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Show I THE CROSS-CUT M I MR. BARNHAM H f 0rNOPSI8.-At Thornton F&lr- H 'T , child's death his son ltofoort learns H there has been n dark period In his ' u father's Ufa which for almost thlr- H ty years has caused him suffering. H I Hie secret Is hinted at In a docu 1 h ment left by the elder Fnlrclilld, B 5 which also Informs Ilobert ho Is H fr now owner of a mining claim In 1 1 Colorado, and advising him to see H , Henry Mcamlsh. a lawyer. Beamish H l tells Robert his claim, a ullver H , mine, Is at Olmdlj thlrty-olsht M J mile front Denrcr. lie also warns B J him against a certain man, ', '3(iulnt" Ilodalno, his father'a en-' H I I emy. On the road to Ohadl fromi f ' l Denver Patrchlld anslsta a girl, ap-L H i parcntly U a frenzy of haste, to H change a tire on her auto. When H i I sho lia.i loft, tho sheriff and a posso 1 i appear, In pursuit of a bandit H L r Fnlrclilld bewildered, misleads them H as to tho direction the girl had H taken. At Ohadl Falrchlld Is warm- H y greeted by "Mother" Howard, m boanllng-liouBo Iteepw, for his rath- H er8 sake From Mother Howard, M Fnlrchlld learns somothlng of the m I mystery connected with the dtaap H t pearnnce of "Slsolb" Larson, his 1 '' ( father's co-worker In tho initio. He H meeU the girl he Uid nsalated, but H she denloa her Identity. Bhe Is H . .Anita Itlohmond, Judge Ulchmond'a H - daughter. Visiting his claim, Fair- H child Is shadowed by a man he B recognizor from descriptions as "quint" Ilodnlnn. Duck In Ohadl. H . his fathor's old trtond, Hnrry Hnr- H i kins, a Cornlshman, summonod H ; - from Knglaud by Ucamlsh to help H ! Falrchlld. halls him with joy. The M ) pair And the mine flooded and have H ' not aulllclcnt funds to have It 1 I pumped dry. Lator In the day B . "Uqulnt" Rodalne announces that ho practically saw Harkln.i fall Into 1 j . the flpodcd rain, and ovldently Ib B it , trownd. ttarklns being a general M favorite, the entire population turns H I' out to Clcnr Uie flooded mfno. When H t , i tho work b) pmctlcally done, Harry B ' apponrs, apparently surprised at BJ : the turmoil. Tt had been a shrewd J k U trick on bis part to get tho mine H I ! ' pumped out without coat to him- HHj i I self or Fnlrclilld. and the men take j i It as a good Joke. Falrchlld loams HHJ (hat Judge Itlohmond Is dying, nnd HHJ . tfiat ho and AulUi are In the power HHJ ) of tho Rodalues. They begin, as HHJ partners, to work the mine. In HHJ ! their hearts botli fear Larscn was 1 killed by Thornton Kulrchlld and HHJ ,' 'j hla bddy burled by a cave-In which ' ff dostroyod the mine. At the "Old H , , Times nail" Falrchlld dances with HH 1 Anita, to the discomfiture of Mnur- 1 , Ico todklnc nan of "Squint," sup- HHj i ' posed to bo engaged to tho girl. HH , A bandit holds up the dance and HHJ j Bhootfl a morrymaker, Maurice Ito- HH t dalno claims ho recognlzod tho HHJ y bandit oh Harklns. Tho latter Ih HHJ V t arrested. Falrolilld IntorfurcH to HHj f ( savo Anita from the bullying of HHJ f llu two Rodalnos, nnd lu mystified HHJ at Anita's apparent Ingratitude. HHJ ft Kalrchlld puts up the claim as HH , T' bond, and secures Harry's release HH I ', . from Jail, limy are offered $rO,O0O 1 'k r for the claim, by an unknown 1 ' party, but ngroo to disregard It. HH 1 Clearing tho mlno, they come to HB .- j whord Uioy fear to find Larson's HH ' romnlia. A skototon, In a miner's HB costume, whloh Harklns Identifies as Larson, In there, and there HHH 1 ,BecmB, llttlo doubt that Thornton ' I j lilrchlld was a murderer. Falr- ohl)d Informs the coroner of tho dlBcovory of tho nkeloton. At the Inquost "Craxy lxura," cnatoff wife of "ffaulnt" Rodalno, and an ac- knowlodgod Imboctle, glvus damag- Ing testimony against Thornton j l-'Ulrchlld. H ), CHAPTER XII Continued. BBS 0 sBH ) MI think otlicrwlse. The Jury la on- H I titled to nil tlio ovldonco that 1ms any H , bearing on tlio cnao." H "nuf. this woman la crazy!" H "Una sho ever been