Show CHILD OF eF EVIL c O c oc OCTAVOS OCTAVUS SERVICE ROY Jg COHEN HEN By y CON COHIEN t CHAPTER XIV XIV Continued Continued 14 14 Babe straightened She walked across the room and came back Her Iier lips were pressed into a straight scarlet line there were tiny v vertical vertical verti verti- cal furrows in her forehead And finally she spoke as though the mere fact of words might clarify clarity her ide ideas s. s Listen Listen theres there's theres just exactly one guy in this town who might help au out t. t Who Vho She spoke in a n tense whisper Jeff Butler Buller Creedon shook his head Who is he hc That lanky lank swamp angel the thc on one that lost his job at the GL Gardens and then got beat up by Barney Hamil Hamil- ton Ever since then hes he's been loafing loafing loafing loaf loaf- ing around the county swearing he was gonna get revenge saying that he didn't intend to let any man manget manget get awa away with that sort of rough stuff Its an awful long shot comment commented com corn ment d Dan Long shot shot sure But its it's the only chance chanc we got This bird has lived around here all his life and he knows the ropes And whether or not hes he's sore enough to play ball with us us-he us he still might give us an idea Dan nodded judicially It might work Its gotta work Jeff Butler hates Barney Hamilton Hed He'd mighty well like lile to get a good safe sale crack at him Dan said Babe Babe aint aint you goin strong What do you ou mean strong This sounds like a killing youre you're thinking of So USo what Didn't Barney Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Hamil Hamil- ton kill Kirk I know but look If we got tied up with this they'd fry us And anyway what anyway what can Butler do She said I dont don't know I aint even cven sure hell he'll do anything But I know this Dan hes he's our only hope i fit Hes He's the only man in the county that hates Barney Hamilton and says sas so I say lets let's go see him He probably wont won't work out you know v. Sure I know But we got to try him What are arc you OU going to suggest to hi him n I dont don't know the answer to that one either B But t after niter Ive I've talked to him a n few minutes She put her hands on Creedon's shoulder What I want you to do is this Dan Dnn Beat feat it downstairs and mosey around town Find out where Jeff Butler lives and how to get there Dan rose though with visible re re- re- re You aint being very bright Babe Well see sec And bring Kirks Kirk's car carback carback back when you come Ill I'll be ready He returned in forty minutes Got the dope he reported and I 1 think i 1 iI iI I can find the place Lets Let's go They drove east toward east toward Big Moccasin Mac Moc cabin casin Swamp Their road wound into the swamp At best it was poor and eventually they came to the old and untouched section of highway a n bed roadbed reinforced with sapling trunks They were jolted t land and jounced unmercifully on this corduroy I corduroy road their wheels skidded In the deep sandy ruts Dan Creedon Creedon Cree Cree- don gave his attention to the business business business busi busi- ness of driving and Babe Henkel sat back in her seat scat staring into the cool shade under the pines Thinking It was eer eerie e desolate country The swamp weighed upon her so that she shivered She said God How can can nn human beings live out here His answer was apparently vant Think wed we'd better call It t off She shook her head No Then Think you can find the place I think so They said this was vas was the only road rand And then they came to the cabin they sought An old Negro repairing repairing repairing repair repair- ing the ancient harness of a bony mule with a bit of at rope informed them that this was the residence of Mr Jeff Butler sho null They glanced uncertainly at one another as ns they turned from rom the road rand and progressed in second across the sandy bit of land between cabin and andi andrj rr rj i tool Jeff Butlers Butler's long figure appeared on the dog trot which bisected his cabin His weak gray eyes blinked into the sunlight and he shaded them with a 3 bony hand When he squinted squint squint- ed there were innumerable crows crow's feet teet at the corners of his eyes and he cocked ed bis his head at nt an nn angle as ns though better to focus ocus upon his vis His high nasal voice came I through the morning air You all lookin to fo somebody Dan Creedon answered We want to see Mr l Jeff Butler Jeff thought it over for a n moment before answering Then he said Im Jeff Butler Buller They got out of the car and approached approached ap ap- ap the cabin Jeff watched them impassively his leathern fac face expressionless What he hc was thinking think ing or ing-or or If It he was thinking at Dt all all all- they could not tell His costume definitely informal overalls and ra ragged ced shirt with sleeves cut off the elbow They walked to the house se and ante w 10 e dogtrot My name is i cedon This Is Miss lIs Hc Henkel kel 1 know Thc They stood about aw Then ruen Dahl Bahr spoke You here alone Mr Mx Butler Jeff was neither cordial nor hostile He simply stood there rocking slightly on the balls of his overlarge feet said This Tills is very Important Babe I want to be sure nobody can overhear us Jeff shrugged There aint nobody nobody no no- body Good Babe lowered her voice