4
THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE
Big
0Bt W
CopyrighV by Wjlliam. MacLeod
CHAPTER XIX, CoiUfnuodl
"Tlio pcrHim Inside wouldn't take no.
miss, for nn answer.
"He wn like us, wasn't lie? Did he
give his name?" asked the young
woman.
"No, miss. Just snld ho was from
the Omnium club."
Whltfonl and his daughter ex-,
changed glances. "Same bUHlnexs we're
on. Announce us and we'll go right i
In." I
They were on his heels when he gave I
their names. . J
Bromfleld started up, too into to pre
vent their entrance. He stood silent i
for n moment, uncertain what to do, I
disregarding his fiancee's glance of hos
tile Inquiry lifted toward the other'
guest.
The mining man forced his hand.
"Won't you Introduce us, Clarendon?"
he asked bluntly.
lleluctantly their host went through
tho formula. He was extremely un-
easy. There was material for an ox-'
plosion present In this room that would
blow him sky-high If a match should
bo applied to It. Let Durand get to tell
ing what ho know about Clarendon and
the WhltfordH would novcr speak to
him again. They might even spread a
truo story that would bar overy house
and club In Now York to him.
"We've heard of Mr. Durand," said
Beatrice.
jjit iohu cnnuciigeu uio attention 01 i
the gang lender. The brave eyes flashed
defiance straight at him. A pulse of
anger was throbbing In the soft round'
throat. ;
Inscrutably he watched her. It was !
his habit to look hard nt attractive
women. "Most people have," ho admit' I
ted. !
"Mr. Lindsay Is our friend," she said. .
"We've Just come from seeing him." '
The man to whom she was engaged j
. . . .t
nou ween put through ho many flutters'
of fear during thc last twelve hours
that a new one more or less did not
matter, But he was still not shock
proof. His' fingers clutched tighter the
arm of the chair.
"W-what did he toll you?"
Beatrice looked Into his eyes and i
read in them once more stark fear.
Again she had a feeling that there was I
something about the whole affair she
had not yet fathomed somo secret
that Clay and Clarendon and perhaps
this captain of thugs knew.
She tried to read what he was hiding,
groped In her mind for the key to his
terror. What could It bo that ho was
afraid Clay had told her? What was
it they all knew except Lindsay's
friends? And why, since Clarendon
was trembling lest It bo discovered,
.should the Arlzoiian, too, Join the con
spiracy of silence? At any rate she
would not uncover her hand.
"He told us several things," sho said
significantly. "You've got to make open
confession, Clary."
The ex-puglllst chewed his cigar and
looked at her.
"What would he confess? That tho
man, with him murdered Collins?"
'.'That's not true," said the girl
quickly.
"So Lindsay's your friend, eh? Dif
ferent here, miss." Jerry pieced to
gether what tho clubman had told him
and what he had since learned about
her. Ho know that this must bo the
girl to whom his host was engaged
"How about you, Bromlleld?" he
Hiiecred.
The clubmun stiffened. "I'vo nothing
ngiilnst Mr. Lindsay."
"Thought you had."
"Of course he hasn't. Why should
ho?'' asked Beatrice, backing up Clar
endon, Durand looked at her with a bold In
solenco that was nji Insult His eyes
moved up and down tho long, slim
curves of her figure. "I expect ho could
find u handsomo reason If ho looked
nround for It, miss."
The glrl'B father clenched his flat A l
nusn or anger swept hla ruddy chocks, j
Ho Jield himself, however, to tho sub-
jeet.
"You forget, Mr. Durand, that Lind
eay was his guest last night"
Jerry's laugh was n contemptuous
Jeer. "That's right. I'd forgot that. He
, wo your guest, wasn't ho, Bromfleld?"
'" "Whut's the good of dlBcuBslhg It
.' hero?" asked tho tortured host
"Not a bit," admitted Whltford. "Ac
ftlona talk, not words. Have you socn
'the pollco yet, Bromfleld?"
' "N-not yot"
"Whut's ho gonna seo tho pollco
about?" Jerry wanted to know, hla chin
Jutting out.