adjudged bo, or H copnnlttcd to nny asylum for tlio In- M eauo?" H j ; "No but nevorthclefki, tliero arc n H , hundred pcrcoua In tlilrf courtroom H , who will tcntlfy to tho fact that she It H iiientally unbalanced and not n lit per- H ffon to faotcn a crlmo upon any miin't H head bjier tcfltlniony. And referrlut; H even t yourself, Coroner, have yon H wlUiln tho -mat twenty-five yeirs. It H fact, since n oliort time after the htitli H of hci aon, called her nnythlng else bul H Ornr.y Lnurn? Una anyone else lu tlib H town called her any other name? Man H I appeal to your " H "What you auy may be true- It maj H j not I d(m't know. I only am suro oi H ' ojio (hliiK that a persoti Is sano It H tho eyes of the law until adjuduct H " otlurwt8e. Therefore, her evidence i H Uiuj time Ih perfectly legal and prop H "It won't bo an soon as I can brlnj H tut action before a lunacy court ant H cstuse her examination by a board o H ItllCillBtS." H "I'hiit'a fioincthlni: for tho future. Ii H that case things might be different H Hut I can otdy follow the law, wltl H (bo membera of the Jury InHtructcd, o H iiourw, to accept tho evidence fo H what they deem 11 Id worth. You wll H proceed, Mrs. Itodnluo. What did yo H nee that cuuscd you to come to till H ooitcbiulon?" H "Can't you oven atlck to the rule H ami cthlca of testimony?" It wan tli H filial plea of tho defeated Furrell. Th H coroner eyed him slowly. H Mr. Carroll," camo his answer, " H taust confcsiJ to a deviation from re; utur court proceduro In this Inqulr; B It la customary In an inquest of till B character; certain departuivs from tli H iifiiial rules must be made that tti H truth and the whole truth bo lenruei H Grooved, Mra. ltodalne, wiiat was H you H Transllxed. horrlfled, Falrclill H watched the mumbling, nuinclili H inoulh, the staring eyes and stray In H white lialr, the bony, crooked bitm H nu they weaved Itefore her. Fro: H V tlioae toothlcim jaws tt story was aboi H to come, true or untrue, a story (hi H would Ktfitn Uie name of bla (ih mGLIm' W"fi MSRBbiw . '. with murder. And that Btory now was nt Its beginning. "I saw them together that afternoon enrly," tho old woman was saying. "I came up the road Just behind them, nnd they wero fussing. Both of 'em acted like they wero mnd at each other, oth-er, but Fnlrclilld seemed to bo the maddest. "I didn't pay much attention to thorn because I Just thought they wero fighting nbout fiomo llttlo thing and that If wouldn't amount to much. I went on up the gulch I was gathering llo'wqrs. After awhile the earth shook nnd'theard a big explosion, fromnwny down underneath me like thunder when It's for awny. Then, pretty soon, I saw Falrchlld eotno rushing out of the mine, nnd his hands were all bloody. Ho ran to tho creek nnd washed them, looking around to sec If anybody was watching him but he didn't notice me. Then, when he'd washed tho blood from his hands, he got up on the road und went down Into town. Later on, I thought I saw nil thrco of 'cm leave town, Falrchlld, Slsslo and a fellow nnmod Harklns. So I never paid nny more attention to It until todny. That's nil I know." She stepped down then nnd went back to her scat with Squint ltodalne nnd tho son, fidgeting there again, craning her neck as before, while Falrchlld., son of n man Just accused of murder, watched hor with eyes fascinated fas-cinated from horror. Tlio coroner looked at a slip of paper In his hand. "William Dartoe," ho called. A ml-ncr ml-ncr enmc forward, to go through the usual formalities, and then he nsked tlio question: . "DJd you sce.Tliornton Falrchlld on the night he left Ohadl 1" "Yes, a lot of us snw him. IIo drove out of town with Harry Harklns, and n fellow who we nil thought was Slsslo Sls-slo Larson." "That's all. Gentlemen of the Jury." ho turned his back on tho crowded room nnd faced tho small, worried appearing ap-pearing group on tho row of kitchen chnlrs, "you havo heard the evidence. You will find n room nt tho right In which to cotiduct