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Show kfsfK Courtney !$ iXLUSTRtflONS Ins there over tho wounded body of I the fiddler. Trod. heavy nt heart, his earlier conquest of the night sodden sod-den and overshadowed now, hq turned uwny from the cell nnd Us optimistic occupant out lnt9 th night. It was only u short walk to the ho pltnl and Fntrchlld went there, to leave with ut least n ray of hope. The probing operation had been completed; the fiddler would live, aud nt least the charge against Harry would not be one of murder. That was a thing for which to he thankful; but there was plenty to cause consternation, as Fair-child Fair-child walked slowly down the dark, winding street toward the main thoroughfare. thor-oughfare. Without Harry, Falrchlld now felt himself lost, ltefore the big, genial, eccentric Cornlshmnn had come Into his life, he had believed, with some sort of divine Ignorance, that he could carry out his ambitions by himself, with no knowledge of the technical tech-nical details necessary to mining, with no previous history of the Blue Poppy Pop-py to guide him, nnd with no help against the enemies who seemed everywhere. every-where. Now he saw that It was lm-pollute. lm-pollute. More, the Incidents of Uie night showed how swiftly those enemies ene-mies were working, how shnrp and stllctto-llkc their weapons. Thut Harry wus Innocent was certain cer-tain to Robert Falrchlld. Looking hack over It now, he could see how easily Fate had played Into the hands ot tho Rodatnes, If the Ro-dnlncs Ro-dnlncs had not possessed a deeper concern con-cern than merely to selro upon a happening hap-pening nnd turn It to their own account. ac-count. The highwayman was big. The highwayman talked with n "Cousin-Jack" "Cousin-Jack" accent for all Cornlshnien are "Cousin Jacks" In the mining country. Those two features In themselves, Knlrtfiild thought, as be stumbled along In the darkness, were suUK'lent to start die scheming' plot In the brain bi Maurice Rodalne, already ugly and evil through the trick played by Harry on his father and the rebuke that had' come from Anita Richmond, It was an easy matter for him to get the Inspiration, In-spiration, leap out of the window, nnd then wait until tho robber had gone, that ho might flare forth with his accusation. And nfter that. Either ClTnnce, or something stronger, strong-er, had done the rest. The finding of the stolen horse and the carelessly mndc cache near the mouth of the Illup Poppy mine would be sufficient In the eyes of any Jury. The evidence was both direct nnd circumstantial. To Falrchlld's mind, there wns smnll chance for escape by Harry, once his case ucut to trial. Down the dark street tho man wandered, wan-dered, his hands sunk deep In his pockets, his head low between Ids shoulders itnly to buddvuly galvanize Into Intensity, and to stop short that he might hear again tho oIce which had coniu to him. At one slilu wus a big house a hoiiho whoso occupants he knew Instinctively, for h had oen the sltadow of n wemnn, hands outstretched, out-stretched, us she passed the light-strewn light-strewn shade of n window on the second sec-ond floor. -More, he had heard her voice, supplemented by gruffer tones. And then It came again. It was pleading, nnd nt the same time angered with the passion' of a person approaching hysteria. A bnrk-lug bnrk-lug sentence unswered her, something thnt Full-child could not understand. He left the old bonrd sidewalk and crept to the porch that ho might hear the better. Tlicn every nerve within him Jangled, and the black of the dark- rfess changed to red. The Rodnlnes were within; he had heard first the cold voice ot the father, then tho rasping rasp-ing tones of tho son, In upbraiding. More, there had come the sobbing of n woman; Instinctively Falrchlld know thnt It was Anltn Richmond. And then ; It was her voice, high, screaming. Hysteria had come the wild, racking hysteria or n person driven to the breaking point : "Leave this house hear mo I Leave, this house I Can't you see that you're killing him? Don't you dnro touch me leave tills house 1 No I won't be quiet I won't you'ro killing hlra, I tell you l" And