"To tell them that ho saw Collins
draw a gun and heard shots fired," rc
tort ad the mining man instantly.
"Not what ho'a been tellia' me. noil
net pull any euch story-not unless he
' wants to put himself In a cell for life."
"Talk mm. You can't frighten
Brtmfl&ld. lie knows that's foolish-
.Tha crook turned jle-
- Town ,:
wm
bund
by
illiffmMacleodRqine
IDustrirtioiis by
Raine
( nslve eyes on the victim lib was tor
turing.
Certainly the society man did not
look n picture of confidence. The ,
shadow of a heavy fear hung over him. I
The telephone rang. Bromflcld's 1
trembling, fingers picked up the trans-j
mltter. Ho listened n moment, then !
turned It over to Beatrice.
"For you."
Her pnrt of the conversation was
limited. It consisted of tho word
"Yes" repeated at Intervals and a con
cluding, "Oh, I'm so glad. Thnnk you."
Her eyes were sparkling when Bhe
hung up.
"Good news, dnd," sho said. "I'll tell
you later."
Durand laughed brutally as ho rose.
"Good news, eh? Get nil you can.
You'll need it. Take that from me. It's
straight. Your friend's In trouble up to
tho neck." Ho swnggered to tho door
and turned. "Don't forget, Bromfleld.
Keep outa this or you'll bo sorry." Ills
volco was like tho crack of a trainer's
wh,p to anlma,s 'n circus.
For onco Bromfleld did not Jump
through the hoop. "Oh, go to tho devil,"
ho said In Irritation, flushing angrily, j
"Better not get gny with me," nd-1
vised Durand sourly. ;
After tho door had closed on him
there was a momentary pause. The 1
younger mnn spoke awkwardly. "You I
can tell mo now what It was Mr. LInd-1
sny told you." !
"We'd like to know for sure whether ,
you're with us or with Durand," said
Whltfonl mildly. "Of course wo know I
thc answer to that. You're with us. J
B"t we want to hear you Bay It, flat-'
fo?;" . 1
of courso 1,0 wIUl yu- T,,ut ,8' ,
' d llko to bo But 1 don,t wnnt 10 80t I
Into trouble, Mr. Whltfonl. Can you !
,),n,rao mo for thnt?" I
ru wouldn't get Into trouble," ar-1
fuctl hf ,n,ne ow"-r '"Ptlently. "I
Iffinn tnlllnrr t'nil Hint
I " J
Beatrice, watching the younger man i
closely, saw as In a flash the solution
of this mystery the explanation of tho
tangle to which various scattered ,
threads hud been leading her.
"Are you sure of that, dad?"
"How could ho be hurt, Bee?"
The girl let Bromlleld have it straight
from the shoulder. "Because Clay
The Girl Let Bromfleld Have It,
Straight From the Shoulder.
didn't kill that man Collins. Clarendon
did It."
"My 0 , you know I" ho cried,
nshen-faccd. "He told you."
"No, ho didn't tell us. For somo ren
son he's protecting you. But I know
it Just tho sarao. You did It."
"It was In sclf-defonse," ho pleaded.
"Then why didn't you say bo? Why
dld Jm lct ?,n,y uo ntead of
""" ..
. 1 n8 waiting to seo If
ho couldn't
show ho was Innocent "without"
"Without getting you Into it. You ,
I wanted to bo shielded at any cost" The j
scorn mat intolerant youth has for
moral turpitude rang In her clear voice
"I thought maybe wo could both gel
out of It that way," ho explained
weakly,
"Oh, you thought 1 As soon as you
eaw this morning's paper you ought to
havo hurried to tho pollco station and
given yourself up."
"I was 111, I keep telling you.'
"Your man could telephone, couldn't
he? lie wasn't 111, too, was ho?"
Whltford Interfered "Hold on,
honoy. Don't rub It in. Clarendon was
a bit rattled. That's natural. Tho
question is, what's ho going to do now?"
Their host groaned. "Durand'll see
I go to tho chair and I only struck the
man to save my own lifo. I wasn't try.
lag to kill tha fellow. Uo was shooting
at me, and I had to do it"
"Of course,". . agreed JJhltford.