your deliberations." Shuffling forms faded through tho door at tho right. Then followed long momenta of waiting, In which Itobcrt Fnlrchlld's eyes went to the lloor, In which he strove to avoid tho gaze of every one In tho crowded courtroom. Ho knew what they were thinking, that his father had been a murderer, and that he well, that he was blood of hla father's blood. IIo could hear the buzzing of tongues, the shifting of tho courtroom on tho unstable chairs, and ho knew fingers were pointing at him. For once in his life he hnd not tho strength to face his fellow men. A qunrter of on hour a knok on tho door then the sis men clattered forth agnln, to hand n pleco of p'nper to tho coroner. And he, adjusting his glasses, turnod to tho courtroom and read: "Wo, tho Jury, find that the deceased de-ceased came to his death from Injuries t "We, tho Jury, Find That the Deceasei Camo to Hla Death From InJurlc Sustained at tho Hands of Thorntoi , Falrchlld." sustained at the hands or Thorntoi f Falrchlld, In or nbout tho month o June, 1892." 11 That was nil, but It was cnougl Thf slain had been itaeed; tho thin '' which the white-haired man who ha f silt by a window back In Indlannpoll r hnd feared all his life had como nftc 11 death. u It Hcemed hours before tho cour s room cleared. Then, tho attorney v one side. Hnrry at the other, ho star '8 cil out of the courtroom, o Tho crowd still was on the stree e milling, circling, dividing Itself Int llttlo groups to discuss tho verdlc 'I Through them shot scrambling forn ,' of newsboys. Dazedly, simply for tl Y. sake of something to take his lulu Is from tho throngs and tho gossip aboi ie him, Falrchlld bought a paper an io Htepped to the light to glauce over tl J. first page. There, emblazoned und( It the "Extra" bending, was the stoi of the finding of tho skeleton In tl Id Blue Poppy mine, while besldo It wi ig something which caused Ilobert Ful ig chlM to almost forget, for the momcii Is tho horrors of tho ordeal which I m was undergoing. .Tt wo? a parngrar it leading tho "personnl" column of tl it .small, amateurish sliest, aiinounch ,r the engagement of Miss Aultu Natal i By Courtney Ryley Cooper C-r'l(M by UiU, Blown tt O. Richmond to Mr. Maurice ltodalne, the wedding to come "probably In the late folll" T CHAPTER XIII. Falrchlld did not show tho Item to Harry, There was tittle that it could accomplish, and besides, he felt that his comrade had enough to think nbont. Tho unexpected turn of tho coroner's Inquest had ndded io the heavy weight of Harry's troubles; It meant tho probability In the future of n grand Jury Investigation nnd the possible Indictment ns accessory after tho fact In tho murder of "Slsslo" Lnrscn. Not thnt Falrchlld hnd been Influenced In the slightest by tho testimony tes-timony of Crazy Lnuru; the presenco of Squint ltodalne and his son had shown too plainly that they wero connected con-nected In some way with It, that, In fHct, they wero responsible. An opportunity op-portunity hnd nrlccn for them, nnd they had seized upon it. More, there camo the shrewd opinion of old Mother Moth-er Howard, once Falrchlld and Harry had reached the boarding house nnd gathered In the parlor for their consultation: con-sultation: "Ain't It what I said right In tho beginning?" Mother Howard asked. "Sho'll kill for that man, If necessary. It wnsn't as hard as you think all Squint Ilodalno had to do was to act nice to her nnd promise her n few things thnt he'll squirm out of later on, nnd sho went on the stand nnd lied her head off." "But for a craj-y womnn " "Laura's crazy- and Bhe ain't crazy. I've seen thnt woman ns sensible and ns shrewd ns nny sane womnn who ever drew breath. Then ngaln, I'vo seen her when I wouldn't get within fifty miles of her. Goodness only knows what would happen to a person who fell Into her clutches when she's got one of thoso Immortality streaks on." "One of thoso what?" Harry looked up In surprise. "Immortality. That's why you'll find her sneaking around graveyards at night, gathering herbs and tnklng them to that old house on the George-vllle George-vllle road, where she lives, and brewing brew-ing them Into some sort of concoction thnt sho sprinkles on the graves. Sho believes that it's n sure system of bringing Immortality to a person. Poison that's about what It Is." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Poison's what sh6 Is I" ho ox-claimed. ox-claimed. "Ain't It enough thnt I'm accused ac-cused of every crime In the cnlendnr without 'or getting me mixed up In n murder? And" this time he looked at Falrchlld with dolorous eyes " 'ow 're we going to furnish bond this tlnip. If the grand Jury Indicts me?" "I'm nfrald there won't he any." Mother Howard set hor lips for a minute, then straightened proudly. "Well, I guess there will 1 It's bond-able bond-able nnd I guess I've got n few things thnt ore worth something and a few friends that I can go to. I don't see why I should be left out of everything, every-thing, Just 'because I'm n womnn I" "Lor' love yon I" Hnrry grinned, his eyes showing plainly thnt tho world was again good for him nnd thnt his troubles, ns far as a few slight charges of penitentiary offenses were conccniPd, amounted to very little In his estimation. Hurry had a habit of living Just for the day. And the sui-port sui-port of Mother Howard had wiped out nil future difficulties for him. The fact thnt convictions might await him nnd that the heavy doors nt Canon City might yawn for him mnde little difference right now. Behind the great bulwark of his mustache, his big lips spread In n happy announcement of Joy, nnd tho world was good. Silently, Robert Falrchlld rose and left tho parlor for his own room. Some way ho could not force himself to shed his difficulties In the same light, airy way ns Hnrry. Looking hnck lift' could see now thnt his dreams had led only to catastrophes. From tW very beginning, there had been only . trouble, only fighting, fighting, fighting fight-ing against Insurmountable odds, which seemed to throw him ever deeper Into the mire of defeat, with every onslnught. The Itodnlnes hud ii plnyed with stacked cards, and m far f every hand had been theirs. Falrchlld Falr-chlld suddenly realized that he was i. ijll hut whipped, that the psycho-g psycho-g logical advantage was nil on the side (1 of Squint ltodalne, his sou, and tho s crazy womnn who did their bidding. x More, another hope hnd gone glimmer ing; even had tho announcement not 1- come forth that Anita Richmond had it given her promise to mnrry Maurice t- Ilotlalno, tho action of a coroner's Jury that night had removed her from t, hope forever. A son of n man who i has been cnlbil a slayer has lilt It t. right to love a womnn, even If that is woman has a bit of mystery about ie her, All things can bo explained d hut murder I it It was growing late, hut Falrchlld id did not seek bed. Instead he suit by ie tho window, staring out at the fluid- sr ows of the mountains, out at the fiv. y pure night, anil yet nt nothing. After tu a long tlmo, tho door opened, ntnl n is big form entered Harry to stand r- silent a moment, then to como for- it, ward nnd lay a hand on tho other ie mnn's shoulder, ih "Don't let It get you, Boy," ho said ie softly for him. "It's going to come ig out all right. Everything comes out Io all right If you ala't wrong yourself." "I know, Hnrry. But It's un awful tangle right now." "Sure It Is. But It ain't ns If a sane person 'ad Fnld It against you. There'll never bo anything more to thnt; Far-rell'l Far-rell'l 'nvc 'er adjudged Insane If It ever comes to anything like thnt. She'll never give no more testimony. I've been talking with 'Un 'e stopped in Just after you came upstairs. It's only a crazy womun." "But they took her word for It,' Harry, They believed her. And they gave the verdict against my father I" "I know. I whs there, right beside you. I 'card It. But It'll como out right, some way." There was n moment of silence, then