Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 102: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_ jhe 19 Poss : in ONES bf Holman Day — WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED ETURNING to his home town, Canton Center, from overseas, his courage strengtheneck by the inspiration of a statue of Washington, “ The Big Boss in Bronze,” Barron Douglass heard from Squire Cassius Nile of dark doings brewing in the town. Before his enlistment Douglass had been accused of the robbery of five thousand in War-Chest funds from Dr. Abner Sawtell, whose son, Ray, was interested in Nina Bingham, niece of the money-lender, Swinton Tingley, who had ruined the Douglasses. The miser had called in his money; men had been seen lurking about the house—and Barron purchased a revolver at Dustin’s store, which he gave to Nina for protection. Then, later, in the presence of Dr. Sawtelt and Douglass, Tingley disclosed the hiding-place of his wealth—a panel in the wall. Following these events three visitors called at Lawyer Nile’s office: 2 woman who offered a five-hundred-dollar retainer for a defense against possible accusation of husband murder; Nina herself, and lastly Swinton Tingley, whom Barron thrust into the street, following the miser’s insult and blow. Tingley had Douglass arrested, but Nile modified the charge to simple assault, that night the young man watching the Tingley mansion in Nina’s behalf. Overhearing a conversation between two men which seemed to implicate some unknown individual, suddenly he heard shots from the house—two men rushed out, one throwing something into the distance, and as Douglass dashed inside he heard behind him the sounds of a scuffle. Within doors he found tragedy: Tingley dead, his face frightfully disfigured; Nina in a faint. An irruption of the villagers, including Azor Speed, blacksmith, was followed by the arrival of Crockett, county medical examiner, whose examination tended to show that the miser’s old fusee had not. "been responsible for his death. At a general meeting at town hall five hundred dollars’ reward was offered, and a detective, one Warren Odlin, engaged. But it was plain the townspeople suspected Douglass. And the circumstantial evidence was strong. Nile had publicly rebuked a street gathering for malicious gossip, when suddenly Douglass appeared, handcuffed to Odlin. “What does this mean?” demanded the squfre. “He’s been took up for the murder of Swint Tingley,” elevated by his participation in a real case. said Nute, the constable, manifestly CHAPTER IX. THE BADGE OF CHIVALRY. HARGED—merely charged with the offense,” corrected the more cautious detective. ‘‘ The evidence I have col- lected warrants an arrest, Mr. Nile.” “Confound it, you have no evidence, sir! What’s the evidence?” demanded the lawyer, in his rage forgetting his standing as counsel, debarred from precipitate pry- ing into the State’s secrets at that time. Mr. Odlin smiled indulgently. ‘‘ The State expects to produce enough evidence to hold the prisoner for the action of the grand jury, sir. You'll have to excuse me, on professional grounds, from telling you what that evidence is.” Squire Nile took the young man’s free hand in his, and marched along by his protégé’s side. ‘‘ Well, bub, the old musk- rats of this town have been burrowing un- der the bank, and we have been dropped into the drink! Never mind! The water is cold right now, but we’ll strike out and swim as best we can.” This story began in The Argosy for February 28. 572 IOO = (CO) SH (C(O)