She felt that she understood this man and knew how to h handle him But t there was one thing that Babe Henkel did not know One vitally important thing Babe Henkel Bd d not know that she was seeking help from the man who bad killed Kirk Reynolds I Jeff dragged out three cane bot tomed tamed chairs and they seated sealed them them- selves Then Jeff asked What you- you all nil cravin to see me about Babe hesitated but only briefly Its about Barney Hamilton Hamilto Jeff was noncommittal He Hc killed Kirk Reynolds Jeff swallowed so that his Adams Adams Adam's Adams Adam's Ad Ad- ams am's apple bobbed up and down alarmingly His shrewd weak eyes narrowed and focused speculatively upon the orchidaceous woman site But he betrayed no emotion He merely said You reckon Im sure of it A warm glow suffused Jeff He had been considerably perturbed since the night he had killed Kirk and it was pleasing to hear henr someone declare suspicion of another's guilt So Jeff merely said He cOl could d of and waited Babe talked straight You hate Barney Hamilton dont don't you I reckon I do He beat you up didn't he He never give me mo no chance Just hit me when I wasn't lookin And Anc you'd like to see him get what's coming to him for killing Mr Reynolds wouldn't you l Maybe laybe Then uThen said Babe you can cnn help it f if you will Jeff Butler produced a dirty sack of at tobacco and a malodorous pipe With fingers that were not altogether steady he tamped the tobacco into the bowl and held a match to it He was thinking as swiftly and efficiently as it was possible for him to think He was teas wondering whether they suspected the truth whether they had come out here to trick him ingo damaging admissions But Babe was tense and eager Her eyes were wells of black fire She spoke the name of Barney Hamilton with venom Jeff said How come to look me up Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Hamil Hamil- Because we hate Barney ton and we figure you do too Maybe Maybe May May- be we can work together Jeff grunted and nodded His face was impassive stodgily inscrutable But he was pleased Fragments of unpleasant recollection recollection recollection tion came to him the fight with Barney Hamilton his own ignominious ious lous beating the drunken stupor from which he had roused himself th the following day with head splitting and pride irreparably injured He had turned back to his jug of raw corn liquor and sought the solitude soli tude of Big Moccasin Swamp to reflect re reo fleet upon the thc indignity which had been put upon him He had brooded for hours fanning himself into an unreasoning anger against Barney Hamilton His meager mengel brain brain brain-be- be befogged fogged by alcohol had alcohol had concentrated upon this single idea that his honor banal had been dragged through the muck He convinced himself that Cathedral Cathedral Cathedral Cathe Cathe- dral Gardens was a cesspool of iniquity iniquity iniquity and that any man who destroyed destroyed destroyed de de- de- de a n portion of it would be doing doing doing do do- ing a fine community service And so he had cut himself a lightwood knot and had lurched through the swamp that night with the idea of burning the Hamilton home Of committing committing committing com com- arson Of Ot jeopardizing human human hu hu- hu- hu man life Of exacting revenge for forthe forthe forthe the beating he had so justifiably suffered suffered suffered suf suf- the previous day Half stupefied with corn liquor and finding therein a courage which was n pot not t natural keyed to high pitch by the magnitude of at the thing he planned Jeff Butler had skirted the Gardens and nd approached the house from the rear He knew that the family would be in the front of the house that the Negro servants had left that the Gardens were not then open to tourists at night Walking stealthily carrying his lightwood knot making a stern effort effort ef ef- ef fort to control jagged nerves reflecting reflecting reflecting reflect reflect- ing upon the nobility of his enterprise enter prise and thoroughly terrified Jeff Butler had come closer and closer to the house And suddenly in the darkness he had collided with witha a n man Instinctively he struck at nt the masculine masculine masculine mas mas- culine figure before him There was the bruising impact of fist on flesh then a n snarl from the man who had been hit A snarl and a n vicious threat Jeff stumbled away He dropped his lightwood knot and I grabbed for or his At the touch of his thumb the long keen blade sprang open The figure of the other man came toward him deadly menacing seeking combat with this man who had struck first Jell slashed with his knife The rhe blade sank h home mc Scarcely a sound And not until the body lay still did J Jeff efI Butler Buller realize that he had killed Kirk l Reynolds The Instinct for or concealment t tI l I d jell IT to Tn risk detection by dragging Kirks Kirk's body to the edge of the lagoon and sliding it into the black shallow water He knew he was taking a desperate chance but that that-he that he figured was figured was better than being recognized en cn route to his home and then of having Kirks Kirk's body found He escaped He slithered away into the shadows of the night He Hc lurched back through the swamps to his home in Big Moccas Moccasin p. p And for hours