a gripping fear at tho heart of Falrchlld. "Just how crazy Is she, Jlarry?" "Er? Plumb daft I 0f course, as Mother 'Oward says, there's times when she's straight but they don't Inst long. And, If she'd given 'or testimony tes-timony In writing, Mother 'Ownrd says It all might 'nvo been different, nnd wo'd not 'nvo 'ad nuythlng to worry uhout." "In writing?" "Yes, she's 'nrfway sane then. It seems 'er mind's disconnected, some wye. I don't know 'ow Mother 'Ownnl's got tho 'olo lingo, and everybody every-body In town knows about It. Whenever When-ever anybody wants to get anything real straight from Crnzy Laura, they mnko 'er write It. That part of 'er brain seems nil right Sho remembers remem-bers everything she does then nnd 'ow crazy It Is. and tells you nil about it. Notlco 'ow flustered up she got when the coroner nsked 'er about that book?" "I wonder what It would really tell?" Harry chuckled. "Nobody knows. Nobody's ever seen It. Not even Squint Itodnlne. I guess It's a part of 'er right bruin that tells 'or to keep It a secret I I'm going to bed now. So 're you. And you're going to sleep. Good night." He went nut of the room then, nnd Falrchlld, obedient to the big Cornish-mnn's Cornish-mnn's command, sought rest. But It was n hard struggle. Morning came, and he Joined Hnrry nt breakfast, facing fac-ing the curious glances of the other boarders, staving off their Inquiries and their Illy couched consolntlons. For, In spite of the fact that It was not voiced In so many words, the conviction con-viction was present thnt Crazy Lnura hnd told at least a semblance of the truth, nnd that the dovetailing Incidents Inci-dents of the past fitted Into n well-connected well-connected story for which there must ho some foundation. Thcro were thoso who wero plainly curious; there were others who professed not to believe be-lieve tho testimony nnd who talked Inudly of nctlon ngnlnst tho coroner for hnvlng Introduced the evidence of a womnn known by every one to be lacking In balanced mentnllty. There wero others who. by their remarks, showed thnt they were concealing the real truth of their thoughts nnd only using a cloak of Interest to guide them to other food for tho cnrrlon proclivities of their minds. An hour later Hnrry. wandering by the younger man's side, strovo for words and at last uttered them. "I know It's disagreeable," came finally. "But It's necessary. You 'nven't quit?" "Quit whnt?" "The mine. You're going to keep on, nln't you?" Falrchlld gritted his teeth and was silent. Tho answer needed strength, Finally It came. "Hnrry, ore you with me?" "I nln't stopped yet I" "Then that's the answer. As long as there's a bit of fight left In us, we'll keep nt that mine." flurry hitched at his tronsers. "They've got that blooming skeleton nut by this time. I'm willing to stnrt any time you sny." Tho breath went over Falrchlld's teeth In a long, slow Intake. lie clenched his hands nnd held them trembling before him for a lengthy moment. Then he turned to his partner. part-ner. "Give mo an hour," he begged. "I'll go then but It tnkes a little grit to" "Who's Falrchlld here?" A messenger messen-ger boy was mnklng his way along tho curb with a telegram. Robert stretched forth a hand In surprise. "I urn. Why?" The answer enme ns the buy shoved forth the yellow envelope. Falrchlld, wondering, read : "Please come to Denver nt once. Have most Important Information for you. "It. V. BARNHAM, "11. & It. Building." A moment of staring, then Fnlrclilld passed the telegram over to Harry for Ills opinion. There was none. Together To-gether they went across the Afreet and to the olllco of Fnrrell, their attorney. at-torney. Ho htudlcd tho telegram long. Then : "I can't see whnt on earth It means, unless there Is houio Information about this skeleton or the Inquest. If I were you. I'd go." ' "But supposing It's some sort of trap?" "No matter whnt It is, go and let the other fellow do nil the talking. Linton to what he has to say and