Falrchlld waited for nothing more. A lunge, and he was on the veranda. One more spring and he had reached tho door, to find It unlocked, un-locked, to throw It wide and to leap Into the hnll. Orent steps, and lie had cleared tho Btalrs to tho second lloor. Dimly, as through n red screen, Fulr-child Fulr-child saw tho frightened face of Anita Richmond, nnd on the landing, fronting front-ing htm nngrlly, stood 'the two Ro-dalpes. Ro-dalpes. For n moment, Falrchlld disregarded dis-regarded them and turned to the sobbing, sob-bing, disheveled little being In the doorway. "What's hnpiKsncd?" "They worn threatening mo and father I" slio moaned. "Hut you ifflSithN LLLbt IMIIibbbbbV fill filf Ibbbbbbb ' "They Were Threatening Ma and Father!" shouldn't have come In you shouldn't have" "I heard you scream. I couldn't help It. I henrd you say they were killing your fnthcr " , The girl looked anxiously toward an ' Inner room, wheru Falrchlld could see faintly the still flguro of u man outlined out-lined under the covers of hn old-fashioned old-fashioned four-poster. , "They tlioy got him excited. He had another stroke. I I couldn't stand It tiny longer." "You'd better get out," said Falrchlld Falr-chlld curtly to the Itodulues, with a suggestive motion towurd the stairs. They hesitated u moment nnd Muurlce seemed about to launch himself at Robert, but his father laid a restraining restrain-ing hand on his arm. A step and the elder Rodalne hesitated. ' "Pin only Agoing- because- of your father," he snld gniflly, wlUi a glance toward Anita. "I'm not going bo-cause'' bo-cause'' "Oh, I know. Mr. Falrchlld shouldn't have come In here. He shouldn't have done It. I'm sorry nlcaso 0." Down the steps tlioy went, the older old-er man with his hnnd still on his son's arm; while, white-faced, Falrchlld awaited Anita, who hud suddenly sped past him Into the sick-room, then wns wearily returning. "Cnn I help you?" he asked nt last. "Yes," came her' rather cold answer, only to be followed by a quickly whispered whis-pered "Forgive me." And then the tones became louder so that they could he heard at tho bottom of the stnlrs: "You can help mo grently simply by going and not creating any more of n disturbance." "Hut" "Please go," eame the direct answer. "And pleaso do not vent your spite on Mr. Rodalne and Ids son. I'm sure thnt they will act like gentlemen If you will. You shouldn't have rushed in here." "I heard you screaming, Miss Richmond." Rich-mond." "I know." i-nine her answer, as Idly as ever, Then the door downstairs dosed and 'md of steps came on the vp"nd r lie leaned close to him. "I luil t ( lb-1," came her whls-ii..i-i"i ''' 'flense- don't try to un-ucrsinmf un-ucrsinmf anything 1 do in the future I Just go -pleasul" And Falrchlld obeyed. Ui- 'jSijip CHAPTER X ' Tho Rodalnes were on the sidewalk when Falrchlld came forth from the Richmond home, and true to his Instructions In-structions from the frightened girl, he brushed past them swiftly and went on down tho street, not turning ut the muttered Invectives which came from the crooked lips of the older man. not seeming even to notice their presence as he hurried oii toward Mother Mow aid's hoarding house. In his creaky hed he sought to think, but In vain. After hour, daylight began to streak the sky. Falrchlld, dull, worn .by ex cltemeut and futlgue, strove to rise, then laid his head on the pillow for Just ii moment of rest. And with that perversity which extreme weurlnes so often exerts, his eyes closed, and ho slept to wake ut last with the realization that It was late morning, and thut some one wus pounding on the door. Falrchlld raised his head, "Who Is It!" "No one you know yet. I've come to talk to you about your partner, May I como In?" "Yes." Falrchlld was fully alive now to tho activities thai the day held lief me him. The door opened, aud a young man, alert, almost cocky In manner, man-ner, with black, snappy eyes showing behind horn-rlmmed glasses, entered and readied for the sole chair that the room contained, "Mv name's Farrell," he announced. "Randolph p Farrell. And to make a In? , tory ihort, I'm jour lawyer ".My lawyer?" Falrchlld stared. "1 