfc add hd’ Hsd closed tb J door b«f- th'g thing, farther tra^?!«d* theaiever
tin * bbn end was harrying 'down the like arm ae it summoned every atom
hall, seething Inwardly at hl« coward of lta strength, then—
ice—for Bart, as ho ,h a d . hurried up
A crash! A popping, puffing ex-
the stairs, had intended j^o Jell he»
of “Bull" Franniatou's office.
The
ancient bolt broke under the preeaure;
an Instant later Bart tumbled Into the
room, to rush toward the writhing,
flame-wrapped being which struggled
against the wall on the other side ef
the room. Barrows was gone— a glance
toward an open window leading to a
lower roof told Bart the method of
exit.
He finally succeeded In enveloping
Bull's hejd and shoulders In the heavy
cloth. A second more and steps sounded
on the stairs.
Bart, struggling to
evade and fight the flames at tbe same
(ime, turned excitedly.
"Quick, men!" he shouted, "hold
that stuff In front of you— and rush
hlm l"
They finally succeeded In smother
ing the flames and the parte of the
room that were abiaxe. Then Bart
turned to the injured man. His face
was swollen and distorted, his hands
clutthed and grasped in agony. Mum
bling words came dlsjolntedly from bis
blackened lips.
“He’s got the combination— he’s got
the combination— ”
Then, slowly,
gaspingly, “Bull” Frannlston lapsed In
to unconsciousness. Bart Rogers rose.
“Try to make some sort of a
stretcher out of these blankets,” be
JU N E 24. IW5
W hy suffer from headaches?
YOUR EYES
PARAGON CAFE
ALBANY
Examined
G E O . M- G IL C H R IS T
F. M. French & Son
Jewelers, Optometrists
A lb any, Oregon
died him, both hands prying at the
tight, clenched Jaws, to free the pa
per enclosed there. A moment later
he gained his objective and rote.
“Help me get him to the hotel," be
ordered. “I t ’ll be easier if we do It
before be regains consciousness.1'
The aide obeyed. Ten minutes latdr,
stretched upon a bed of tbe hotel,
Leon Barrows opened his eyes to find
a doctor, summoned from tb e room of
"Bull” Frannlston. examining the bul
let-fractured ankle. At the other end
of the room Bart Rogers was reading
“ PLATES
THAT
F IT ”
Orowne, bridge work and fillings. It wl(l
pay you to get my prices oo your dental work,
Cusick bank building, Albany
a crumpled paper :
“AG REEM ENT
“Bellalne. Wyo.,
“July 8. 1821.”
“In consideration and In payment for
the transfer of certain oil properties,
rights and privileges underlying tbe
laud contained In the northwest quar
ter of section 94, township 8, range 74,
said land known as the Rogers ranch,
tbe undersigned, Leon Barrows, does
hereby agree and promise to pay Eg
bert Frannlston of Bellalne, Wyo., the
sum of »190,00000 (one hundred thou
sand dollars) upon the satisfactory evi
dences of the presence of oil, and
agrees also, In consideration of the
transfer of fhese rights, to deliver to
ordered. “Then carry him up to the the said Egbert Frannlston any and
hotel and get a doctor as quick as you all letters, papers and Incriminating
evidence of whatsoever sort Implicat
can. Im afraid he’s done for.”
Bart foUowed the careful litter car ing him In the deaths of Martha U.
riers to a corner a block away. But Morrison of Springfield, Ohio, und
there he swerved, and, colling a strag Franklin Rogers of Bellalne, Wyo.”
gler from an arresting detachment as
“What’s this mean?” Bart asked In
It passed, he drew him aside.
a voice suddenly hoarsened. “What’s—“
“Come with me," he ordered briskly,
“It's all a lie. He made me sign
and, edging across the street, sidled to that thing—I don't even know what
the stairway of Frannlston’s building. It’s all about I —”
Bart crept up the stairs and Into the
“Stop that talking!”
shadows of the office.
