| Show 1 t I t THE R RED P LOCK t I a A Tale O T 1 i a II David Davitt utho n 0 e son O i Moon i t by bl a IWin twin M My s s cri 1 Tk J eer ewUl ll Co CHAPTER XV 20 Gun Oun Persuasion In the church of ot which he had long been the chief support the funeral of the dead money lender was was held In spite of at his grasping and domineering domi fleeting ways WO'S the rugged worth of ot the man to I say ay OY nothing of ot his wealth had bad made him widely known Now joined to this was the mystery of ot his death People came from far for and near and the church ch was packed while many were wele forced to remain out nut outside side grouped about the open door and window windows The Reverend Caleb Hopkins elated It was the first time the Flatwoods had hod heard him preach because of ot the fact tact that the day before though Sunday Sun day the church had remained closed out of respect for Its leading member sleeping his last lost sleep at the r red red- d. d root roofed d cottage Standing well bock back among the silent group at nt the door Jack watched the preacher go through his ordeal Nerve NeMe he must have had bad or orbe he be never could have hove carried It through Behind the piously solemn mask of his face there doubtless raged a terrific tempest but It did not seem to retard his flow now of thought or mar his oratory Little enough can be said sold over a dead deadman deadman man at the best but that little he so BO clothed with artistry that the like of ot it had never ne been blen heard In the Flat Flat- woods Each Ench man writes his own epitaph epitaph epi Simon Colin had written his That was the basis of his remarks lie He lien n neither eulogized nor blamed blamed and and In that he showed the sense of ot a wiser I man Most Host of ot the crowd lingered about the cemetery for tor a time even een after atter the thelast thelast thelast last solemn rites had been performed as It If slow to realize that a man so 80 I prominent so long a n power In the life lite I of ot the little community had with such suddenness dropped that prominence and power for the mean and voiceless walls of ot the grave Immediately on the death of ot the old o banker the preacher had for the sake Rake of ot appearances moved mo to the parsonage parson parson- parsonage parson parson- age He lie had bad returned from the funeral funeral funeral fu fu- and had bad been for some time pacing back and forth or fid fidgeting restlessly In his chair In the cool front room upstairs the upstairs the former ministers minister's study when study when he was very ery much surprIsed surprised surprised sur sur- to see Jack Jock ride up upon upon upon on Graylock Gralock dismount throw tilrow the bridle rein over the rack hitch and ond come striding up the yard ard He lie sprang from hi chair opened one of ot his satchels snatched out the holster with the Ivory handled revolver sticking In It hurriedly buckled it on under his vest where It was concealed by the somber frock track coat and ond tiptoed back t to to his chair A knock disturbed the qua quiet of ot the study door Come In The knob turned with a force torce and decision that som somehow how suggested the power of ot the hand laid upon it and Jack War hope entered carefully closed dOlled the door stood coolly looking the other over o The preacher slowly rose from his chair slipped his hand down along the front of ot his frock coat and und loosened loosened loosened loos loos- ened It against his side The motion notion was not lost upon the woodsman His Ills eyes ees had narrowed f I r rr r i t tf th h C I f i a Butt First Parson Cane Cam the Cold Incisive Command Over the Steady Study Barrel to o slit silt In his face fa e his lips were tightened tight e ened d to a 8 straight hard line He lie dropped a quick quiet took look ut at the preaches preachers rB feet flet Ther aint another pair o o 0 boot sects in the like them Ur Mr- Mr Hopkins The brows browl of the other ta n a atte poll po pa ll It tte surprise lOt I 1 found the print o o 0 them hC heels ls on the he dusty floor boards there by Pap Pui Simons Simon's desk where they couldn't aben aben a V Ven ben en made mad till after atter the rug was drug back The prea preacher peered at him through his huge huge- huge spectacles a D subtle premonition premonition premo premo- of what was coming reached him himI I 1 may have stepped there when I came come out of ot my room That was a most distressing xene ene Mr nut lint the boast boaN was scratched where the heel beel had hm slipped and dug Into nto It under strain How lIow come yu slipped 7 The affable benevol