Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, June 24, 1922, Page 2

- dock’s and that he's in a blue funk for Copyright by Will __(Continued from last_issue) «“Johnnie,” lis wife reproved, mind- ful of the relationship between this young woman and the clubman, “Did he say which club?” “Seems to me he didn’t, not as I re- member. How about that, Kitty?” “No, I'm sure he didn’t. He said he wouldn’t be back early. So he went 10 bed. We s'posed after we got up 1his mo'nin’ he was sleepin’ in his room, till the paper come and I looked at it.” Johnnie gave way to lament. “I told him awhile ago he had orto go Yack to Arizona or they'd git him. And now they’ve gone and done it sure enough,” Keen as a hawk on the hunt, Bea- trice turned to her father quickly. “I'm going to get Clarendon on the *phone. He'll know all about it.” “Why will he know all about it?” “Pecause he was with Clay. He's the man the paper says the police are for—the man with Clay 'when it happened.” Her father’s eyes lit. Jee.” s her fiance's man who an- swered the girl's call. She learned that Clarendon was still in his room. “le’'s quite sick this morning, mi the valet added. “rell him I want to talk with him. It's important.” “I don't think, miss, able—=" Wil you please tell him what I I'resently the voice of Bromfield, thin nod worried, came to her over “That's good that he's the wire. *I'm ill, Bee. Absolutely done up. I—TI can't talk.” “Tell me about Clay Lindsay. Were you with him when—when it bhappened There was a perceptible pause be- fore the answer came. “With him?” She could feel his ter- ror throbbing over the wire. Though €he could not see him, she knew her question -had stricken him white. | “With him where?” “At this gambling-house—Mad- doek's?" “No, I—I—Bee, I tell you I'm 1" “Ie went out last night to join you at your club, I know that, When did You see him la; y “I—we didn’t—he didn’t come.” “Then’ you didn’t see him at all?” There was another pause, significant and teling, followed by a quavering “No-0." “Clary, I want to see you—right away." B “I'm ill, I tell you—can't leave my bed.” Ile gave a groan too genuine to doubt, Beatrice hung up the recelver. Her eyes sparkled. Tor all her slimness, she ‘looked both competent and dan- gerous, “What docs he say?’ her father Says he didw't meet Clay at all— that he didn't show up. Dad, there's something wrong about it. Clary's in a panic’ about something. T'm going e him, no matter whether he can 1eave his room or not'* Whitford looked dublous. “I don't “Well, I do,” his daughter:cut hia oft decisively. “We're going' to s rooms—now, Why not? He snys he's fll. Al right. T'm engaged to be married to him and I've a rightito sce how i1l e 1s.” “What's In your mnoodle, loney? Yon've got some kind of a suspdclon. What 1y 1t?” “I think Clary knows something. My, notion is that he was at Mad- fear he'll be found and named as an aceessory. T'm golng to find out all.he ean tell me.” “But—" She looked at her father directly, a decp meaning in the lovely ey A litte tremor ran through her “Dad, I'm going to save Clay. thie enly thing that counts.” Her words were an appeal, a chale Jenge. :They told him. that her heart belonggd to the friend in prison, and they eapried him back somehowito the hour when the nurse first laid der, a tiny baby, in his arms, a His Neart was very tender to her. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Their chauffeur broke - the speed laws getting them to the apartment. house for. bachelors where Bromfield hody. That's His valet for once was ‘caught off guard when he opened the door to them. Beatrice was Inside: before le' could quite muke up his mind how best .to meet this frontal attack. “We came to see Mr. Bromfield,” she sald. “Sorry, miss. The dotor say: “I'm Miss Whittord. We're en- gaged to be married. It's very im- portant that I see him.” “Yes, miss, I know.” The man was perfectly well aware; that his master wanted of all things, He is really quite m;j MacLood Rane 0 avold a meeting With her. Tot some reason or other, Bromfield was in a state of collapse this morning the; | valet could not understand. The man’s business was to protect him until he had recovered. But he could not flat- Iy turn his master’s fiancee out of the apartment. His eyes turned to Whit-' ford and found no help there. He fell back on the usual device of servants. “I don’t really think he can see you, miss. The doctor has specially told me to guard against any excitement. But I'll ask Mr. Bromfield if—if he feels up to it.” The valet passed into what was evi- dently a bedroom and closed the door behind him. There was a faint mur- mur of volces. “I'm going In now,” Beatrice an- nounced abruptly to her