tell I !m nothing. I'd go down on the noon imln thnt'll got you there about two. You can be buck bylOjSO tomorrow." "rfn 'e can't," It was Harry's Interruption Inter-ruption as he grasped a penejl and pn-por, pn-por, "I've got a list of things a mile I 4 I long for 'lm to get We're going after this mlno 'ammcr and tongs now I" When noon came, Robert Falrchlld, with his mysterious telegram, boarded board-ed the train for Denver, while In his pocket was a list demanding the out-Iny out-Iny of nenrly a thousand dollars: supplies sup-plies of fuses, of dynamite, of drills, of a forge, of single and double Jack sledges, of fulminate caps a little of everything thnt would bo needed In t'h'fj months to come, If he and 'Airy wero to work the mine. It was only n beginning, n (mail quantity of each article' needed, part of which could b4 picked up In the Junk yards at a rea-. "Who Falrchlld Hero?" sonablo figure, other things that would cat quickly Into the estimate placed upon the totnl. And with a capital already dwindling, It meant an expenditure which hurt, but which was necessary, nevertheless. Slow, pulling and wheezing, the trnlu mhde Its way along Clear Creek canon, crawled across the newly built trestle which hod been erected to take the place of that which had gone nut with the spring flood of the milky creek, then Jangled Into Denver. Falrchlld Falr-chlld hurried uptown, found tho old building to which he hnd been directed direct-ed by tho telegram, and made the upward up-ward trip In the ancient elevator, tit Inst to knock upon n door. A half-whining half-whining volco answered him, and ho went within. A grensy man was there, greasy In his fat, uninviting fentures, In his seemingly well-oiled hands, ns they circled In constnnt knendlng, In his long, straggling hnlr, In his old, spotted spot-ted Prlnco Albert and In his manners. man-ners. "Mr. Barnham?" "That's what I'm cnlled." He wheezed with the solf-lmpljed humor of his remark and motioned townrd n chair. "May I ask what you've como to see me about?" i haven't the slightest Idea. You sent for me." Fnlrclilld pcoduced the telegrutn, nnd the grensy person who had taken a position on the other sldo of a worn, walnut table becamo Immediately Imme-diately obsequious. "Of coursol Of course I Mr. Falrchlld Falr-chlld I Why didn't you sny so wJ'nn you camo In? Of course I've been looking for you all day. May I offer you a clear?" He dragged a box of domestic prr-fectos prr-fectos from a drawer of the table a'ld struck a match to light one for Fnlrclilld. Fnlr-clilld. Then with a bustling air of urgent business ho hurried to both doors and locked them. "So thnt we may not be disturbed," he confided In that high, whining voice. "I am hoping that this Is very Importnnt." i also." Falrchlld puffed dubiously upon the more dubious cigar. Tho greasy Individual returned to his table, ta-ble, dragged the chair nearer it, then, seating himself, leaned townrd Falrchlld. Falr-chlld. "If I'm not mlstnken, you'ro tlio owner of the Blue Poppy mine." "I'm supposed to be." "Of course of course. Could yon possibly do me tho favor of telling me how you're getting nlong?" Falrchlld's oye.s narrowed. "I thought you hud Information for me I" "Very good." Mr. Bornhnm raised a fat hand and wheezed In an effort nt i Intenso enjoyment of the reply. "So I have. I merely nsked that to be asking. ask-ing. Now, to bo serious, haven't you some enemies, Mr. Falrchlld?" "Have I?" "I was merely nsklng." "And I Judged from your question that you seemed to know." "So I do. And one friend." Barn-hnui Barn-hnui pursed his heavy lips nnd nodded in an authoritative manner. "One very, very good friend." "That's a lie that's a He and you know It." J ITO 1JR CONTINUED.) "Llttlo Corporal." (.Iltle Corporal" was tho title fa- nil Inrlv bestowed I'prn Napoleon Bo-napurto Bo-napurto by his admiring soldiers after the Battle of Lodl (rOfl), In allusion to Lis small stature, youthful nppear uneo and surna&slnjc bravery, |