Show The TheMen Men on the Dead Mans Man's Chest by Clifford Raymond Service COI Copyright ht The Tho Dobbs Dobbs- Bobbs Co CHAPTER XI XI Continued Continued 12 12 You iou and Buck were not living In Chicago VOh Oh my lord no In New York Ve We knew Dunn was here It was wasBuck's wasBuck's Burl Bucks Buck's s 's excuse that he had to see some sono men here and then wed we'd go goto goto goto to He lie knew Brown fished and hunted from the Lac Lao Desert Desert Desert Des Des- ert lodge The other three were In Europe Eu rope 2 They were not They had lad been but they had come back to New v York That's what started the panic punic In September Lord no Back In August Im too credulous said the tenant Im childlike sald l Maybe said the Indy Any Anyone one who believed any of them except Dunn on anything would be Buck had bad me completely deceived In comIng coming com corn corning ing out here You can see plainly afterward but I didn't know then that the thc panic was on Dunn of course didn't know that It was but the others were always afraid of null I suppose the plot In their minds was this If tills if Dunn Clayton saw that thru It was winners take all for the losers they were all gone Blair and Ashley must have had the same Idea Iden They follow fol low towed lowed ed us out here ere ere We weren't hard I Ito to find We were registered at the Sherman What was the night Dunn was killed Saturday wasn't It 7 September 29 said the lieuten ant Well call It Saturday or Sunday morning It was about one o'clock when the e In my room I rang and t t was Blair calling He Be asked if be he could come up I said certainly Lot He Be said It was Im Im- Id I'd better see him at thedoor the thedoor thedoor door anyway any It was about Dunn he said Something scared me You I know how bow a quality gets Into the voice olce I told him to come up When 1 I opened the door he stood In the hall and said that Dunn had bad been I killed In the Dutch Mill Be He didn't need then to tell me Buck Bucl bad been I there He said Buck had been held beld by the police for a while and then bad had gone away where I 1 was taking a hand band without knowing what I 1 wa was I doing said salt the lieutenant Well lell I 1 guess It didn't make much difference difference differ differ- ence except mix the sequences a L little Blair said that Buck had killed Dunn and wanted to know where he had gone Hed He'd made a n- n L getaway sum anu ue lilA 10 to Know where I was to Join Buck Well Vell he be had Killed Dunn I didn't know then that what Dunn thought was was was-a a aletter aletter letter from me ine had brought him there I guess that wasn't sary Blair was looking eagerly at me I 1 didn't really know If It Buck had gone anywhere but I thought of ot Preston Brown at Lac Vieux Desert Des Des- ert Try Lac Vieux Desert I 1 told him Browns Brown's there I said and Buck may go there what I wanted to tell you she continued You may have bave known something of ot It but I 1 sent Blair to Lac Desert and I wanted him If he be could to kill Buck I 1 didn't know that he would find fino him If the panic was on I 1 knew the one I wanted killed after what had happened at the Dutch Mill You'll ask why n I telling this now That's what youre you're thinking Not primarily said Stanton I 1 wouldn't ask you because Id I'd be fairly sure you rou would tell without without being asked In my way I do a lot tot lotof lotof of guessing My guess gness would be that Blair lair succeeded Trembly with you ou and that he has tried to break breal with you I MI suppose that would be simple to understand she said bitterly and I guess you are right I sat satIn satIn at atIn In the hotel botel looking at myself and there wasn't much to see Not ex ex- ex broke but 1 t the next thing to It Buck on his way alive e or dead so far tar as I 1 was concerned I certainly certainly certainly never ne would live with a man after I had put a killer on his hi's track Im I'm not that low Dunn was dead My prospects weren't cheery Blair came back He De looked like a pal to tome tome tome me 1 I was that despondent Theres There's a great deal of f attraction about flair Blair For some women hes he's Irresistible Ive I've got some self control maybe He has manners when he be wants to use them He said Brown was dead dedd He smiled when I asked him about Buck Bud You know Bucks Buck's finish I rent went with Blair We Ve went back to New York ork I thought maybe the panic would be over o There was only Roberts Ashley and Blair left Roberts wouldn't hurt anyone Ashley Ash Ash- ley hey and Blair seemed to like each other Tim Tho three of them had bad sixty thousand each That was too much macli for Blair and Ashley It gave them what they needed but didn't give I e them anything to do They needed to get It It- It by going after It That's their nature There never was enough action In gambling for them hem not enough to Interest them for any time Ashley occasionally liked to show stow the professionals a few tricks but It didn't satisfy him When the stories of the tho Turner will and of Clayton Buck BliCk and Brown were printed It Lt amused them but 1 I believe be be- here lieve It set them after Roberts and they knew I guess If they got him they'd have ha to fight It out dut between Ui themselves As you know v I 1 am sal getting even with