For Bart’s steady gaxe had again
“Take that corner over there," he centered upon the crumpled lines of
commanded. “Don't move until I give typewriting :
the order.” His aide crawled cautious
“As a guarantee of the above, I,
ly to the blackness of a cubby-bole Leon Barrows, at one time known as
formed by the jutting end of a desk. Mason Bartholomew, hereby declare
A closet wag near by. Bart entered and affirm that I am equally guilty
It, leaving the door half open. Then with Egbert Frannlston In tbe deaths
he prepared to wait— bow long, or for of the persons above stated, and that
whom he did not know. An hour this statement la made to assure ttie
passed, while the street outside grad ■aid Egbert Frannlston that the In
ually quieted and the sharp, barking formation In my possession shall nut
orders of raiding Legion men grew
be used against him for the purpose
fewer and fewer. After a long time of defrauding him of the rights and
the night train whittled in, and re privileges of the above-mentioned
mained at the station far past Its
lands to be obtained under tbe will
usual departing time—all for the good of Franklin Rogers, or to avoid pay
reason that men and women, convinced ment of the guaranteed »100,000.00
at last that their presence no longer
as above stated.
was desired, were departing by the
“Signed, this 8th day of July, 1021.
wholesale for other fields, where, per
"LEON BARROWS.”
haps, they might be welcomed. It
“Ton killed my father!"
Bart's
brought a sense of relief to Bart
voice was hoarse, unnatural.
Tha
Rogers, a sense of victory and of—
Of tensity! For with tba “high thin hands of Leon Barrows writhed
ball'' whistle of the engine as the train la terror.
left the little station there esme a
“I did not. I ’m telling you! I did
■craping sound at the rear of the lung not I He made me sign that thing—
office, foUowed by the stealthy form of I was afraid of him— I —”
a tall, thin man at he clambered over
" I’ll see about that myself. Give
the window ledge and crept toward me the combination of that safe. Be
the aafel
quick about It—otherwise I'll go
through It with an acetylene torch !”
The teeth of Leon Barrowa sud
CHAPTER X I
denly began to chatter.
“I t ’»—It’s all a lie.”
“ B u ll” C o n fe s s e s
“Very well, then, prove It. Are you
A muttered curse came from the going to give me the combination to
shadowy figure that had entered, then, that safe?”
consulting a memorandum, he resumed
“Six— ” tbe man was staring at the
hts task of robbery.
celling and talking between dry, white
Tbe flashlight was laid on tbe floor lips—“one turn to the left to four,
of the safe, as both hands were occu then twice around— ”
pied In holding, for the moment, the
“W alt a minute. Mark that down,
desired thing, found at last. After
will you, doctor/’
that, tbe paper was folded and Jammed
"Eve already gotten 1L"
Into a pocket, the flashlight was ex
"Good. Oo ahead.”
tinguished; the man rose and—
When be bad the combination Bart
"Up with your bands 1” Bart had ran out, and over to the office of Leon
leaped from the closet and was cover Barrowa. It waa locked, but the shoul
ing the shadowy form with his re der of Bart Rogers was strong with a
volver. From the other corner of the new strength. One lunge and the door
room tbe aide came forth, bis rifle lev yielded. He went to the safe. An
hour later—
eled. “Up with 'em, Barrows I”
The room of "Bull" Frannlston was
The man in the shadows whirled.
He dodged and twisted, then with one dim with Its shielded light—and with
approaching death.
writhing leap made for the window.
" ’Bull,' " he said quietly, "I've gotten
Rart'a finger cramped on the trigger.
There was a flash of yallow flams and hold of your confession.”
“My w h a t/’
than tha wriggling form of a man on
"Your confession to the murder of
tha floor. Across the room the legion
naire had lowered hla rifle, and. his old Jim's wife back In Illinois and to
the killing of my father. I caagbt
bayonet ready for action, bad raced
Barrows stealing it out of your safe."
to a position In front of tha wounded
"He worked the combination, e h /'
man.
“Stop that crawling or I ’ll run you The whisper came with a great effort
¡through with thia bayonet I
Mr. — an effort that waa heightened by a
“What’s—wbat'e—he
Rogers! Oome here, quick 1 He's try sudden hate.
say?"
ing to stuff something Into his mouth!
“That you forced him Into making
He's trying te swallow something!”
that a g rv S m a n tw lth y o u j^ th n t you
Quickly Bart went forward, elahblng
threatened to kill hlm, anji-^-”
lila revolver and stunning tha fallen
“Did he say anything-about the cy
man with a sharp bl<u*. Leon Bar-
anide—” Tbe man strove to rise. aod
■ rows sank moUualM« add Bart strad-
PAGE 3
I ( you enjoy a goad meal,
.ind kaow a good meal whan you get it.
You’ll be back, tor yoa’ll not forget it:
Our aim is to please you.
Have
Dr. C. FICQ , Dentist
plosion. A roar which turned sud
denly to an agonized ecream.