"We've go! proof of Huff. Lindsay Ts I
one witness. He must hnve seen It nil. )
I'vo got In my pocket one of the bullets
Collins shot. That's moro evidence.)
Then"
Beatrice broke In excitedly. "Dad,
Mr. Muldoon Just told me over tho
phone that they've got tho express '
wagon. The plank with the bullet
holes was In It And tho driver has ,
confessed that he and a carpenter, ,
whose name ho had given, chnnged the
partition for Durand."
Whltford gave a subdued whoop.
"We win. That lets you out, Claren
don. The question now Isn't whether
you or Clay will go to the penitentiary,
but whether Durand will. We can show i
he's been trying to stand In the way of
Justice, that he's been cooking up fulsc
evidence,"
"Let's hurry I Let's get to the police
right away!" the girl cried, her eyes
shining with excitement. "We ought
not to lose a minute. We can get Clay
out In time to go home to dinner with
.us."
Bromfleld smiled wanly. He ennic to
time as gallantly ns he could. "All
right. I'm elected to take his place, I
see."
"Only for a day or two, Clarendon,"
said the older man. "As soon as we
can get together a coroner's Jury we'll
straighten everything "out."
"Yes," agreed the clubman lifelessly
It was running through his mind nl
ready that If ho should be freed of the
murder charge, he would only hnve
escaped Scylla to go to wreck on Cha
rybdls. For It was a twenty-to-ono bei
that Jerry would go to Whltford with
tho story of his attempt to hire the
gang lender to smirch Lindsay's repu
tutlon.
It must be admitted that when Brom
lleld made up his mind to clear Lindsay
ho did it thoroughly. Ills confession
to tho pollco was quiet and business
like. He admitted responsibility for
the presence of the westerner at the
Omnium club. He explained that his
guest had neither gambled nor taken j
any liquors, thnt he had come only as j
a spectator out of curiosity. The story
of the killing was told by him simply j
and clearly. After he had struck down
tho gunmnn, he had done a bolt down- j
stairs und got away by n back alley.
Ills instinct bud been to escape from J
the raid and from the consequences of
what ho had done, but of course he '
could not let anybody else suffer In his
place. So he had come to give him
self up. '
The lnte afternoon pnpers carried j
the story that Clarendon Bromfleld,
well-known man about town, had con
fessed to having killed "Slim" Collins
and had completely exonerated Lind
say. It was expected that the latter
would be released Immediately.
He was. That evening he dined at
the home of the Whltfords. The mine
owner had wanted to go on the bond
of Bromfleld, but his offer hnd been
rejected.
"We'll hear what the coroner's Jury
has to say," the man behind thc desk
at headquarters had decided. "It'll
not hurt 11 1 in to rest a day or two In
the cooler." t
After dinner the committee of de
fense met In thc Red room and dis
cussed ways and means. Johnnlo and
his bride were present because It
would have been cruel to exclude them,
but for tho most part they were silent
members. Tim Muldoon arrived with
Annie MUUkan, both of them some
what nwed by the atmosphere of the
big house adjoining thc Drive. Each
of them brought n piece of Informa
tion valuable to the cause.
The mnn In charge of thc blotter at
tho station had told Tim that from a
dip called Fog Coney, one of those nr
restcd in the gnmbllng-house raid, an
automatic gun with two chambers dis
charged had been taken and turned In
by those who searched him. It had re
quired some maneuvering for Tim to
get permission to see Fog alone, but
he had used his Influence on tho forced
and managed this.
Fox was a sly dog. He wanted to
nuke sure on which sldo his bread was
buttered before ho became communi
cative. At first he had been willing
o tell exactly nothing. Ho had al
ready been seen by Durand, and he
had a very pronounced respect for thnt
personage. It was not until he hnd
becomo convinced that Jerry's star was
on tho wane thnt he had "come
through" with what Muldoon wanted.
Then ho admitted that ho had picked
tho automatic up from tho floor where,
Collins had dropped it when ho foil.
His story further corroborated that of
tho defense. Ho had seen "Slim" firo
twice beforo ho was struck by tho
chair.