Blair Ive I've told you what I know You You- You You-bave e ba nothing on Ashley but maybe you can get something on Blair I sent scat him to Lac You Yon know what happened up there Im afraid theres there's still po io 10 case said Stanton We know the story but theres there's no proof Blairs Blair's lawyers lawyers lawyers law law- would laugh at us But nut theres there's Roberts Now If It hes he's dead how bow was It done There may be some some- thing Ill know tonight she said If U you want me t to Ill I'll H plant Ashley where you ron can cnn hear bear the story he be tells Thanks said the lieutenant that wont won't be necessary The telephone rang Matsie Maisie looked at the lieutenant Theres no one that can possibly be but Ashley she said She went to the telephone Yes she said taking the re re- re- re Yes Yos ps All rI right ht Come up Shall I leave lea you Stanton asked I INo No she said Stay here Ashley's Ashleys Ash Asb leys ley's a sociable creature n Hell He'll ll be glad to find company I CHAPTER XII The Death of Roberts AT A T A ring of the bell Maisie opened the door to Ashley and to a boy with Ice water Hullo sister said Ashley laugh laugh- Ing Hows the little girl You look like a n rose In June Time hasn't changed you hasn't a chance Ashley had entered the room and closed the door when he be saw that Maisie had bad a caller How do you do he said and then perceived et that It was Lieuten Lieutenant ant Stanton His astonishment was only for an Instant his composure being reliable Hullo Bullo Lieutenant he said Youve You found Malsie MaisIe I 1 see You police devils 1 I Im I'm beginning to be afraid of you If It a fellow didn't stay right and Inside the law I believe be be- lIe lieve hed he'd get Into trouble And MaIsie's found a new boy boy friend and a n big boy In In blue Ive I've always i been thankful for a clear conscience con con- science Ills His glance at her was fittingly malevolent but he laughed All alsIe I 1 certainly walked right Into whatever was waiting for me ale How did you get hold hoId of her ber Stanton I turned myself In 11 Howard I I 1 asI asked ed the lieutenant o 0 call I I wanted to talk to him Fair enough I know of my own knowledge kno that hes he's been wantIng wantIng want want- Ing to talk to you ever e since he bad had I Ithe the pleasure of knowing about the rest of us Its It's all ull rl rIght ht Malsie MaISie Were We're all clean clear and above above- h 1 ft U Ul l U the lieutenant couldn't come In and sit down Always been glad to see him haven't we Lieutenant We Ve could have ha a drink or two try to I help one one another out tall talk things s over o and part friends That's right Isn't It Lieutenant Mrs Trembly tells me inc Roberts Is de dead d said Stanton true Lieutenant nant Unfortunately Unfortunately that's true tnie Ron passed out In Fan Francisco just before he was to have taken the tho boat He had planned to go Into the Far East You may have known Tell me how he happened to die said the lieutenant He was In excellent excellent ex ex- health the last time I saw him He lie was In excellent health up to the last minute said Ashley although he was fluttery You recall recall recall re re- re- re call be was fluttery when you saw him If an anything he was even en more fluttery In San Francisco First get gel this right Were We're not Implicated Implicated In his death Were We're as Innocent Innocent Inno Inno- cent as children although you might say we caused It In a way that th-ot could be true but there was no responsibility re reo re- re attached to us Not a flicker tUcker of suspicion There couldn't I be There were witnesses who saw everything e and ond we were right In the clear Interesting said the lieutenant Of course It was understood tin tin- In San Francisco what the Turner urner will was and that the three of you were the surviving Ing beneficiaries benefi bene No I 1 dont don't think It was said Ashley We 1 didn't Inquire No Noone Noone Noone one mentioned It Very likely It wasn't understood If It had been known there might have been more Interest In your re re- re- re There might have been more curiosity curiosity cu cu- cu- cu Lieutenant but It couldn't l have a ve changed the facts The coroners coroner's coroners coroner's coroners coroner's cor cor- cor- cor oner's jury found the death acci ned dental You haven't heard the st story ry I guess Roberts fell out of a n window window window win win- dow In his hotel botel room Luckily for forus forus forus us there couldn't be any question about It A bellboy I had ld just brought him bIm some ginger ale and Ice and was In the room The Toe chambermaid was making bis his bed His room was In a n courtway A man was stand stand- Ing lag at a n window across the way It was all In n the thc open He ne fell Cell backward backward back back- ward out of his window It was murder munIer said iid Stanton What did lid you go to his room for What were you ou doIn doing In Lu San FranCisco Francisco Fran Fran- Cisco I Traveling said Ashley grin grin- ning Theres no law against that California particularly encourages It Read Head the ads In your pers We went to call on Roberts Old friend of ours also In San Francisco Now Lieutenant Ill I'll tell you lyoU something you wont won't believe Wed We'd Just about decided that the the panic was over oer