he drank steadily He was palsied with fe fear r. r And all nIl the next day he drank until someone rode by his place and mentioned that Kirk Reynolds had been murdered murdered murdered mur mur- dered and Jeff had bad asked Who done it Dunno said his Informant but folks Is sayin it was Barney Hamilton Hamil ton or either Andy Forrest It sho Is one hell of a mess Barney Hamilton Andy Forrest Jim Owenby I For days Jeff had felt his courage returning Obviously ho he had not been seen on that fateful night obviously he be was not sus sus- petted Well and good Leave em think it was one of them damned though there was always the uncomfortable thought that the popular suspects might be bc beable beable able to prove their Innocence Innocence-in in which event the search yol would d turn elsewhere So long as ns no person was convicted Jeff knew he was in danger That was Jeff Bu Butler er That was the m man ln to Babe Henkel had B j j I I BE BEl l 11 II I 1 M 1 4 c f 1 Y I y s i Its gotta work come for assistance She was seeking seeking seeking seek seek- ing to enlist the help of the mur mur- murderer murderer derer in an effort to avenge the murder Babe was surprised surprised and and pleased with with the readiness of Jeff Butlers Butler's response She had hardly anticipated ed cd so eager cager an alliance She had sought Jeff because the lanky swamp u angel was the only person in nil all Beauregard County whom she knew had reason to hate Barney Hamilton And Arid she did not know that Jeff was still thinking He was thinking that if it anything happened to Barney Hamilton the public would be glad enough to consider consider con conn sider the matter closed If It a n suspect has been executed for murder the populace does not interest itself in other su suspects It It is willing enough to accept the fact act of punishment as ns pro proof at of guilt And so Jeff remained willing though wiping though cautious Babe c caught Dan Creedon's eye The gambler nodded and Babe took the hint pressing her advantage She said never do anything anything anything any any- I thing to Barney Hamilton for killIng kill kill- log Ing Mr Reynolds will they No uNo maam I reckon they wo wont tIts t Its It's only us po po folks fonts that gits Bits punIshed punIshed punished pun pun- fo things Then he added hastily Fa Fo things we never done i 1 I know Barney killed him 1 I know why Kirk went to the Gardens that night Mr Dixon knows i it too too but he says that aint evidence They're not even going to arrest anybody And they've told me Ive I've got to leave Beverly How come maam ma'am Because I was a friend of Kirk Reynolds' Reynolds that's why Shun Shuh They never give nobody a square deal dea Babes Babe's voice was hard but per per- You hate Barney Hamilton Hamil ton dont don't you I sho do Well so do I. I And Im I'm not going to get out of town wIthout doing something about It A man like Jike him aint got no right to live He ought to be lynched Jeffs Jeff's voice trailed off Three pairs of eyes looked startled In recognition tion of the fact that a n chance remark remark re re- re mark had given them their cue Jeff repeated repented He ought to be lynched The idea penetrated Babe said If the law wont won't punish him him some some somebody body ought And she was sincere about il it She was convinced that Barney had killed Kirk And nd Jell Butler was thinking thinking clearly clearly now Was Barney Hamilton to flit git hung there wouldn't nobody never me of doin doil it The Tho situa situation WJ was tJ sardonically perfect Jeff Jeer was more than willing will will- ing he ing-he he was eager Babe asked Could we Jeff Jeer nodded Folks Is mighty het hot up about things Miss bliss They say the Ga Gardens was vms built by bythe bythe bythe the Devil Preachers been bout how bad things are arc An we never did crave to have no Dam- Dam J yanks janks comIn down heah kUh killIn n our own folks folles Dan Creedon spoke Lets Let's talk turkey Butler Weve We've plenty of money and were we're willing to spend it Well We'll see that youre you're protected if it f anything should go wrong Have you ou any friends who will help I reckon so It Do you hate Barney Hamilton enough to go in on it I 1 aint got no use for that feller mister Not no use at alL Then will you Jeff pondered He Hc saw the future i if Barney were lynched The public public public pub pub- lic would know why that he had been strung up because he h had ld murdered murdered murdered mur mur- dered Kirk Reynolds And if anybody anybody anybody any any- body had to be punished for the lynching bee It would be these two outlanders Dan Creedon and Babe Henkel Henke Folks didn't like them no no- how Jeff said I reckon It could be bedone bedone bedone done maam Us folks heah in the Ule swamp is God fearin We in right an decency We all the time say It would be an nn eye fo a an eye and thc law aint aimin to take takeno no eye fo fa somebody Id killin llin Kirk Reynolds Babe asked Will you do It Ill Til try When Tomorrow night maybe Jeff blinked But you-all you both has gotto gotto got gotto to be there Ill be there said Babe Jeff was highly pleased Hc He who had murdered Kirk Reynolds was about to avenge the death of theman theman the theman man he had killed by directing the lynching of an innocent person Mr Butlers Butler's sense of humor |