haven't any lawyer In Ohadl. The 'onlr"" "That doesn't niter tho fact. I'm your lawyer, and I'm at your service. And I don't mind telling you that It's Just about my first case. Otherwise I don't guess I'd have gotten it" "Why not?" The frankness had driven driv-en other queries from Fatrchlld'a mind. 1'nrrell, the ntAorncy, grinned cheerily. "Because I understand It concerns the Rodatnes. Nearly everybody has '. j a little money stuck Into their enterprises. enter-prises. And seeing I have no money at nil, I'm not financially Interested. And not being Interested, I'm wholly Just, fair and willing to fight 'em to a standstill. Your partner's In Jail, as I understand it. Guilty or not guilty?" guil-ty?" "Wa wait a minute I Who hired you?" Then with a sudden Inspiration: Inspira-tion: "Mother Howard didn't go and do this?" "Mother Howard? You mean the ' woman who runs the boarding house? Not nt all." "Hut " "I'm not exactly at liberty to state." Suspicion began to assert Itself. "Under those conditions, I don't believe" be-lieve" "Don't say It I Don't get started along those lines. I know what you'ret thinking. Knew thnt was what would happen from t,he start. And against the wishes of tho person who hired me for this work. I well. I brought the evidence, Here, take a glimpse nnd then throw It away, tear It up, j wallow It, or do anything you want ' to with It, Just so nobody else sees It. ! Rendy? Look." i He drew forth n small visiting card, i FuUrh11d glanced. Then he looked j nnd then he sat up straight lu bed. For before him were the engraved words : "Miss Anltn Natalie Richmond." I While across the card was hastily , written, In n hand distinctively femi nine: "Mr. Falrchlld: This is my good ' friend. Ho will help you. There It no fee attached. Please destroy. "Anita Richmond." "Uu but I 'don't understand." ' "You knowtMlss er the writer of this card, don't you?" , J. , ( "But why should slio ?" ' Mr. Farrell grinned broadly. ( "I see you don't know Miss the i vrlter of this card ut all, That's her nature. Resides well, ull she's got to do with me Is crook her finger and I'll Jump through. I'm none of your business. ''Rut, nnywny, here I am" Falrchlld could not. restrain a laugh. There was something tthout the man, about his nervous, yet boyish way of .speaking, about his enthusiasm, that 'wiped out suspicion und Invited cou-fldence. cou-fldence. The owner of the Blue Poppy Pop-py mine, lcauud forward. "But you didn't finish jour sentence about the writer of that curd." "You mean oh well, there's nothing noth-ing to thut. I'm lu love with her. Been In love with her since I've been knee- high to.a duck. So 're you. So's every other human being that thinks he'a u regular man. So's Maurice Rodalne. Don't know about the rest of you hut I haven't got a chance. Don't let It bother you. The problem right now la to get your pnrtner out of Jail. How much money hnvo you got'" "Only u little more than two thousand." thous-and." "Not enough. There'll he bonds on four charges. At the least, they'll be j around a thousand dollars nplece. Probabilities are That they'll run around ten thousand for the hunch. How nbout the Blue Poppy?'; "I don't know what It's worth." "Neither do I. Neither docs the Judge. Neither does any one else, j Therefore, It's worth nt least ten thousand thous-and dollars. That'll do the trick. I'd suggest now that you get up. seize your deeds nnd nccoiupnny me to the palace of Justice. Otherwise, that partner of yours will have to eat dinner In a placo called In undignified language the hoosegow!" Soon Fnlrehlld woe iln-i " ' walked hurrledlj up the 'j' " the voluble attornev. v " more and thej wore before the court, Fulrchlld, the lawyer and the Jail-worn Hurry, his mustache fluttering In more directions than ever. "Not gulltjvYour Honor," said Randolph Ran-dolph P. Farrell. "May I ask tho extent ex-tent of the bond?" The Judge adjusted his glasses and i studied the Information which the dls-trlct dls-trlct attorney had laid before him. "In view of the number of charges and the seriousness of each. I must tlx an uggregato bond of five thousand dollnrs, or twelve hundred fifty dollurs for each