The
lamp had traveled too far to the rear
The hand of "Bull” Frannlston had
crashed It against the wall, and now
he stood, a transfixed thing of scream
ing, horrible fear, while the burning
oil enveloped him In a creeping mantle
of death t
"Blankets!” Bart Rogers roared the
order as he raced across the street.
"Blankets— canvas— anything?"
A careening tent of a deserted "doll-
rack" stood near by where Its owner
had left It to travel to the stockade.
One great wrendh and Bart had torn
balf Its side away, and leaping up the
stairs, crushed against the locked door
RURAL E N T E R P R IS E
“ Did
He
Say Anything
Cyanide— 7“
About
the
dropped panting back to his pillow—
"the cyanide that he bought for me to
give— to give to Rogers? Eh? Look
It up. Make ’em show you the poison
book at the White Cross store In
Cheyenne. That's where he got It—
he'd have to sign for It, You'll know
his writing— even If he used a false
name— Did he say anything about—"
"Cyanide/* Bart had motioned the
doctor closer that he might serve ns
a witness. "What was it for?"
“For— Rogers, I told you."
“You killed him, then?”
“Barrows— and I — yes. I did It ac
tually. But he was the man who—’’
“W h e n /’
“The afternoon the oil came In. 1
telephoned— telephoned Barrows. He
— he said you were In town and to go
— to go ahead. I hurried to the house
—and— and made him swallow a five
grain capsule. He— he hardly moved."
Bart Rogers, white, trembling wltb
tbe surprise of the confession, rubbed
a band slowly over his eyes.
“Then—you'd planned for this—
this o i l / ’
"Yes— Barrows. He knew the geol
ogist."
"And you tricked my father Into
making that will?”
“He thought— lie thought It was a
mortgage. We got him to sign It Just
after be had hts first stroke, and then
dated It back three weeks. He could
still use hts right hand then—and we
held It for him to sign. His eyes were
bad. He could hardly see. We cut off
a mortgage bloak an Inch from
the bottom and magnetized— magnet
ized the paper with the will on— with
the will on It—on the other—other
aide. It's easler'n it sounds. Friction,
you— you know. Any—any kid can do
It. He thought he waa signing—sign
tng the mortgage. He signed the will
His eyes—his eyes you know. Bar-
rows did It all — he framed — he
framed every bit of It.”
"Tben It was tric k e ry /’
"What else— what else do you sup
pose?”
“There was a copy of It In hla safe
ty box.”
“Ransom—Ransom the clerk— was
In on the deal. I stole the old man's
key long enough for him to open the
box. He used—used to work for Bar-
rows. It cost—cost »1,000.”
“And the signatures— / ’
“Graham’s been— been one of our
bunch—ever—ever since he came out
here after the—after the Morrleon
trouble."
"Send—send for the district attor
ney !" Bull ordered. "Send—send for
him. I'U tell the trpth 1”
I t was late the next morning that
Bart Roger*. tired, yet strong, with a
nervous energy which recognized nei
trlct attorney just telephoned me thafl
he'd quashed a frame-up charga
against Tarko and that he'd gotten a
telegram from Illinois that the old In
dictment against your futher had beta
destroyed. He wasn’t guilty.”
The girl sighed—the quiet, heartfelt
sigh of a woman from whose ahoulderg
had fallen a tremendous, galling load.
Bart went on.
“Barrows confessed, too, about ari
hour ago. There wasn't anything els«
for him to do after tbe district attor
ney had read him 'Bull's* statement.
I t ’s rather a raephtato-llke story ta
revenge. Ho waa your mother's suttot
—Bartholmow."
“Yes, Mr. Jordan—”
"His apparent friendship bad beert
a mask. When— when you were born,
he thought that he saw a chance to
cause trouble and tent that anonymous
letter. He hadn't looked for anything
more than to disrupt the liapptneea of
your father and mother. Then, that
afternoon he heard your father wan
drinking and that he had bought a re
volver. Then the whole, grewsome,
horrible scheme came Into hla head—«
and It worked I"
"You mean—"
“Frannlston waa a gangster, an ex-
convtct whom Bartholomew bad been
protecting. He got Into communication
with him und bribed him. Then he In
veigled your father to hla house—and
tha drinks which be gave liltn, con
tained chloral. Your father went to
sleep In the house of Bartholomew, noc
to awaken until he found himself la a
half-atupor In hla own home, with hla
revolver clutched In hla hand, one
chamber empty, and your mother stUl
In death. 'Bull' Frannlston had taken
him there—and 'Bull' Frannlston had
fired the shot. Into tha aleeping man’s
hand he put the revolver and thereby-
condemned a man to tlie belief that he
waa a murderer.”