Clay summed up In a sentence tho
result of all tho evidence they had
collected. "It's not any longer a ques
tion of whether Bromfleld goes to pris
on, but of Durand. Tho fellow has
sure overplayed his hand."
Beforo twelve hours moro had
passed Durand discovered this him
self. He had been too careless, too
suro that ho was outside of and be
yond tho law, At first he had laughed
contemptuously at tho advice of his
henchmen to get to cover beforo it
was too late.
"They can't touch mo," ho bragged.
They daren't"
But it came to hlra with a sickening
realization that tho district attorney
meant business, no was going after
him Just as though ho wero an ordinary
crook.
Jerry began to uso his "pull" There
reached htm presently that snmo sink
ing at tho pit of tho stomach ho had
known when Clay had thrashed him.
no learned that when a lawbreaker
Is going strong, friends at court who
aro under obligations to him aro a
bulwork of strength, 'but when one's
power is shaken politicians prefer to
take no risks. No news spreads moro
rapidly than that of the impending
fall of a chieftain. The word wns
passing among the wise that Jerry f
Durand won to be thrown overboard.
Durand tried to mnke an appoint
ment with Whltford. Thot gentleman
declined to seo him. Jerry persisted.
He offered to meet him nt one of his
clubs., He telephoned to tho house,
but could not get nny result more sat
isfactory than tho cold voice t)f n serv
ant saying, "Mr. Whltfonl does not
wish to talk with you, sir." At last
he telegraphed.
The message read:
"I'll come to your house nt eight
this eveplng. Better see mo for mis
slc's sake."
It was signed by Durund.
When Jerry cnlled he was admitted.
Whltford met him with chill hos
tility, lie held the telegram In his
a.w
"What Does This Message Mean?" He
Asked Bluntly.
hand. "What does this message
mean?" he asked bluntly.
"Your daughter's engaged to Brom
fleld, ain't she?" demanded the ex
prize fighter, his bulbous eyes full on
his host.
"Thnt's our business, sir."
"I got a reason for nsklng. She 1b
or she ain't. Which Is It?"
"We'll not discuss my daughter's af
fairs." .
"All right, since you're so d d par
ticular. 1 We'll discuss Bromfleld's. I
warned him to keep his mouth shut
or he'd get into trouble."
"He vas released from prison this
afternoon."
"Did I say anything about prison?"
Durand asked. "There's other kinds
of grief beside being In stir. I'vo got
this guy right."
"Just what do you mean, Mr. Dur
and?" "I menn that he hired me to get
Lindsay In bad with you nnd tho girl.
Ho was to be caught at the Omnium
club with n woman when the police
raided the plnce, and it was to get In
to tho papers."
"I, don't believe It," snld Whltford
promptly.
"You will. I hnd n dictagraph In
the room when Bromfleld came to see
me. You can hear It all In his own
vole." '
"But there wasn't any woman with
Llndsny at Maddock's when the rnld
was pulled off."
"Sure there wasn't. I threw Brom
fleld down."
"You arranged to have Lindsay
killed instead."
"Forget that stuff. The point is
that if you don't cnll off the district
attorney, I'll tell all I know about
son-in-law Bromfleld. He'll be ruined
for life."
"To hear you tell It"
"All right. Ask him."
"I shall."
"Conspiracy, is what tho law calls
It Maybe he can keep outa stir. But
when his swell friends hear it they'll
turn their bncks on Bromfleld. You
know It."
"I'll not know it unless Mr. Brom
fleld tells me so himself. I don't care
anything for your dictagraph. I'm
no eavesdropper."
"You tell him what ho's up against
nnd he'll come through nil right. I'll
seo that every newspaper In New York
carries tho story If you don't notify
mo today that this attack on mo is
off. I'll learn you silk stockings you
can't mnke Jerry Durand tho goat"
Whltford announced his decision
sharply. "If you'll leave mo your tele
phone number, I'll let you know later
In the day what we'll do."
Ho had told Durand that ho did not
bellovo his story. Ho had tried to
reject It becnuso he did not want to
accept It, but after the man had gone
and ho thought It over, his Judgment
was thnt It held some germ of truth.
