Old Cap. Collier Library No. 379: The Lawyer Detective — page 17: what you’re looking at

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THE LAWYER DETECTIVE, 17 ‘‘Have you learned enough about me, so that you do not fear to trust me, Sid?’ ‘‘ Yes, I have,” said the boy. ‘‘ I’ve found out ’at you ain’t no impostor, and I’m goin’ to trust you till the cows come home. I've seen Mrs. Tripp, and she says yourre all right. I know that woman, sir, and I'd believe any- thing she might say. She made a mistake when she married old Tripp, though. The Lord only knows what she did it for.” ‘¢T’m sure J don’t understand it, my lad. I am glad I have found one person in Wyoming whom I can depend on. We must figure out this whole thing, Sid, without the aid of any who are at present pretending to hunt down Olive Chester’s murderer.” ‘*Then you're a-goin’ to trust me ?” ‘* Yes.” “Put it thar, Mr. Ragsdale.” Sid Gidley stretched forth his grimy hand, and Ragsdale clasped it warmly. ‘*Can you stay right with me, Sid, or must you go back to the ranch and look after the cattle and other things ?” ‘‘T’ve hired a feller to stay there and do the chores, for I wanted to be free awhile any- how.” ‘‘Good; then we’ll travel in company when it’s necessary.” ‘* And now, what’s the fust thing ”” ‘‘T want to ask you a few questions,” ‘*Go ahead, Mr. Ragsdale.” ‘*Call me Hilton. I shall call you Sid, as we stand on even ground, you know. I wish to ask aboutanew-comer. Perhaps you have met him—a Mr. Shade, of Cheyenne?” *¢Tve seen him.” ‘‘ How long has he been here ?” ‘‘T saw him with Colonel Redhart yesterday for the first. They was both down the Dead- water inquirin’ about you.” ‘‘ Of course I couldn’t give ’em any informa- tion then.” ‘* Of course not.” . ‘‘T didn’t like the fellow from Cheyenne.” ‘Why not ?” ‘‘He’s got a bad eye in his head, and he makes me sick with his style.” “Exactly.” . ‘“You’ve seen him ?”’ “Yes,” ‘* How do you like him ?” ‘* About as well as you do, Sid.” ‘Wonder what he’s here for ?” ‘‘ He is a detective from Cheyenne.” ** No ?” An incredulous look swept the face of the young homesteader. ‘*So Iam told.” | ‘‘ Who told you, Hilton ?” * The colonel.” ‘‘The kunnel, eh?” “Yes.” The boy looked steadfastly at the ground for some minutes. ‘“‘T dunno, but it seems to me thar must be some mistake,” he finally said. ‘* That man ain’t no detective.” ‘* He doesn’t look like one.” ‘¢ Wal, I never saw but one, and he was a sight likelier feller than this one from Che- yenne.” ‘*We won't trust this man Shade till we al he is honest, at any rate,” decided Rags- ale. ‘* No, that we won't.” At this moment another horseman rode up from the direction of Three Oaks. It proved to be Benay Flash. ‘‘You’re wanted over at the Chester ranch, Mr. Ragsdale.” ‘“* Who wants me ?” “‘Mrs. Tripp.” ‘‘ Very well.” ‘‘T will go with you,” said Flash, casting a sharp look at Sid. ‘‘ And I will ride up the creek a ways, and see you later, Hilton.” said the boy, giving his horse free rein. After they had gone a short distance, the young factotum drew rein and said: ‘‘T wanted to be rid of the boy, sir. Your aunt did not send for you, but I have some- thing of importance to reveal.” CHAPTER XVI. RHE HALF-BREED’S STRANGE STORY. RaGSDALE regarded the speaker in surprise. ‘Then you hed to me” he said, with blunt frankness, ‘‘That’s a harsh name, Mr. Ragsdale,” said Flash, ‘‘butI won’t kick. Letit pass. 1 was sorry to see you with that young scapegrace of a Sid Gidley. Don’t you know that he is sup- posed to be connected with a gang of thieves? His father had to run the country, and his brother, ’tis said, was noosed two years ago.” Ragsdale remained silent. ‘“*You did not know the boy, I .guess, Mr. Ragsdale ?” ‘* As well as I know others here. He is my friend, and I shall not go back on him on ac- count of what people say.” ‘** Indeed.” ‘« Was it to prejudice me against Sid Gidley that you led me out here ?” “No.” “Well ?” ‘‘T have something of importance to tell ou.” ‘*J am listening.” ‘‘ And I want you tobelieve me when [I tell you that which will pain you deeply,” sav the half-breed, slowly. ‘Ts it about Rena Tripp ?” ‘* Not exactly.” ‘*Go ahead.” ‘‘ It’s about this murder case, however, Mr. Ragsdale. Let us move along to the shade of yonder tree, where we will be more com- fortable.” To this the man from Denver agreed, and once here. Benay Flash dismounted and secured his horse. A rustic bench had been placed under the lone tree, and on this the two men found a comfortable seat. ‘‘T have been investigating on my own hook, Mr. Ragsdale, and 1 have made some startling discoveries.” ‘‘ Exactly.” ‘“‘T have learned why Olive Chester was murdered.” ‘‘T thjnk I have known that for some time,” returned Ragsdale. ‘‘ Have you?” ‘¢- Yes; it is all comprised in the one word, ‘ jealousy.’” ‘*There’s where you are mistaken.” ‘¢] do not think so.” ‘‘Of whom could Miss Chester be jealous, or Demming either? They were a loving couple, and had she lived, no doubt the two would have one day wed.” Ragsdale thought of the face in the locket that had once belonged to his cousin. He was wise enough not to mention his thoughts aloud, however, since, as the reader knows, he thor- oughly distrusted the half-breed. ‘‘“What you say may be true. How, then, do you account for the murder? Would a man be apt to shoot the girl he loved in cold blood without cause ?” ‘“No. No man shot Olive Chester.” Instantly the lawyer-detective thought of the talk he had overheard between this man and Rena Tripp. ** Do you imagine a woman committed the murder ?” 