"The fiend 1”
“No”— Bart «hook hla head—“ha
was only a brute. The fiend was tha
man who worked on your father’s
fears and your father's Imagination
until he Instilled Into bis mind tbe de
sire to escape. The fiend was the man
who arranged the Jail break, then who
naw that your father was transported
to the pluce where 'Bull* Frannlstou
bad taken refuge, out here In Wyo
ming. The fiend was the man who fol
lowed. who changed his name, who
leered and sneered at a man who wr.e
forced to go through life, beltevlnj
lilmself a murderer, unable to reveal
hla own Identity to hla own daughter,
even while he watched that daughter,
mistreated. Insulted, beaten by a brute,
knowing that the moment he objected,
tbe moment he rebelled against the
earthly Inferno into which he would be
thrust, not only be would be con
demned as a wife-slayer, but his daugh
ter branded as the child of a murder
er. And that fiend was Batholomew,
better known as Attorney lAon Bar
rowa 1’’
The small hands of the girl clenched.
She walked Silently to the window. A t
last—
"Poor old Jim.”
Bart moved closer to her.
"We’ll try to make It up to him—
Anita.”
•'I—I— hope so, Bart.”
He touched her arm.
“Old Jim told me something one
night—Just before I waa rebbed of tha
power to—to try to carry out what be
gave me the hope of doing. He told
me that he'd—he'd help me. I wish— ”
and Bart laughed— “that ha’d hurry
back and start helping.”
Then It was Anita Morrison smiled,
aa she half turned from the window.
"Do you think you need hla help,
Bart?” she asked.
“I — I —“ Bart Rogers, suddenly Im
pulsive, ceased to ask questions. A
moment later a form, unobserved by
the two within, pasted the window,
curned, paused, and returned, the
•■longated, lanky, freckled Bod Tarko,
«ho stood scratching hla head for a
moment, tben leaned suddenly for
ward.
"For the love of Mike—break I" ha
ordered. “Don't you know them ten-
minute kisses la b arred /’
[T H E END.]
ther fatigue nor sleeplessness, stood
In the living room of the Jordan home
anxiously swatting a step on the stair.
He had won.
The town of Bellalne
was a town once more, and not a bed
lam. Those of Its unwelcome popu
lation who were not In the stockade
had departed, poorer and wiser— to
spread tbe word that the rifles and
bayonets of the American Legion, In
time of need, would protect the good
name and cleanliness of a model oil
town, Bellalne.
Locked In the bank
was some forty thousand, garnered In
fines which bad run all the way from
a hundred to a thousand dollars, de
pending upon the viciousness of the
banian coyotes who, at last, had found
their way Into the trap of the taw
It meant a new City hall, a new Jail—
and more worth-while appropriation to
ASH P A ID for f s lt e teeth , d en
support the city police force which
tal gold, platinum anil di»ar<ts4
would succeed Bart Rogers. His work
jewelry, Hoke Smelting and Refining
was done now—besides, out where be Co,, Otaego, Mich,
once bad labored, on tbe ranch, a for
tune awaited him, retnrned to lit
rightful owner through the confes
sion of a dying murderer.
Over In
Mannington, a sheriff's chair was va
cant, as was the post of a aafety-bux
clerk In the bank. Both now reposed
In the stockade, their first stop on the Efficient Service.
Mdtor Hearse.
long Journey that was to end— In com
M d y Attendant.
pany with the lean-faced Harrows—
Ilrow n avillc...
. . . . . . . ......O r a g im '
when the heavy gates clanged behind
them upon their entrance to Rawlins
penitentiary. And It waa with this
knowledge, thia security of thought
w . I_ W R IG H T
that Bart Rogers awaited the sound
Mortician & Funeral Director
of the step on the stair, A moment
Halsey and Harriabnrg
JaJer he -moved to w a rd the door, his
Call D. T a rto n , Halsey, or
Sands extended, lit« eyes beaming.
W, L. W a io HT, Harritbueg
“I've got a bit of good new« fo^ you,
A n ita.' They've— let Jim go The dis
C
D ELB ER T ST A R R
Funeral Director and Li
censed Embalmpf