Show the he mardi gras mystery is by ile H BEDFORD JONES castilla I 1 bf thel lelle ru plot nj met CWT CHAPTER XIV 20 0 chache bundle tt it was even I 1 in the 8 rooming when henry git dil dhove his him car bad into inome in the will ire 1 which I ih he be had sent I 1 over let clincher Cha cherre a signature ur a it he a 1 had it man corn minded tied dick hearne bew be W to meet cot gr gramont ili st at vilot about tills aliis time at a restaurant benr 1 A I 1 the 1 court an rt bo houe boe e putting his car at 1 I 1 the ll 11 A curb b G biamont at went ent into the restaurant and ordered edere A hasty break faolu test fast he he had 6 t with him cap copies aoe of the morning p papers m and WM IRI penis lonnee ing ties the A accounts ms of 0 bob dillrd MIll rd A pitifully weak star ills ilia father a murder when R stranger sti anger stopped beside him hill 1 G gramont ramt said aid the other the thought it as you holmes TT earnes m ms nome name 1 I had orders to meet ing ou NN but hats A up cupl I 1 ine he other the min man let into the chair opposite on ili who put av div a v his papers hearne was vas it sleek individual of irist bisty y comp complexion in exion who e ideally evidently sev served it th the gang in no better light than us as a go between and run rim art of errands ads hint he be suspected nothing botham was plain fim his duji manner although he tied neer de seen grimmer gramont alel sly ay B business ame I 1 said Gia biamont Gi amont molit leaning baik back to let ties the waitress mattress serve hla his breakfast bieak fast when she lie hid bd departed he be litt attacked hill it hungrily lou got CUR haties i e s wire mire about nebout the stun stuff in his him r cara I 1 was it burned no he be countermanded it just as I 1 me was adrin a car to go oil oer to pat para tile ds said fit lie hearne a it ft hot hat a 8 gift ant imor liow plenty memphis fray i coming 9 ald down dome today when 11 he get in he I 1 11 go direct to the 1 other place meet me come here bar oh 11 I 1 reckon hell get there long along beat about nine 1 this morn or ing why well wall have to go oer alicie to meet it him m said gramont I 1 topped stopped 1 in here to pi pick k you up dammond bamm it Is 18 still safe are in J lail d sure hearne hearm laughed evilly eilly 1 I don t gum tie lie 11 got get out 1 ID a lint hurry ucha neither I 1 I 1 chacherie cherre was pinch pinched ed 1 last t night for the murder marder said gi Giaino III nt t watch ing the other ilia li ill II 11 fleas as looked aston asian shed then relaxed and laughed again so soine fly cop cap wit will all sine lise his his but tons then thell ilay aio 1 aget t got othin on him 1 I heard they had plenty dont dan I 1 w worn try him owed a hand and grandiloquently the b boia D Is solid with the bill bunco lp kp to baton rouge range ard take cire of every body so a old it ben got plant pinched 1 hh hall that thai A one joke nom I 1 oracular gramont A or icema pc ema were ere confirmed by the atthur of bearne who nho plainly confide id cd that hot tile entile pang had bad nothing t h g to lo f fear e r f font ro m th the e la law s b buass a s S e e 1 a k ed u up p s sol I 1 idly y it vas as to nellt Rel lt that fil the e on na of tile can gang traded extended very high up of indeed bell belter er cut out at the tall talk he aid curtly atly until A we a get out of lie heie I 1 he hearne me mahla and rolled a elga r rette ette when be his him 1 t mci niia gim G im paid at the counted councel and id tiie the way may outside he motioned nod few the tha car and hea hearne a ma ile I 1 y climbed jait in being Y of I 1 su so lie amount t in ties the gang game unit that lie he w was me ded to to taking king madejs from inary everyone eie mee gmo ji headed out of town loun and ad took the I 1 andis road before lie he had driven a mile I however ever lie he halted tile hie cur out of old and lifted illicit one lite side of fit alie hood jive ave me hie those ufa tiwa fill the hottum bottum ot of the car blame lie said eivid briefly ties the other obeyed As guimont wide made 1 no in a to I 1 cuine lie and g gi I 1 them hc biarne go gut i out at of tile the cur car thor then gra mont act roie case t from th the e abille ache rod and hearne looked late a pistol hold field out at bour our rands hands behind yuu into and to turn pound around snapped gement NO t I 1 L nen cuine uttered attend A an oath but bar as the pistol jetko nc at him he obeyed the dw command gramont took the of cloth which he be had pro pre p pd pared d amis and h bound ad the mans it tile these are 1 better file b d ft he commented led pon 1 I well lick indi ad can ge get I 1 rid of but you 11 he hae on one a man m A job to get till rid of these ohl oh asan a gun in your eh hi W what b at 1 ell 11 ton dohnt exclaimed its he be beull I 1 it dered hearne plat ing you under older arrest slid said gram out if cheerfully hr H r haies your we warrant in to you ant x alck O cut short till his protests folh ill aimie aing cloth I 1 which effectually illy hound blud hl atit lower is jaw I 1 in A place A and d 0 precluded nelt eded ny further lite idaa of at talk tk he H the then tied tea dick hearne erem 1 A amod ad and ad f foot mi and then lashed him to anft ot at th the top eup porta of fit the car who when he be e bad d D had he