Subscribers enjoy higher page view limit, downloads, and exclusive features.
PAGE TWO THE BEMIDJI (Continued from lasi issue) CHAPTER XIII. The Coin Falls Heads. Gramont sat in his own room that afternoon. It seemed to him that he bad been away from the city for weeks and months. Yet only a day had’ intervened. He sat fingering the only piece of mail that had come to him—a notice from the post of the American Legion which he had joined, to the effect that there would be a meeting that Thursday evening. Only Thursday! And tomorrow was Fri- day. If he was to effect anything against the headquarters of Fell's gang he must act on the morrow or not at all. Gumberts was to be out there tomor- row. Gumberts would talk with the ratty little man of the projecting teeth and adenoids, would find Gra- maont had imposed upon the fellow, and there would be upheavals. The gang would take to flight, certainly, or at least make certain that Gramont's mouth was shut. He sat fingering the postal from the Legion, and turning over events in his mind. Against Fell he had no particu- 1ar animosity. All that the little gray man had done had been done with the thought of Lucie Ledanois as a spur. “If I'm to strike a blow, I'll have to do it tomorrow—before noon to- morrow, also. I'll have to leave here mighty early, and get there before Gumberts does. What was it Ham- mond said that day about him—that nobody in the country had ever caught Memphis Izzy? I bet I could do it, and. his: whole gang with him—if. T knew how. "There’s the rub! Fell ‘won'’t hesitate a minute in-having.me arrested. And as.he said, ‘once he got me -arrested, I'd. be gone.- He. must be able to exert a powerful influence, that man!” Should he strike or not? If he struck, he. might expect the full weight: of Jachin Fell's vengeance— unless his blow would include Fell among the victims. Gramont was still pondering this di- lemma when Ben Chacherre arrived. Gramont’ heard the man's voice on the stairs. Ben's impudence, perhaps added to his name and the Creole French upon his lips, had carried him past the concierge unannounced, al- though not without a continued ex- change of repartee that served to give Gramont warning of the visitor. Smil- ing grimly, Gramont drew a coin from his pocket, and flipped It. The coin fell heads. He pocketed it again as Ben Chacherre knocked, and opened the door. “Ah, Chacherre!” “Come in.” Ben swaggered inslde and closed the door. “Brought a message for you, Mr. Gramont,” he said, jauntjly, and ex- tended a note. Gramont tore open the envelope and read a curt communication : “Kindly let me know your answer as soon as possible. By tomorrow eve- ning at latest. It will be necessary to arrange affairs for Saturday. “JACHIN FELL.” To arrange affairs! Fell was tak- he exclaimed. ing for granted that Gramont would give an assent, under force of persua- slon, to th scheme. He would prob- As He Did So, Gramon'ss Fist Caught Him Squarely on the Pcint of the Jaw, ably have everything in readiness, ard it assured by Friday night of Gra- mont's assent, would then pull his strings and perhaps camplete the whole deal before the fof lo“lng Mon- day. ‘The meeting of the company had been adjourned to Saturday morning. Gramont thought a moment, then went to his buhl escritoire and opened it. Chacherre had already taken a seat. Gramont wrote: “My Dear Mr. Fell: “If you will arrange the company meeting for tomorrow evening, say nine o’clock, at your office, I think that everything may then be arranged. As I may not see Miss Ledanois in the meantime, will you be kind enough to assure her presence at the meeting?” He addressed an envelope to Fell's office, and then stamped and pock- eted it. “Well, Chacherre,” he sald, rising and returning to the Creole, “any fur- ther news from Houma? They haven't found the real murderer yet?” The other came to his feet with an exclamation of surprise. As he did so, Gramont’s fist caught him squarely on the point of the jaw. Chacherre erumpled back across his chair, senseless for the moment. “I'm afratd to take any chances with you, my fine bird,” said Gramont, rubbing his knuckles. “You're too clever by far, and too handy with your weapons.” He obtained cloths, and firmly bound the ankles and wrists of Chacherre. Not content with this, he placed the man in the chair and tied him to it with merciless knots. As he was fin- ishing his task, Chacherre opened his eyes and gazed dazedly around. “Awake at last, are you?” said Gra- mont, genially. He got his pipe, filled and lighted it. The eyes of Chacherre were now fastened apon him venom- ously. “To bad for, you, Chacherre, that the coin fell bends up! That spelled action.” “Are you crazy?’ muttered the other in French. Gramont laughed, and responded in the same tongue. “It does look that way, doesn’t It? You're sllppery, but now you're caught.” i Chacherre must have realized that he stood in danger. He checked a curse, and regarded Gr.unont with a steady coolness. “Be careful!” hej sald, his voice deadly. “What. do .mean by this?” Gramont looked “at| him and puffed his pipe. “The game's up, Ben" he observed. “I know all about the place down there—about ‘the .cars, and dbout the lottery. Yonr gang has had a pleas- ant time, ¢h? But npw you and the others” are, going: to sjo a little work for the sta.te on the road gangs.” “Bah!. Ca va rive semaine quatte zheudis!” spat Chacherre, contemptu- ously. *That will hajppen in the week of four Thursdays, you fool! So you know about things, €h? My master will soon shut, your mouth!” “So%" queried Gramont, his brows lifted. “You seem mauch in Mr. Fell's contidlence, Ben. But I think I'll leave you tied up a little while. Memphis | Izzy is going down to his summer cot- tage tomorrow, isn't he? I'll be there —but you won't. By the way, T think T'd better look throwgh your pockets.” Ben Chacherre writhed suddenly, hurling a storm of curses at Gramont. The latter, unheeding the contor- tions of his captive, searched the man thoroughly. ~ Except for a roll of money, the pockets gave up little of The quly pnper Gramont'se- e ouly prper Gramont s \Jou will be ¢ Canithem now ! | 'HE season is closing. There’s 01}:ly adsto't time left in which to get these delicions, flavory peaches, pears and plums from tie Pacific Northwest. You can make such a wide variety of delightful preserves, jams, jellies, marmalades and pickles from these healthful orchard fruits—you can always have “something different” for 'gur meals. Besides you save moncy—from one-third to one- i half—by putting up your own fruits at home —in Ball Mason jars. Factory-preparcd fruits are eytravagant. + But remember, if you dou’t do your umunz right soon didsbpotnted. 11 can.can ca cured was a fresh felegraph blank. He would have passed this unheeded had he not noted a snaky flitting of Chacherre’s eyes to it. “Ah!” he said, pleasantly. “You ap- pear to be interested in this, Ben. Pray, what Is the secret?” Chacherre merely glared at him, and a sudden exclamation broke from him. He held the bit of yellow paper to the light at varying angles. “It’s the most natural thing in the world.” he sald after a moment, “for a man to walk Into a telegraph office, write out a telegmmv and then find | that he’s forn two blanks Instead of one from 'the pad on the desk. Eh? Pve doré 1t, often—and I've' always | put the extra blank into my pocket, Ben, thinKing it might confe in’ handy ; Just as 'you did, én?” Now, let’s see! “You were excited when'‘youirrote this, weren't you? You'd just thought of something very important; and you took care of it hurriedly—that made you jab down your pencil pretty hard. Who's Dick Hearne at Houma? An agent of the bang thére?” Chacherre merely glared, sullenly defiant. Word by word, Gramont made out the message: “Burn bundle under rear seat my . car. Have done at once.” “On the Whole, Ycu Must Admit That Gramont looked . up and smiled | yoyu Bungled the Murder From Start thinly. to Finish—" g “Your car? Why, you left it in the ; garage at Gumberts' place, en? That little roadster of Fell’s, with the extra seat behind. If you'd been just a little bit cooler yesterday, Ben, you would have made fewer mistakes. It never occurred to you that other people might have been there in the bushes when the sheriff was murdered, eh?” Chacherre went livid. “It was another mistake to throw away your knife after you killed him,” pursued Gramont, reflectively. “You should have held on to that knife, Ben. There’s no blood, remember, on Ham- mond’s knife—a hard thing for you and your friends to explain plausibly. Yet your knife-is heavy with blood, which tests will show to be human blood, Also, the knife has your name on it; quite a handsome Kknife, too. On the whole, you must admit that you bungled the murder from start | to finish—" Chacherre broke in with a frightful oath—a frantically obscene storm of curses. So furious were his words that Gramont very efficiently gagged him with cloths, gagged him hard and fast. «I think that Tll send another wire to Dick Hearne on this blank which you so thoughtfully provided. I'll or- der him, in your name, not to burn that bundle after all; I fancy it may prove of some value to me. And I'll also tell your friend—I suppose he has some familiar cognomen, such as Slippery Dick—to meet Henry Gra- mont at Houma early in the morning. T'd llke to gather Dick in with the other gentlemen. Il mention that |. you were kind enough to supply a few names and incidents.” 