Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1914 — WITHIN THE LAW [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WITHIN THE LAW

By MARVIN DANA

CHAPTER X. Garson's Noiseless Gun. SOMETHING of what was in his mind was revealed in Garson’s first speech after Griggs’ going. “That’s a mighty big stake he’s playing for.” “And a big chance he’s taking’* Mary retorted. “No, Joe, we don’t want any of that We’ll play a game that’s safe and sure.” The words recalled to the forger weird forebodings that had been troubling him throughout the day. “It’s sure enough,” he stated, “but is it safe?” “What do you mean?” Garson walked to and fro nervously as he answered. “S’pose the bulls get tired of you

putting it over on ’em and try some rough work?” “Don’t worry, Joe. I know a way to stop it.” “Well, so far as that goes, so do I,” the forger said, with significant emphasis. “Just what do you mean by that?” Mary demanded, suspiciously. “For rough work,” he said, “I have this.” He took a magazine pistol from his pocket. It was of an odd shape, with a barrel longer than usual and a bellshaped contrivance attached to the muzzle. “No, no, Joe,” Mary cried. “None of that —ever!” “Pooh!” The forger exclaimed. “Even if I used it, they would never get on to me. See this?” He pointed at the strange contrivance on the muz zle. “What is it? I have never seen anything like that before.” “Of course you haven’t. I’m the first man in the business to get one. and I’ll bet on it. I keep up with the times.” He was revealing that fundamental (egotism which is the characteristic of all his kind.’ “That’s one of the new Maxim silencers. With smokeless powder in the cartridges, and the silencer on, I can make a shot from my coat pocket, and you wouldn't even know it had been done. And I’m some shot, believe me;” “Impossible!” Mary ejaculated. “No, it ain’t- Here, wait” I’ll show you.” “Good gracious, not here!” Mary ex. claimed In . alarm. “We would have the whole place down on us.” Garson chuckled.

“You just watch that dinky little vase at 4he;table across the room there. ’Tain’t very valuable, is it?” “No,” Mary answered. In the same instant, while still her eyes were on the vase, it fell in a cascade of shivered glass to the table and floor. She had heard no sound, she saw no smoke. Perhaps, there had been a faintest clicking noise. She stared dumfounded for a few seconds, then turned her bewildered to ward Garson, who was grinning in high enjoyment. “Neat little thing, ain't it?” the man asked, exultantly. “Where did you get it?" Mary asked " Iti Boston, last week. And between

you and me, Mary, it’s the only model, and it sure is a corker.” That night in the back room of Blinkey’s English Eddie and Garson sat with their beads close together over a table. “A chance like this,” GHggs was saying, “a chance that will make a fortune for all of us.” “It sounds good,” Garson admitted, wistfully. w Well,” urged Griggs, "what do yon ■ay?” “How would we split it?” “Three ways would be right.” Griggs answered. “One to me, one to you and one to be divided up among the others.” Garson brought his fist down wn the table with a force that made the glasses jingle. „ , “You're on.” he said, strongly. “Fine!” Griggs declared, and the two men shook hands. “Now, I’ll get”— “Get nothing!’’ Garson Interrupted. “I’ll get my own men. Chicago Red is in town. Sb is Dacey, with perhaps a couple of others of the right sort. I’ll get them and we’ll turn the trick tomorrow night.” “That’s the stuff,” Griggs agreed, greatly pleased. But a sudden shadow fell on the face of Garson. He bent closer to his companion and spoke with a fierce Intel* sity that brooked no denial. “She must never know.”

Griggs nodded Mary had gone to her bedroom for a nap. She was not in the least surprised that Dick had not yet returned, though he had mentioned half an hour. At the best there were many things that might detain him—his father’s absence from the office, difficulties in making arrangements for his projected honeymoon trip abroad which would never occur—or the like. At the worst there was a chance of finding his father promptly, and of that father as promptly taking steps to prevent the son from ever again seeing the woman who bad so indiscreetly married him. Yet somehow Mary could not believe that her husband would yield to such paternal coercion. Rather, she was sure that he would prove loyal to her whom be loved through every trouble. At the thought a certain wistfulness pervaded her and a poignant regret that this particular man should have been the one. chosen of fate to be entangled within her mesh of revenge. There throbbed in her a heart tormenting realization that there were in life possibilities infinitely more splendid than the joy of vengeance. She would not confess the truth even, to her inmost soul, but the truth was there and set her z atremble with vague fears.