bearne VM do safe te he then than climbed under hie fine wheel heel again end nil pre proceeded it OR on him war my H hearne an aalga falga were to nay any one into whom the cup car passed it was an a till after eight in the havird hat morning ird TV hen a uma drove lot into he noticed bend that two large larea aut automobiles mob lea were ere to mills la in front of the post office and that about binam war bere e a group of own men who he eyed wd him ad and his car with inome interest inherent pay ing IS no a attention to these lie he dr e on through tile town without n R halt beeping out blong along tile the north art road read a encountered no one when at length he reached the I 1 dilemma cila nolt farm he drove in law toward A id th the deserted house and ad the car among home a a fr trees alime it could not be seen from tile the rood read leaving it alie cler car took his hie way may toward tim the be bank of tile bayou rod and followed t athla it in the dir ahm of the dl 14 property lie he woot went OR on to au an opening 1 in thed milica bushes which over r the lie I 1 low 0 I 1 roil DIA fence gate gae him a 0 LI hear c at vew law of the gumberts gumbris property there them lie he im paused ed quickly drew back and gained a point joint whence he could see arm without danger of his presence being dis discovered ered if lie A settled lot into larrab immobility lift and watched chat Meni memphis phit lazy izzy himself had bad not yet ar armed ared ed he wa fairly certain cert bin near the da burn were it drawn up lip two tile ati lawyre I 1 ven and bluing a in chair on n the cot tage venanda were three men who must most have come we iu in theve these cars or gra ate mont tied had come OR provided ded with inra hirs and ad got get these them out mit he was waa not long in discovering that all three men on the veranda were stronger strangers to him ahey no lie doubt were met men in the fine lot let tery tart game waiting for gutberta Gum batt berta to acrive 6 ment turned his attention to tha other huddles buildings both the burn barn and shop were open and the buzzing boning thin of at machinery boie base witness that the med mechanics were hard at work mark upon the stolen cars can dinmont thought of ben Clea cherre still tied and lashed to the chair in hi his room mom and me wondered ador ed what was waa to it be found under ili the rr rear beat el of at be bens car he could old bee on the car from franc where 1 lie I lay almost on his thought a high pow ered and noiseless elev car came sweeping down tile the road it and he knew at once mea that at memphis M pida toy iw had bell arrived he a knew it intuitively a even before he ob 0 tallied a good glimpse of the broad heavy e figure on and the dominating in features mrs Mina memphis phim izzy izy was far fr from Um handsome bimm but ila he p possessed character ft AA he here A the boog g 1 As lie he left the car or which he be b had 4 dr driven vea himself ga gum berts lifted his voice at 1 in a bull bell like ran roar r unit lint carried tried clearly I 1 to gramont 1 I chores her A charlie the gen boog the mechanics appear appeared ad hurriedly one ole of them no other than gramont a friend of fit the ale adenoidal dol aspect t wine who seemed to own the title of charlie the gong hastened to the side of G gumberts bols and the letter latter gave him evident directions regarding some a re p pair ir to the car then turning mer mem plus I izy y strode to the cottage he nodded Pe peelings elings to the four men who 1111 awaited 1 it him took a bunch beach of kc keas from his P pocket t and 0 opened the cut cot race d door r A all 1 1 five fl vanished 1 I h d w within althia gramont r rose os a at A moment or previous alou I 1 ly Y fever it and U d biall thrilled le him the excite local of the dominant had held him ire trembling new ivow he vaa me cool coal again I 1 its his fingers touching teaching the pistol in his decker pocket hla his eves steady lie ho glanced at t his match and ad doddel it itt aimel he mor murmured mared lets hope there them 11 be no slipup sripup I 1 all ready Me memphis alphiS izy so am I 1 L lets ats go unhurried and openly he advanced making eking his leisurely way toward tile the bar barn slit and shop charlie the boog who he we waa bent beat over or the ile car of gutberta Gum berta was first to it discern cem his him approach and straightened up grommet waved his hand tn in greeting charlie the gong turned tits hla head and rolled hla his bretti beeth ren rem rew H ho he come came into sight fight starting staring at gm gramont at T the 11 letter latter recalled real led that it if he passed th them the he game me w as im won if they stopped ban he bade fair to lose everything bell hello ba I 1 he r called find cheerily A as ile he drew ne iuar 1 I came auto out at a on A an A er rind rand tor for the b bs boss s gut gt a message for Gumbert 9 ft here Is he be iu the bouti 0 tile alie others outliers nodded plainly y abid mistrust 1 ing ig him yet puzzled by b his careless milliner 1 e and it 11 his r reference e to in fell suie me bcd charlie the G boog go right eight lit in he heb A 1 in the big front met room 1 I ank gr grimont mit continued cautioned his arv con can that they me aare re at staring ring all after him if there them w was nav thing b