benevolent t smile weakened weakened weak weak- ened the premonition ot of what was coming deepened Really Heally you must not expect me to remember every ery small detail of ot so digressing dig a a. a moment Mr That trick of ot the brimstone brim stone from the caps on the shotgun was what I call downright smart It took ook a good head t t think o 0 that nut Hut aint It queer that a master hand like that hat would unlock the door after oller the mur murder Jer of ot and leave blood on the key keyl The Tho studious pucker around the eyes ees was fast tast smoothing out and the theman theman theman man was breathing fast Ills His hand handas was as fumbling tumbling the lapel of ot the frock Crock coat and slowly stealing down the side What that do you mean You surely are not accusing me mo of the murder of ot my old friend I mean rasped the woodsman his slits of ot eyes on the hand hond stealing down the edge of ot the frock coat that night last I laid in the little park and heard beard what was said sold you ou and Black Bogus Like lightning the creeping hand darted under the frock coat coot But Quick as he was the Ivory handled revolver was not quite out of ot the holster when hen the heavy six gun of the woodsman leaped up and covered ered him Butt first Parson larson came the cold decisive command over the steady barrel Hopkins stood just as the gun had caught him motionless him motionless poised on the flat of one tout foot and the toes of the tile other I his body slightly crouched forward Reckless though he was a aman aman man mau who held the world at nt bo bay and witted keen-witted as a dog fox tax he slowly relaxed the pose and grudgingly handed hand hand- ed over the revolver the revolver the ivory butt first The woodsman snatched It removed remo the caps cops from the tubes and stuck it t back hock into the holster under the frock coat cont And now Ill I'll fist trouble yu U fr that parlor parlor door door key Hopkins scowled whipped a black blacklook blacklook blacklook look at the steady stead muzzle of ot the six six- gun dragged the key out of ot his pocket and passed It over oer No 0 1 I 1 ant aint you ou of ot the mur mar murder der the woodsman went wc-nt on as cool and collected as If there had been no Interruption at the same time dropping dropping drop drop- ping the key Into his pocket Im doln loin yu U the honor t t think yu quite fell that low low low-b low hem ln yu U didn't want Is death No u. yu u wanted wonted Ira Ian t live sos so's you could slip out all the goot good bills yu u dast every e night and lea leave leae e counted it bills In their place fist got through ln the mone money money- that night when hen e rushed out on yu ya 1 lie He tried t shoot shoot both both but hut but you fixed the caps sos so's th they y wouldn't po jO off Then the struggle jle and no doubt you ou was bad had flustered when e fell tell back the chair dead of ot heart disease Then yu U unlocked the door t head off suspicion suspicion sus sus- but yu must a II ben flustered r yu wouldn't u V left lert blood on the key Hopkins was bowed forward starIng starIng staring star- star Ing hard herd through h his glasses classes ass es The I woodsman glanced at him fist one pInt I aint quite clear on did on-did did t e e know It was you your This The question caught the other o of off guard My oct od yes es Oh Ills hh hi dead face tace there thElt In time tilE coffin In coma In the black night nIgh I Its It's before loP ins He Ill shu Jfred gripped d his hili hands till the knuckles turned white stiffened after a moment and pulled lulled himself to to- get gether her Mr Jr Mr Caleb a Hopkins a a peculiar tali had slid Into his voce voe that brought a quick quIrk look Iok from the man l led l I low yu didn't aim t kill Pap Iap Simon hut hilt the Flatwoods aint big enough any nay more t hold you and me t both th The TIll stage from down the river rl is IsI I ln a the post postoffice postoffice office lre fr rr the city In a few tew minutes Youre You're t be bl a passenger passenger and and n j u aint cumin back bock winced involuntarily dropped his hand to tit the hint of his hili gun six before betre remembering It was useless snapped out a red muttered curse and stood glaring shunt about him A grin hard hurd and dangerous trawled crawled out Ut nt of the wood woodsman's lUnn's ryes eyes nod pod tn twisted twist Il Isted ed his hll face tace I 1 low well we'll be now now he Ill I rn rasped fd t I Hopkins swore Again again an an artistic trait run of ot oaths l that the Fla nii IJ woods call split across the floor picked up his hi two satchels