5 At this lnst Ben Chacherre \\rithed anew, for it was a shrewvd blow. He and his friends belonged to that class of crook which never “peaches.” If by any mischanece one of that class is Jailed and convicted, he invariably takes his medicine silently, knowing that the whole gung is behind him, and that when he emerges from pris- on he will be sure to find money and friends.and occu[m(ion J“fliflflfl him. LEARN BARBERING Now is the time, Summer rates still in effect. Enroll now and save $25. Twin City Barger College, 204-Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. - UT LOTHES OST [EM 4 f | {fi Our Dry Cleaning saves lyou the cost of new clothes, yet gives you practically new garments. Economize without aacnficmg looks—see IIIIFt glllIIIIlIIlII!IIIIIIlllllIIIIIlIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIllflllllmm1llIllllllllllllllll D LT P TS mE~uL~Cn ZHHOOR \ The (!Iurtta fintvl 10tk STREET AT FOURTH MINNEAPOLIS The Nortllwu! s Lnrgul and Most Beaatifal Hostelry All Reoms ars O-tnd- and Each Room has Private Bath "ARIFF: 75 Rooms Eanl!e But!u) Single at $2.00—Double $3.00 S 328 Rooms (Private Baths). Smgle at $2.50—Double $3.50 200 Rooms (Private Baths) Single at $3 00—Double $4.00 Others frony $4.00 to $15.00 IIIIIIll_l_llllIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIlIiIHIIlIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIHIII gflllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIlIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Piclled h\iehcu with + Pears 1 pint Vinegar 4 pounds sugar 7 pounds peaches or pears 1 ounce cloves Peel the fruit and stick 8 cloves into each. Cook for 12 minutes in syrup made of the vinegar and suzar. Place in hot - Ball Mason Jars and seal Pacific N. W. Growers & Jobbers Ass'n General Offices, Mirneapolis, Minn. can can-can ] THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 7, 1922 fo know that he would be placed, In the estimation of the gang, in the same class with stool-pigeons, must have bitten deeper into Ben Chacherre than any other lash. He stared at Gramont with a frightful hatred in lis blazing eyes—a hatred which gradually passed into a look of. help- B. W. LAKIN. President BEMID)! LUMBER & FUEL 60, OPPOSITE GREAT NORTHERN DEPOT | E. R. EVANS, Manager C. L. ISTED, Secretary-Treauurer attend a meeting American Legion. lessness and of impotent despatir. Gramont, meantime, was writing out the telegram to Dick Hearne. This finished, he got his hat and coat, and trom the burean dx!\‘xwer took an auto- watic pistol, which hg pocketed Then be smiled pleasantly at ,Ms prisoner. !.“This evening, Ben, I think that T'1l .that; orgatlization by any chance? No, -4 Fm: quite, sure you don't, .o your exclusive ncqunlntances do be- _See you lnter' LET US SUPPLY YOU WITH ;{. Juy, post of the ‘on, don't belong to Very few Work on LUMBER LATH - SHINGLES « " LIME - CEMENT - PLA,STER, PAPER—Roofing and Sheathing BRICK—Common, Fire and Fancy- 7. Sash Doors and Mill Work, ., FULL LINE;OF DRAIN TILE AND' sx-:wl;gimn-: " (an_tlnnefl in Next issue) says, itself as the ogy. “ANYTHING ANT, MARION?” “Only the postscript. It ‘Please excuse the paper—I'm all out of Ea- ton’s Highland Linen’ ”. Earews has strongly established of people who care. The use of anything seems to call for an apol- Its style is authoritative colorings attractive, shap- es distinctive, price modest. Let us show you our display of latest shades and styles. CITY DRUG STORE |2 IMPORT- T0 OPEN MUSIC STUDIO HERE Prof, Chas. Pflock with over 20 years experience, having studied in the best conservatories, Leipzig and Frankfort, will teach VIOLIN—PIANO and ORCHESTRA Phone 562 or 508-W, or call at the Elko Theater HAVING YOUR PICTURE TAKEN > LINEN writing paper inferior think wel of you. and its 'HAKKERUP ‘Your Photographer Is not so much the gratification of your vanity as the discharge of a duty you owe those who We are now makiflg sittings for Christmas delivery. T I | (I i The new Goodyear Cross-Rib Tread Cord Without a Rival The new Goodyear Cross-Rib Tread Cord Tire is built with genuine high-grade long-staple cotton as a foundation. It is liberally oversize—the 4Y;-inch tire, for example, measuring nearly 5 inches. The deep, clean-cut, coglike pattert of its tread affords excellent traction even in snow and mud, engaging the road like a cogwheel. The scientific distribution of rubber ih this tread—the wide center rib and the semi-flat contour—gives a thick, broad surface that is exceedingly slow to wear. j A Popular-Pmced Cord T1re This new tire is'a genuine Goodyear through and through —in design, in material, in construction. Tt costs less to buy than the net price you are asked to pay for many “long discount” tires of unknown reputation and value. Why be satisfied with less than this efficient tire can give— why take a chance on an unknown make? Compare these pnw mlh NET prices you.are:asked to pay for ““long discount ” tires These prices include manufacturer’s excise tax FOR SALE BY 'Giv'e'h :Hérclware. Ghe Goodyeat" Store A & =5 T -—4—.‘ - e Goodywr CrosRib TmtdCanl Tives are also made in 6, 7 and 8 inch s-znfizr trudu g SYEAR 30x33% Clincher. ..... $12.50 32x4 Straight Side.. $24.50 33x434 Straight Side.. $32.15 30x3% Straight Side.. 13.50 33x4 Straight Side.. 25.25 34x4% Straight Side.. 32.95 32333 Straight Side.. 19.25 34x4 StraightSide.. 25.90 33x5 StraightSide.. 39.10 31x4 StaightSide.. 22.20 32x43 Straight Side.. 3145 35x5 Suaight Side.. 41.05 i [