father. { She moved forward quickly, before Whitford could stop her, whipped open the door and stepped into the room. Her father followed her re- luctantly, Clarendon, in a frogged dressiug- gown, lay propped up by pillows. Be- side the bed was a tray, upon which was a decanter of whisky and a siphon of soda. His figure seemed to have fallen together and his seamed face was that of an old man. But it was the eyes that held her. They were full of stark terror. The look in He Shivered at Sight of Her. them took the girl's breath, They told her that he had undergone some great shock, i He shivered at sight of her. “What is it, Clary?” she cried, mov- ing toward him, *Tell me—tell me all about it.” “I—I'm {ll.” He quaked It from a burning throat. ' “You were all right yesterday. Why are you ill now?”" He groaned unhappily. i “You'ra going to tell me everything —everything." ' His fascinated, frightened eyes' clung to this straight, slim girl whose look stabbed into him and shook his soul. Why had she come to trouble him this morning while he was cower- Ing in fear of the men who would break in to-drag him away to prison? “Nothing to tell,” he got out with a gulp. ' “Oh, yes, you bave. Are you il be- cause of what happened at Mad- dock's?” He tried to pull himself together, to stop the chattering of his teeth. “N-nonsense, my dear. I'm done up completely., Delighted to see you and all that, but— Won't you go home?” His appealing eyes passed to Whit- ford, “Can't you take her away?" “No, I won't go home—and he can't take me away.” Her resolution was hard as steel, It seemed to crowd in- exorably upon the shivering wretch in the frogged gown. “What is it you're 50 afrnid to tell me, Clarendon?” He quailed at her thrust. “What— what do you mean?" She knew now, beyond any question or doubt, that %e had been. present when “Slm” Jim Collins had ' been killed. He ‘had seen a man's.life snuffed out, wag still trembiing 'for fear he might be called in as a party to the erime. | U, U “Yow'd better tell me:before it's too late. How did you'and Clay Lindsay come to go to thut den?” “We went out to—to see the town.” “But why to that place? Are you {| in the habit of going there?” He shuddered. ever was there before. Ihad a card. Some one gave it to me. So we went in for a few minutes—to see what it was like. The police raided the place.” He dropped his' sentences reluctantly, as tiough they were being forced from him in pain. . 10 Bdumisiiog s ‘| ““Everybody tried to escape. T . Fen?” lights went out. I found a back d and got away. Then 1'came home.” “What about Clay?” Bromfield told the truth. “I didn’t see him after the lights went out, ex- cept for 1 moment, He was running at the man with the gun.” “You saw the gun?” He nodded, moistened his dry lips with the tip:of his tongue. “And.the—the ‘shooting? DIid you see that?” i F Twice the words he tried to say faded on hislips. At last he managed ‘a “No.” “Why not?” . “I—found a door and escaped.” »#XYou must have heard shooting.” “I heard' shots as 1 ran down theé stairs. - .This .morning I read that— that a man:'was—" He swallowed down a lump and left the sentence un-, finished. “Then you know that Clay is ac- cused of killing this man, and that the police are looking for you because you were with him.” “Yes.” His answer was a dry whis- per. “Did you see this man Collins in the room?” “No. I saw him.” “But you heard shots. of that!” cried Beatrice. “Y-yes.” The girl turned triumphantly to her father. “He saw the gun and he heard shots. That proves self-de- fense at the worst.. They were shoot- ing at Clay when he struck with the chair—if he did. Clarendon’s testi- mony will show that.” “My testimony!” screamed Brom- field. “My G—d, do you think I'm going to—to—go into court? They would claim I—I was—" She waited, but he .did not finish. “Clay's life may.depend upon it, and of course youwll tell the truth,” she said quietly., - “Maybe I didn’t hear shots,” he hedged. “Maybe it was furniture falling. There was a lot of noise of people stamping and fighting.” “You—heard—shots.” The eyes of the girl were deadly weapons. They glittered like unscab- barded steel. In them was a con- tained fire that awed him. He threw gut his hand in a weak, impotent gesture of despair. “My G—d, how did 1 ever come to get into such a wix-up? It will ruin me.” “How did you come to go?” she asked. . “He wanted to see New York. I suppose I had some notion of taking him slumming.” Beatrice went up to him and looked straight into -his eyes. “Then testify to that in court. It won't hurt you any. Go down to the police and say you have read in the paper that they want you. Tell the whole truth. And Clary—don't weaken. Stick to your shouldn’t