If so, ho wns bound to protect Brom
fleld ns far as ho could. No matter
what Clarendon had done, he could
not throw overboard to the sharks
the man who was still engaged to his
daughter, no might not llko him. In
point of fact ho did not. But ho had
to stand by him till ho was out of his
trouble.
Colin Whltford went straight to his
daughter.
"Honey, this man Durand has Just
brought mo a story about Clnrendon.
He Bays he paid him to get Clay Into
trouble at tho Omnium club In order
to discredit him with us."
"Oh, dndl"
"I'm going to see Clarendon. If it's
truo I don't want you to seo him
again. Authorize mo to break the en
gagement for you."
They talked It over a few minutes.
Beatrice slipped thc engagement -rlu
from her finger and gavo It to her
father with a sigh.
"You ran't do wrong without paying
for It. dad."
"That's right. Bromfleld"
"I'm not thinking of Clarendon. I'm
thinking about me. I feel ns If I had
been dragged In tho dust," she Raid
wearily.
CHAPTER XX
On the Carpet.
The question ut Issue wns not wheth-
! er Beatrice would break with her
fiance, but In what way it should be
done. If her father found him guilty
of what Durand hud Bald, he was to
dismiss him brusquely; If not, Beatrice
wunted to disengage herself gently
and with contrition.
Whltford summoned Bromfleld to his
ofllce where the personal equation
would be less pronounced. He put
to him plainly the charge made by
Jerry and demanded nn nuawer.
No lie could save him. The only
thing ho could do was to BUgnrcoat
the truth. He set about making out
a case for himself as skillfully as he
could. - .
"I'm n man of the world. Mr. Whit-'
'ord," he explained. "When I meet
an ugly fact I look it In the face.
This man Lindsay was making a greut
Impression on you und Bee. Neither
of you seemed able quite to realize
his his deficiencies, let us say. I
felt myself at a disadvantage, with
him because he's such a remarkably
virile young man and he constantly
reminded you both of the Went you
love. It seeimd fair to all of us to
try him out to find out whether at
bottom he wns a decent fellow or not.
So I laid a little trap to find out." .
"Not the way Durand tells It," ar
swered the miner bluntly. "He says
you paid him n thousnnd dollars to
arrange n trap to catch Lindsay."
"Either he misunderstood me or he's
distorting the facts," claimed the club
man with an assumption of boldness.
''That ought to be easy to prove.
We'll make an appointment with him
for this afternoon and check up by the
dictagraph."
Bromfleld laughed uneasily. "Is
thut necessary, Mr. Whltford? Surely
my word is good. I have the honor
to tell you thnt I did nothing discred
itable." Whltford leaned back in his swivel
chair nnd looked steadily at the man
to whom his daughter was engaged.
"Im going to the bottom of this, Brom
fleld. Thnt fellow Durand ought to go
to the penltentlnrj. We're gathering
the evidence to send him there. Now
ho tells me he'll drag you down to ruin
with him if he goes. Come clenn. Can
ho do It?"
"Well, I wouldn't say"
"Don't evnde. Bromfleld. Yes or
no."
"I suppose ho can." The words
came sulkily after, a long pause.
"You did hire him to destroy Lind
say's, reputation."
. TO BE CONTINUED
William E. Shuman, Attorney
NOTICE OF HEARING
In tho County Court of Lincoln
County, Nebraska.
In tho Matter of the Estate of Fred
erick Werneke, Deceased.
To tho Heirs and All Porsons In
terested in said Estate.
You aro hereby notified that on
August 23, 1922, Frieda Scherz as ox
ecutrlx of said estate, niea in said
Court her final account and appli
cation for tho assignment of the title
to the real estate belonging to said
estate, consisting of tho Southwest
Quarter (SWJ4) Sf Section Ten (10)
in Township Thirteen (13) North of
Range Thirty-ono (31) West (W) 6
p. m. Lincoln County, Nebraska, and
for tho distribution of tho personal
property bolonging to said estato, and
that said final account and application
will bo heard boforo this Court in tho
County Courtroom in tho Courthouse
in the city of North Platte, County of
Llncoln.Stnte of Nebraska on tho 18th
day of September, 1922 at 10 o'clock
a. m. and you aro hereby notified to
appear at said time and place and
show causo, if nny there bo why said
final account should not bo allowed,
tho tltlo to said real estato assigned
and tho personal property of said
ostato distributed as provided by law
and by tho tonus of tho Lost Will
and Testament of tho said Frederick
Wornocko, deceased.