ing beat about II 11 him the they evidently c consigned consid ned rd that memphis lery would mould ta take kae care ahrer of the line er able tile the step of the th A cottage pay nirh p rob if le iv A as 3 gramont as comila them perhaps boom memphis tell recies recI reco nied ed an one unaccustomed t d footstep t e p perhaps thit that coe conversa I 1 liun 1 outside t td e b and d p i to h him t ant entered red alio u hie fiant 1 door r lt into abe h hall and it it AS am he lid din so cumber Cum berls open opened the door on ills his right and ad stood it bauk at ill tiani ruther rather glaring who re yon he demanded mald roue IT i ame in out at with A message use from froio mr me pell responded grimont at does brought some rome orders order I 1 aho should may gay T tt ft aenne of MAID lv b ia lilyh tell and ad 1 I 1 d liim hie intel into a arlid me arnst list fla flashed hed a willog to his hia emola yniol a brain in the numa mans eves aim gramont read mail ild a anke of A ale and ad knew that ill ats bluff fr rould ell b be a alake no longer s bl it no noie in he bald i it and rd r hed into his poat a herts hand ad flother down hut bill h halted I 1 it as aa giandoni Gian Glam ioni mits a covered it hit him back into that room mom old am do it quickly qu likly eidd bald gont G Gramo ont nl stepping for w ard aid quick memphis lezy abe obeyed ed Groi Gro montI noni annal 1 ID the ali droast 1 lila I my eye I 1 11 ing the 11 room atod ad in the meem analda startled led all four of them aln m had hisbon risen a and it wre were staring blaring at him in ID bl other he r bl hand I 1 lt he produced an mt ermith which lie be ha it taken from dick hear hearne a th alie farst at word frim from any of yo so gentlemen he declared will draw ft stat shot I 1 am in doing all the willing he here savl EY I 1 hey tend trig staring by this apparition P they had been sitting bitting bow about the table which as helped heaped with papers and ad with packages ot of money A large safe in the wall wait stand open beside the table was waa a small man mail 3 sack ek partially emptied a or f its ita lenab far torn e enveloped enve tape lopea littered the floor that this was the headquarter h pa il quarters of fit at least ost a I 1 hat of the lottery gong gang gat gramont m saw new without iff at need deed of cepl explanation au in sou I 1 re we under der arrest rat said on gra moat ment qu quietly e t Y tile the rates rainea up guia gam hens beers hands A it up all of yen I 1 dick hearne hearm has penciled on the whole pop gang and ad fr from the boss ba down dome youre all if 1 in for far a term I 1 in at stir r ton tire with tile the derby I 1 aake 1 ake gum Ciuni b berta erts sun gun and of 1 your companions then your own don throw em OR on ties floor in the earner corner and if you yen make the wrong kind of a to moe R heas headon A hip help h ip youl step idely till there ea I 1 1 men ach ninn nain there had a revolver or pistol old ani one by one tile the weapons up enghard into the corner comer Gom gumberts berte stood motionless licking his thick lips un unuttered litter 0 d cu curses r se in lila his elating eyes eye and tn in that instant bedad the porch steps create and caught a low startled cry hey it boss I 1 theys they s a giong gang bandin on an the run ran it nas man ehrl charlie le it the ami bursting boosting in up upon tiny them 1 in wild haste baste Gram stepped into the room main and turned coir cohering ring with mi one of lna ila weapons ft the intruder who stood in the lie doorway aa a lie comp comprehended the he acene no words passed staring at the five men one then at grinner gramont the adenoidal anch mechanic le gulped once cd c and d like a flesh flash acted he ducked low and fired from his ill pocket Gran trat fired lit at tile game A just instant ant and it tile the heavy bullet catte catching bung battle the gong squarely 1 in the cheat hulled bulled his boily body half ball across the room with the abols IW memphis italy thing flung himself forward in a beadle headlong rush cash ahat 1 desperate shot of the little Itile mechanic had bad brokon Gra gramont monts a right arm ali above it the wrist welt before he could fire a second time with tile the weapon in hla his left hand gumberts bad wrested the pistol aside and me was struggling wit with h him ahe other fit tour or came late into the melee melce full weight fu ewt d grimont gamont went e don n under a crashing blow oar cher I 1 lot im leaped up ad memphis aty 17 ly and rushed into the doorway then topped stopped with astounding abruptness am and title lifted his arms a after aft him tile other tour four followed suit two men panting a little stood outside the door and ad comred cohered the them with fill shotguns it lie aiu a boys wit said Gro gramont mont rl ris ing dizzily to his feet no ao I 1 in not at hurt my arms arm a broken broke A I 1 think but let that wait got the ones outsider A tamping stamping of feet filled the hall ball and it other men appeared there got dot too t 0 of em G gi amont t I 1 re spon bonded fled the leader the third slipped in here uh ah there he Is I 1 1 poor charlie the gong lay dead on the fla fl floor a touch of at b heroic c 1 tragedy 1 in his last desperate action e the be one a great sell action of his life possibly tomella he had |