know him if I You're sure story about -the. shots.” Her . voice shook a little. “Clay’s life is at stake, Remember that.” “Do you think it would be safe to o 0 the police?” he asked doubtfully. Whitford spoke up. “That's the only. square and safe thing to do, Bromfield, They'll find out who you are, of course. If you go straight to them you draw, the sting from their charge that you were an accomplice ‘[ of Clay. Don't lose your nerve. You'll go through with flying colors. When a man lhas done nothing wrong he needn’t be afraid.” “I dare say you're right,” agreed Bromfield miserably. The trouble was that Whitford was arguing from false premises. He was assuming that Clarendon was an inno- cent man, whereas the clubman knew Just how guilty he was. Back of the killing lay a conspiracy which might come to light during the investigation. He dared not face the police. His con- science was not clean enough. “Of course Dad’s right. It's the only way to save your reputation,” Bea- trice cried. “I'm not going to leave you till you promise to go straight down there to headquarters. If you don't you'll be smirched for life—and you'd be doing something absolutely dishonorable.” He came to time with a heart of heavy dread, “All right, Bee, I'll go,” he promised. “It's an awful mess, but I've got to go through with it, I sup- pose.” “Of course you have,” she said with complete conviction. “You're not a quitter, and you can’t hide here like a criminal,” “We'll have to be moving, Bee,” her father reminded her. “You know we have an appolntment to meet the district attorney.” Beatrice nodded. With a queer feel- ing of repulsion she patted her flance's cheek with her soft hand and whis- pered a word of comfort to him. “Buck up, old boy. It won't he half as bad as you think. Nobody is going to blame you.” They were shown out by the valet. “You don't want to be hard on Brom- fleld, honey,” Whitford told his daugh- ter after they had re-entered their car. “He's # parlor man. That's the way he's been brought up. Never did a hard day’s work in his life. Everything made cusy for him. If he'd ever rid- den out a blizzard like Clay or stuck it out in a wine for a week without fopd after a cave-in, he wouldn't balk on the job before him. But he's soft. And he's” afrald of his reputation. That’s natural, I suppose.” Beatrice knew he was talking to save her feelings. “You don’t need to make excuses for him, Dad,” she answered gently, with a wry smile. “I've got to give up. Idon't think I can go through with it.” “You mean—marry him?" “Yes.” She adied, with a flare of passionate scorn of herself: serve what I've got. time I didn’t love him, It was sheer “I de- | Collins. I knew all the |filled him with malicious glee, Wanted what hé hud to give me. Her father drew a deep breath of re- lief. “T'm glad you sce that, Bee. I don’t think he's good enough for you. But I don’t know anybody that is, come to that.” “That’s just your partiality. I'm a mean little bounder or I never should have led him on,” the girl answered in . frank disgust. Both of them felt smirched. The be- havior of Bromfield had been a reflec- tion on them. "They had picked him for a thoroughbred, and he had failed them at the first test. “Well,: T haven't been proud of you in ‘that affair,” conceded Colin. “It didn't seem like my girl to—" He ‘broke off in characteristic' fashion' to berate her environment. “It's this crazy town. The spirit of it gets into A person and he accepts its standards. Let’s get away from here for a while, sweetheart.” 5 “After Clay is out of trouble, Dad, I'll go with you back to Denver or to Europe or anywhere you say.” “That’s a deal,” he told her prompt- Iy. “We'll stay till after the annual election of the company and then go off on a honeymoon together, Bee.” CHAPTER XVII Into the Hands of His Enemy. Durand waited alone for word to he flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full. A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch, . The second-hand ticked . its way jerkily round and round the circle. Except for that the stillness weighed on him P Frwemu He Paced Up-'and Down the Room, Chewing Nervously the End of an Unlit Cigar. i S unbearably. -He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar. For the good tidings which he was anxious to hear was news of the death of the strong young enemy who had heaten him at every turn. Why didn’t Collins get to the tele- phone? Was it possible that there had been a slip-up, that Lindsay had again | broken the trap set for him? Had “Slim’s” nerve failed him? Or had Bromfield been unable to bring the vic- tim to the slaughter? His mind went over the details again. The thing had been well planned even to the unguarded door through which Collins was to escape. In the darkness “Slim” could do the job, make his get- away along with Dave, and be safe from any chance of identification. Browfield, to save his own hide, would keep still. If he didn’t, Durand was prepared to shift the murder upon his shoulders. The minute-hand of the watch passed down from the quarter to the half and from the half to the three-quarters. Still the telephone bell did not ring.’ The gang leader began to sweat blood. Had some one bungled after all the: care with which he had laid his plansi A door slammed below. Hurried' footsteps sounded on the stair treads. Into the room burst a man. “Slim’s been croaked,” he blurted. “What!" Durand's eyes.dilated. “At Maddock’s.” “Who did 1t?” “De guy he was to gun.” “Lindsay?” “Dat's de fellow.” “Did the bulls get Lindsay?” “Pinched him right on de spot.” “Gun ‘Slim,’ did he?” “Nope. Knocked him cold wit’ a chair. Cracked his skull.” “Is he dead?” “He'll never be deader. Dave grabbed this sucker Lindsay and yelled that he done it. "The bulls pinched him like I said right there.” “Did it happen In the dark?” “Sure ns you're a foot high. My job <in’ the glims, and I done it “What about ‘Slim? Was he shoot- Ing when he got it "The other man shook his hed. “This Lindsay man claims he was. I talked wit’ a bull afterward. Dey didn’t find no gun on ‘Slim.’ The bull says there ‘Wwas no gun-play.” “What became of ‘Slim’s’ gun?” “Search me.” b Durand slammed a big fist exultant- 1y down on the desk. “Better than the way I planned it. If the gun's gone, Tl frame Lindsay for the chair. It's Salt creek for his.” He lost no time in getting into touch with Gorilla Dave, who was under ar- rest at the station house. From him he learned the story of the killing of One whispered detall of it “The boob! He'll go to the death selfishness o e _to accept him. I |dhnir sure if T can frame him. We're YHE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEER - y iromneia ran back Into the Jit- room. Up in front a dozen guys might have seen the whole play even in the dark.” v Durand spent the night strengthen- ing the web he had spun to destroy his enemy. He passed to and fro among those who had been arrested in the raid and he arranged the tgstimony of some of them to suit his case. More [ than one of the men caught in the drag- net of the police was welling to see the affray from the proper angle in ex- change for protection from prosecu- tion. v . After breakfast:Durand went to the Toq’nbn, where Clay had been trans:' ferred at daybrenk. “You needn’t bring the fellow here,” he told the warden. “I'll. go right:to his'cage and ‘see him, I wuntta have a valk with him.” . . Between two guards Clay climbed the iron steps to an upper tier of cages at the Tombs. He was put into a cell which. held .twe beds, one above the other, as in the cabin of an ocean liner. By the side of the bunks was a narrow space just long enough for-a man to take two steps in the same direction. An unsbaven head was lifted in the lower bunk to see why the sleep of its owner was being disturbed. “I've brought you a cell mate, Shiny,” cxplained one of the guards. “You want to be civil to him. He's just crouked a friend of yours.” “For de love o’ Gawd. croak?” “*Slim’ Jim Collins. Cracked him one on the bean and that was a-plenty. Hope you'll enjoy each other's society, gents.” The guard closed the door and departed. “Is that right? Did youse do up ‘Slim,’ or was he kiddin” me?” “I don’'t reckon we'll discuss that subject,” said Clay blandly, but with a note of finality in his voice. “No offense, boss. It's an honor to have so distinguished a gent for a cell pal. For that matter I ain’t no cheap rat myself. Dey pinched me for shovin” de queer. I'd .ought to get fifteen years,” he said proudly. This drew a grin from Lindsay, though not exactly a merry one. “If | you're anxious for a long term you can have some of mine,” he told the coun- terfeiter. (Continued in Next I[ss=e) TENSTRIKE Last Sunday the Tenstrike oase- ball team easily defeated the Be- midji All-Stars by a score of 7 to. 0. This was a poor representation for All-stars. If Auger, the All- Star pitcher, had been like the rest ot the team; the game would have had to be called on account of dark- ness. Next Sunday Burt Noble’s Colts of Nebish will play here. Norman Johnson’s brother went to Brainerd last Monday morning. “ZLouis and Guy Cohenoni spent the week end here, returning to Nary Monday morning. Fred E. West who has been quite ill is recuperating fast. Mr. and Mrs. Jess McPherson spent Friday evening in Tenstrike. Mrs, Elizabeth Ames of Minneapo- lis, arrived Monday evening, being called here due to the illness of her