T. S. BLANKENBURG,
(SEAL) Acting County Judgo
Goo. N. Glbbs, Attorney.
NOTICE OF PETITION
Estato of Bridget JonoB, dooeascd,
in tho County Court of Lincoln Coun
ty, Nebraska.
Tho State of Nebraska: to all per
sons intoratod in Bald estato take
notico that Owen Jones did on the
19th day ot August 1922 fllo a pet
ition In said action setting forth that
Nicholas McCabo, oxocutor of said
ostato did on tho 8th day of August
1922 dlo. and said petition prays for
tho appointont of Owen Jones, and
that lotters ot administration with
will annexed bo granted to him,
which has boon set for hearing horein
on tho 22nd day of September, 1922
at 10 o'clock a. m.
Dated this 25th day of August 1922,
T. S. BLANKENBURG
Acting County Judge.
When in North Platte
COME AND SEE US
Hotel Palace
Palace Cafe
PalaceBazaar
Everythln2 first class and prices
reasonable Opposite Union Pacific
Station.
Bit. E. C. LTNCn
Eye Ear Noso and Throat
Glasses fitted accurately
Over Dixon's Store
NORTH PLATTE
J. S. TWINEM. H. D.
(Homeopath)
Medicine and Surgery
Hospital Facilities
NORTH PLATTE, NEBR.
Office Phono 183 Residonco 283
IV. T. riUTCHABP
Graduate Veterinarian
Ex-Government Veterinarian and ex
asslstant deputy State Veterinarian.
Hospital 315 South Vino Street
Phones. Hospital 633 Rosidence J3
Ml. JIEDFIELD
Physician, Obstetrician, Snrgeon
X-Eay
Calls promptly answered Night or Day
Phones. Offico 642 Residence 676
JOHN S. SCOTS, H. D.
Special Attention Given to
Surgery
McDonald Bank Building
Offico Phone 83 Residence 38
Bit. J. II. McKIIlAIIAN
Practice Limited to Disease ot
Women and Surgery
Over Rexall Drug Storo
Phones: Office 127 Residence 666
Offico 340
House 483
DR. W. I. SHAFFER
Osteopath Physician
Over the Oaais
North Platto
WM. WALDORF
Tinner
Makes or Repairs anything made of
Tin or Sheet Metal.
510 Locust Under General Hospital
ED KEERIG
Auctioneer
For dates and terms call at.
First National Bank
North Platto, Neb.
DR. HAROLD FENNER
Osteopath
Over Hlrschfeld's
Offico Phone 332 Res. Phoao 1020
DR. M. B. STATES
Chiropractor
Rooms 5. 6, 7 Building & Loan Bldg,
Office Phono 70 Res. Phone 1242
Offico Phone 341 Rea. Phone 217
L. C. DROST
Osteopathic Physician
North Platto, Nebraska,
Knights of Columbus Building.
OTIS IL PLATT, SI. D.
Physician and Sargeon
X-Ray
DlagnoBS and Treamctit
Over Union State Bank
Offico Phono 296W House Phone 2a6R
. GEO. B. DENT
Physician and Sargeon
Spoclal Attention Given to Surgery
and Obstetrics
Offico: BHildlng & Loan Building
Phonos: Office 130 Residence 11B
DR. L. A. SNAYELT
Dentist
X.Bay Diagnosis Oxygen and
Gas Aaesthcsla for Extractions.
Over Union State Bank
Phono 296.
DEBRYBERRY & FOBBBS
Licensed Embalntcrs
Undertakers sad Funeral Bkostors
Day Phone 41 Night Phone Black m
jyBBaMEatBLaBaMMWHBIBB
c