atchel and brought them back bark to the desk Empty em the hard bard voice com com- tn D D d if It 1 I will the other snarled his hill te eyes like live coals In his face Yu will r yuH yuil face Jerry Drown and and I aint carlo Carla a dern dem which The other glared around appeared to meditate some desperate move seemed to realize his helplessness finally slammed the satchels latch 11 11 on the tile desk with a snarl and snatched out their contents One of ot them contained some clothIng cloth cloth- Ing and ond a few tew personal belongings the other a dumber number of ot thick bundles of ot money real money real money the face of at Hopkins left It no doubt of ot that very Important Im ha- portent fact The woodsman's eyes widened a e trifle trine Lord parson yu cut rut some swath I fr fr a preacher I Ilia How much did yu IU have ha when yu u struck the Flat Flatwoods real ral money Five I hundred Im to kin yur word fr tr that Peel off that many ninny and put the rest back bock Hopkins picked up one of at the bundles bun dies diu counted off ort bills all bills all tens and twenties to twenties to the amount of ot five fire bundred hundred hun bun dred dyed dollars and dumped the rest with the other bundles back In time the satchel The Time long arm of the woodsman unexpectedly un un- unexpectedly expectedly stabbed across the desk dElIk and snatched the satchel Hopkins i I lw M 11 They Totaled Exactly Three Thousand Five Hundred Eighty Dollars whirled to spring at him faced the muzzle of ot the steady six-gun six flinched back bock With exasperating deliberation th the woodsman stored away the bundles o ot of bills In the capacious pockets of his hunting blouse snapped the satchel satche shut dropped it to the floor and sll slid sUd It t toward the other with his hla foot ahead o 0 go me downstairs he directed crisp and cold Make Moke whatever excuse yu U please t Mis' Mis Mason Ma son r anybody else we run onto Well We'll stand out there at the rack hitch-rack till til the stage comes alon along When It does you'll board It fist like no had bat happened Im I'm ahnin t trail yu U on Graylock Make one false move am and the the next move will be mine lie He backed to the stair door threw It open and with a slight sweep of ot th the revolver stood aside The eyes ees of ot Hopkins behind hi his hlA glasses were like the eyes tes of nt a II t trapped viper Iper but he dared not disobey th the command lie He strode through the door The rhe woodsman dropped the r six back hock In Its holster and followed Mrs Mason SIn ln on was at nt the hack back of nf th the house when wIlen they came come down so the they escaped encountering her The sum same good luck tuck held at the rack hitch for tor th the stage was just pulling out from th the post office as they reached the gate i iThe The woodsman waved wa his hand the I driver drew up Hopkins stepped d I aboard and it rattled away e Twilight ht had put the woods wools to sleep when Jack lack rode back bak to the homestead from trailing the stage He lie groomed his horse foul toul with sweat and sand fed him and went st straight to his cabin Before lifting the latch he stopped Mopped a n moment and with a slow I sweep of ot his eyes ees sifted the tile gathering I The foothills away across on the plains were already hiding under the the sable entile wings of ot the south a sinuous lighter streak marked where the river rimmed the bottoms the red flare of ot the spent day faintly spangled tie tle west the woods breathed softly hamy harp ham ly Iy y a pulse stirred the apple out of ot the silence came ume the tinkle of ot the spring under the cliff lopping lapping down the sulphur stained gutter on nn Its way to the lot barn and cattle pens lie He filled his lungs lungi full tuU of ot the serene ferene evs ning entered the closed and fastened It with Ith unusual rare cars drew the thuds of ot the t two 0 t small mall windows and lighted his candle to do with the bundles of ot money money mon mon- p ey 1 A key to the dead bankers banker's safe he be did cUd not have hn even e If it he hI could have ha found the chance dume to open It and put them back He lie took the thick bundles out of ot his blouse pockets and began ln to count them They totaled exactly three thre-e thousand fire hundred d eighty dollarson dollars- dollars on one hundred t seven enn twenties and one onehundred onehundred hundred four forty-four tens ten The rhe woods muns mun's eyes es lifted at the amount Such Sucha a sum In five fire nights nights-It it showed showell what Hopkins might bare hure fe done In time tiNe TO BE AE CONTINUED |
