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