aunt, Mrs. M. E. Knappen.,, Miss Alice. Minnick of Bemidji visited at the Grier home over the week-end. Wi Last Thursday occurred the wed- ding of Miss Lottie Downs and Ralph Fleischman, both popular young peop- le of Tenstrike. The marriage cere- mony took place at Bemidji. Tilmon Gregg acted as best man, while Mar- garet Hampl was’ bridesmaid. The large number of friends of the young couple wish the newlyweds much suc- cess Due to unfavorable weather a rather small crowd attended the dance given by the baseball team here last Friday. Mrs. W. A. Rice left last Thurs- day evening for a visit with Hher parents at Duluth. She is expected bark about the later part of the week. Mr. Paul Haluptzok motored to Big Falls Saturday evening, return- | ing Sunday night by train. Last Monday cvening at the home ot Mr,and Mrs. E. F. Kruger a fare- well party was given in honor of Miss Esther Krohn who leaves this week with her mother for the south- ern part of the state. Miss Esther Krohn has been a member of the fac- ulty here for several years and has won @ great many friends in her stay here. . A very large number at- tended the party. Games were p!ay- ed the greater part of the evening. Supper was served at a late hour. Quite a number turned out for th clection Monday. Mr. Gustafson, who has been ser- iously injured in'a crusher at Hibbing is in this vicinity selling a wonder- ful collection of farm books. The trustees of the Presbyterian church were to meet this week to talk over the plans and contract for put- ting in a foundation' . under, ' the church, This work, is-to be started in the near future:’| 3 NORTHERN ; = A large party of Northern people : attended the annual Farmers’ picnic held in Bemidji last Friday. Al- though the day wasn’t as pleasant as one might wish for, everyone seemed to have a pleasant time. Frank Anderson motored from Bagley Sunday to spend the day with Northern freinds. 2 W. A. Worth, G. W. Day, Mrs. Ora Whiting and Mrs. 0. R. Moulton, members-of the school board, attend- ded the annual board meeting held at the court house Friday, June 16. Lawrence Mohler left for Hibbing Who did he R e Sunday evening where he expects to remain for some time. /iERERTINgHE" Mr. and Mrs. Frank Deming of Bemidji spent the week end with Northern relatives and friends. Mr.; and Mrs. R. L. Grover return- ed Monday evening from a visit at Grand Rapids and left Tuesday for s, Mi , to spend a few o : g:;:e:::, t’:;n;llgi?:aoftom/f:;, Grover’s | midji, are spending the week at the brother. home of Mrs, F. M. GroVer. — e "t PROTECT YOUR FURS The proper storage of Furs will prolong their life and insure their ||, |\ best appearance when again desired for use. : |.'We'thcvoughly clean each garments and insure it against fire, theft | 5iond moth dumass, _ iy WE ALSO DO MANUFACTURING, CLEANING AND REPAIRING KRUSE & GROSS MANUFACTURING FURRIERS i Bemidji Over Security Bank . re wast shore of Movil‘Lake to Guy Anderson and will leave Wednesday of -this week for an extended visit with his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Bane, who lives near Grand Forks. Mrs. Bane arrived in Bemidji Saturday. Mr, and Mrs. Glen Grover of ‘pe- We Are Independent of any scarcity of drugs. Long ago we foresaw the situation .and secured a sufficient supply to enable us to fill arty prescription for a long time to come. So bring your prescrip- tions here to' be fill®d. We are in a position to live up to our old rigid standard of “no substitution.” City Drug Store " LALIBERTE & ERICKSON Phone 52 Bemidjl il Bemidji’s Free Playground .Diamond Point Invites You Evesy Day Camping Grounds Picnic Grounds Bathing Pavilion —Electric Lighted— SOFT DRINKS - LUNCHES - Sold at the Park. Plan Your Picnic for DIAMOND POINT Bathing Suits for Rent g COFFEE ‘\ h y . IS - ARCHIE DITTY Custodian ——————— B.W. I;AKIN, President E. R. EVANS, Manager - C. L. ISTED, Secretary-Treasurer BEMIDJI LUMBER & FUEL GO, OPPOSITE GR_;AT NORTHERN DEPOT v it LET US SUPPLY YOU WITH 'LUMBER - LATH - SHINGLES LIME - CEMENT - PLASTER " PAPER—Roofing and Sheathing BRICK—Common, Fire and Fancy Sash Doors and Mill Work. FULL LINE OF DRAIN TILE AND SEWER PIPE F. M. Pendergast Implement Co. Residence Phone 17-F-4 Office Phone 232 SCHROEDER BUILDING Manufacturers’ Agents and Dealer in FARM MACHINERY OF ALL KINDS “Hudson” Barn Equipment— ‘ “Stoughton” Wagons, Spreaders and Mo- tor Trucks— otz “Champion” Potato Machinery— . ‘“Emerson-Brontinghan” line of Plows, Standard Mowers and Rakes— “E.-B.” Tractors— “Geisser” Threshing Machines— Hydro Toron Auto Tires and Tubes - Gasoline and Oils | Brooks Bros. Double-Wall Silos. Nearest to being Frost-Proof of any Silo made. 204 Fourth St. & Minnesota Ave. ] BEMIDJI, MINN.