It was a panic If It you think n a fellows fellow's about to bump you ou what do you do Bump him first If It youre you're in luck These boys were panicky But as I 1 said to Blair what was the tho use What was It goIng going goIng go go- Ing to get us Our reputations are arenor not nor too good Even you were suspecting suspecting sus sus- peeling us You'll not deny It It Ill not not said Stanton There you are Then what do you think other people leople were saying As I told tole Blair It would get to the police pollee In the end and It wasn't I worth the trouble Blair seemed to give In Ill I'll not say he be was really convinced but he seemed to be We knew Roberts was at the Portula and we knew he ho was sailing on n a Japa Japanese ese bont boat that afternoon We Ve went up to call on him to say good good- by A A. bellboy with ginger ale was knocking at his door We Ye waited until the boy had bail gone In and then we open opened cd the door and saId Hullo Ron At that he lie gave ga a yell and backed right out of ot the open wIndow window win wIn- dow and fell six stories The Tue bellboy saw It The maid saw It A man across the way saw it No one could have been more Innocent After the coroners coroner's Inquest Inquest In In- quest we burled Roberts as his nearest and best friends Ve We never did know anything about his people He lie never talked any And now what Stanton asked Ashley laughed Blair and I are left be he said with ninety thousand each cacho I 1 dont don't ont know ow Would you exa exactly trust Blair Lieutenant If It you bad had to give a friend advice Neither would 1 I. Blair and I are good friends you yon understand Im I'm rather fond of ot theold the theold theold old brute but I 1 think Ill I'll have ha to fix his clock In fact tact Ive I've already started to fix It Im I'm kind of ot sorry about Blair Ill I'll miss him but weve we've gone too far with this game to stop It now That's how It Is Lieutenant Old man Turner certaInly certainly called them didn't he Well I hope hes he's had his fun out ont of ot It I wont won't say he be didn't have ha It coming to him But then weve we've had ours What d did d you yon fellows do to o him mister Oh you can guess about what It was Double crossed him Ill I'll tell you some time time maybe Y Youre You're such sucha a n pleasant cuss Lieutenant that everybody wants to oblige you yon Even en Malsie MaisIe here bere before she had bar hadeen even en seen you Tell you yon what Ill I'll do Have dinner with MaIsIe and me and Ill I'll do two things Ill I'll tell tel you the be beginning of your story and show you the end of It it What do you mean by that Take a n chance and find out out Take him up Lieutenant said I MaIsIe suddenly Accepted said Stanton When and where Good scout Be ne at your desk at al seven se Ill I'll telephone you CHAPTER XIII Ashley Draws a Map of u. A AT T SEVEN THIRTY the lieutenant lieuten ant entered a West Vest side restaurant restaurant restaurant res res- res- res In Blue Island avenue a mile half-mile or so from Halsted street Ashley had given gl the street number In telephoning as agreed and had bad asked Stanton to meet film him and MaIsIe there Following the stout head waiter around the curve e of the room he lie saw Ashley and Malsie MaIsIe at a table I I dont don't know this restaurant he said as ns he greeted them and sat down You should J said Ashley shley for two reasons It has the best food In town and more hoods and opera singers than get under any other one roof It also has the best dance orchestra I think theres there's a coke I peddler work a racket In the tile rear I You can get cockle sauce with your spaghetti and with your veal you youcan youcan youcan can get a real Frascati Youre You're not here bere as a copper so yo you can forget the hoods you see Most of them you know I told l bes be's he's hes es e's esthe the head waiter his bis names name's something something some some- thing different you different you were coming He ne was flattered Hell He'll be here Ina In Ina ina a second to take our order himself In person Youre You're a celebrated fellow fellow fellow fel fel- fel- fel low Stanton Stanlon Mister llster said the tho lieutenant dont kid Idd a copper Heres What Shat are you going to cat Stanton sa says s 's they have haye monIes Maisie anti and andI antiI n nI I wouldn't pass that up What are mules Stanton asked the woman and why more than trian one even en for three They could be anything from the way Howard pronounces It Its It's moule Mussels They're re cooked In Ina Ina Ina a sauce or broth In their shells You dip your Our bread brend In the broth Its It's delicious Yo You'll lI like Uke them Lieuten ant Take a chance I will but dont don't expect refinements refine reOu ments meats of the palate of me Im I'm a steak and man It said Ashley Monies for three A steak for the lieutenant lieuten ant a n two Inch steak steal that the chef himself has pounded In the French manner And Arid onions golden brown onions for the lieutenant Calf's head bead and feet for Cor Mrs Irs Trembly and me Good lord said SUil the lieutenant Im having dinner innel with a n couple of cannibal tribes tubes Say the thc word ant Ill I'll shoot you ou a nice young hood or ora ora ora I a tender snowbird bno I sal didn't try to get you as a customer cus |