6é J do ” ‘*‘ Have you the proof ?” ‘Tt is at hand.” ‘Then Evard Demming had another sweet- heart ?” *“T will not deny it.” ‘* Her name ?”’ ‘‘Tt does not matter now.” ‘‘Was it Rena Tripp ?” ‘‘ You are good at guessing, Mr. Ragsdale,” and Flash showed his teeth in a smile. ‘¢ And she was jealous of Olive?” ‘A good guess again, sir.” ‘* And you mean to tell me that the plains- man’s daughter fired the fatal shot on the night of the sixteenth of last June?” Ragsdale was considerably moved now. He remembered how the girl had cowered before this smooth rascal, and he felt that Rena knew something about Olive’s death that she had not given to the world. ‘‘On the contrary, I make no such accusa- tion,” said Flash, deliberately. ‘‘ What, then, do you mean ?” ‘If you will hold your temper I will tell you.” ‘“T promise that.” ‘You remember once of my meeting you when you were returning from the Chester ranch to Three Oaks ?” ‘* T remember.” ‘‘T then warned you about the people at Chester Ranch. I promised to tell you some news when the right time arrived.” “Yes, yes. Go on.” ‘‘ Well, there were reasons for the removal of Olive Chester of which you little dream. It is only of late that I have found out the facts. There’s a cool hundred thousand at stake, sir, and the lives of two persons stood between the murderess and the money.” ‘‘ This is Greek to me.” ‘*T shall soon make it plain as the nose on Colonel Redhart’s face, and that’s the plainest thing on the Wyoming plains.” **Get down to facts. Don't beat about the bush so, Flash,” said the lawyer, impatiently. ‘‘The facts will startle you.” ‘*T am ready to be startled, then.” Me Pe you know how Mr. Chester died ?” cé vo.” ‘He was found dead in bed one morning, some time before the death of Olive.” “« Well ?” «* At his side lay a vial labeled ‘ strycnnia.’ ‘Twas said he committea suicide.” ‘‘Indeed! This is news to m2.” ‘“‘T thought it would be. I have learned enough since to satisfy me that Chester was murdered.” ‘*‘ Impossible!” ‘Oh, no, it isn’t. I said I’d surprise you, and I’m going to do so still further if you still decide to listen.” ‘“T am listening.” ‘* Some time later Olive Cheste1 was mics- ing, and word was sent out that she had fled with her lover. It remained thus for a year, when the horrible truth came out, and I was at once requested to send for you.” “By whom ?” ‘‘Colonel Redhart. I told him of you and your uncle in Denver. He seemed not to know what was best to do, and so the upshot of it was the dispatch that called you from your lawyer’s duties to Wyoming.” “Exactly!” ‘And now it has become known to me that a large fortune was in the hands of the Chesters, and that Olive was the sole inherit- or.” ‘ ** Indeed!” ‘*You had no idea how wealthy your rela- tives were ?” ‘‘T supposed them poor.” ‘‘Exactly. You will now see that money, and not jealousy, caused the death of Miss Chester, as well as that of her father.” ‘‘T am not yet convinced.” ‘*You will soon be, however,” assured Benay Flash. ‘‘I don't know who left this money to Olive, only that a hundred thousand was so left, and that it is now the sole property of the mother. Tribune Tripp learned the truth in some way, and he married the widow to get it.” ‘‘ Has he succeeded ?” ‘* Not yet.” ‘¢ He never shall!” exclaimed Ragsdale, half rising to his feet, his face white with deeply- stirred feeling. ‘* Sit down, Mr. Ragsdale.” And the low-voiced Flash plucked at his companion’s sleeve. The lawyer-detective sank back to his seat once more. ‘“‘T am not through with you yet, Mr. Rags- dale,” said Flash. ‘‘ The gist of the thing is yet to come.” ‘*Go on.” “It was this money that caused the mur- ders that I have been telling you about,” pro- ceeded Flash. ‘‘ Now, is it not natural to sur- mise that the one benefited by the death of Chester and his daughter committed the crime ?” ‘‘Such a surmise would not be unreason- able.” ‘*So I thought.” ‘Who was the beneficiary ?” ‘‘ Who but Julia Chester ?” Ragsdale bounded to his feet, white and trembling. ‘‘Benay Flash, this is infamous!” ‘Keep cool,” urged the half-breed. ‘‘ Re- member your promise not to lose your tem- er.’ ; After a moment the young lawyer calmed himself, and resumed his seat. ‘‘T will keep cool, Flash, if only to refute your suspicions in a quiet way. Let me tell you that what you say regarding Aunt Julia has no influence with me whatever,” AMC EO JOO SS