nu-'o" "Thank you; we hud come prepared for more. Mr, Falrchlld, who is Mr. Harkfns' pnrtner, Is hero to appear as bondsman. The deeds are lu his nuine, ulouo, the partnership existing, as i understand It, upon their word of honor hon-or between them. I refer, Your Honor, to the deeds of the Bluo Poppy mine. Would Your Honor enro to examine them?" Ills Honor would. Ills Honor did. For u long moment he studied them, and Falrchlld, In looking nbout the courtroom, buw the bailiff In conversation conversa-tion with u tall, thin man, with squint eyes nnd a seur-marked forehead. A moment later, the Judge looked Over his glusses. "Bailiff!" "Yes, Your Honor." "Hnvo yon any Information regarding regard-ing tho value of the BHio Poppy mining min-ing claims?" I "Sir, I have Just been talking to Mr, Rodalne Ho says they'ro well worth tho value of the bond." "How about that, Rodalne?", The MBMaiMiiiiiliii --TiTlTJTrh1'iT Judge poorcd down tho "court ""room. "Thoy'll do," waa tho answer, and the Judge passed the papers to the clerk of the court. "Bond accepted. I'll set this trial for November 11." "Very well. Your Honor." Then he turned with n wide grin to hfs client. "That's nM tjiitll November." Out they hied through the narrow V aisle of the courtroom, Fatrchlld'a 6 knee brushing the trouser leg of j Squint Rodnlnu ns they passed. At Y the door, the attorney turned toward Sj them, then put forth n hand. $ "Drop in any day this week and 6 we'll go over things," he announced v cheerfully, "We put one over on his Jfc royal Joblots that time, uuyway. Hates me from the ground up. Worst we , can hope for Is a conviction und Uien 0 u Supremo court reversal. I'll get him T o mad he'll fill the case with errors, g He used to be un Instructor down at a Boulder, and I stuck the pages of a lecture together ou him one day. 'J. hat's y why I naked for nn early trial. Knew jjj he'd give me a late one. That'll let us X have time t.o stir up a little favorable evidence, which right now wo don't $ possess. Understand all money thnt v comes from the mine Is held In escrow 3 until this case Is decided. But I'll ex- i pluln Unit, doing to stick around here ( and bask In the effulgence of really a possessing a case. S'longl" v And he turned bucit into tho court- J room, while Fulrchlld, the dazed liar- J ry stalking beside him, started down the street. 5 I "'Ow do you figure It?" aske.d tho I (,'oriilshman at last. "What?" I "Rodalne. 'K 'elped us out!" J Falrchlld slopped. It had not oc- J curred to him before. But now lie saw It: that If Rodalne, ua an expert i on mining, had condemned the Blue I Poppy, It could have meant only ouu ! thing, the denial of bond by the Judge ami the lark of freedom for Harry, ralrehlld rubbed a hand across his brow, "I can't llgure It," came ut lust. "And especially since hU sou Is the accuser and since I got the best of them both last night I" "Got the best of 'em? You?" The story was brief lu Its telling. And It brought no explanation of the sudden itmlujilllty displayed by the crooked-faced Rodalne, They went on, striving vainly for u reason, nt last to I stop In front of tho post olllce, as the postmaster leaned out of tho door. "Your name's Falrchlld. Isn't Itr asked the person of letters. "Yes." "Thought so. Some of the fellows said you was. There's been u letter for jou here for two days I" "For mo?" Vaguely Falrchlld went within and received tho missive, n plain, bond envelope without a re- nrn address. He turned It over and , er In his hand before he opened It -then looked at the postmark Don-?r. Don-?r. At last: "Open It. why don't you?" narry's mustache was tickling his ear. as' the big miner stared over his shoulder. Before lliem were llgures and sentences which blurred for u moment, mo-ment, finally to resolve Into: .".Mr. Robert Falrchlld, I "Ohadl. Colorado. I "Dear Sir! "I am empowered by a client whose mime 1 am not at liberty to state, to nlake you an offer of $50,000 for jour property In Clear Creels county, known as the Blue Poppy mine. In replying, . kindly addiewi oiir letter to ! "Box. 1H0. Denver. Colo. LoulJiiueu .mjxi ih-i-k i ii ii ii.l-, i.imi i.whiisw iiw m jatjtV' |