She had slept, perhaps, a half hour when Fannie awakened her. " “It's a man named Burke,” she explained as her mistress lay blinking. “And there’s another man with him They said they must see you.” By this time Mary was wide awake, for the name of Burke, the police Inspector, was enough to startle her out of drowsiness. She got up, slipped into a teagown, bathed her eyes in cologne, dressed her hair a little and went into the drawing room, where the two men had been waiting for something more than a quarter of an hour—to the violent indignation of both. “Oh, here you are. at last!” the big. burly man cried as she entered. “Yes, inspector,” Mary replied pleas antly. as she advanced Into the room. She gave a glance toward the other visitor, who was of a slenderer form, with a thin, keen face, and recognized him instantly as Demarest, who bad taken part against her as the lawyer for the store at the time of her trial, and who was now district attorney. She went to the chair at the desk and seated herself in a leisurely fashion that increased the Indignation of the fuming inspector. She did not ask her self invited guests to sit.

“To whom do I owe the pleasure of this visit, inspector?” she remarked coolly. It was noticeable that she said whom and not what, as if she understood perfectly that the influence of some person brought him. “I have come to have a few quiet words with you,” the inspector declared. Mary disregarded him, and turned to the other man. “How do you do, Mr. Demarest?” she said evenly. “It’s four years since we met. and they’ve made you district attorney since then. Allow me tocon gratulate you.” Demarest's keen face took on an ex pression of perplexity. “I’m puzzled,” he confessed. “There is something familiar, somehow, about you, and yet”— “Gan't you guess?” Mary questioned. “Search yOur memory. Mr. Demarest.' The face of the district attorney lightened. > “Why!” he exclaimed, ”you are—it can’t be—yes—you are the girl, you’re the Mary Turner whom I —oh. I know you now." “I’m the girl you mean. Mr. Demar est. but, for the rest, you don’t knov. me—not at all!" “You*ig woman." Burke said, per emptorily. “the Twentieth Century limited leaves Grand Central station at 4 o’clock. It arrives in Chicago at 8:55 tomorrow tnorning.” He pulled a massive gold watch from his waistcoat pocket, glanced at it. thrust it back, and concluded ponderously; “You will just about have time to catch that train.” “Working for the New York Central now?” Mary asked blandly. “You’d better be packing your trunk.” the inspector rumbled. “But why? I’m not going away." “On the Twentieth Century limited this afternoon.” the inspector declared in a voice of growing wrath “Oh. dear, nn

“I say yes!" The answer was ■ bellow “I'm girtng you your orders. You will either go to Chicago or you'll go up the river.” “If you can convict me. Pray, notice that little word ‘if.’ ” The district attorney Interposed very suavely: “I did once. f I remember." “But you can’t do it again.” Mary declared with an assurance that excited fire astonKnmenr or me ponce official. “How do you know he can’t?" he blustered. “Because if he could he would have had me in prison some time ago.” “Huh!” Burke exclaimed gruffly. ‘Tve seen them go up pretty easy.” “The poor ones; not those that have money. I have money, plenty of money—now." “Money you stolef* the inspector returned brutally. “Oh, dear, no!" Mary cried with a fine show of virtuous indignation. “What about the $30,000 you got on that partnership swindle? I s'pose you didn’t steal that!” “Certainly not." was the ready reply. “The man advertised for a partner in a business sure to bring big and safe returns. We formed a partnership with a capital of $60,000. We paid the money into the bank, and then at once I drew it out It was legal for me to draw that money—wasn’t it Mr. Demarest?” The district attorney admitted the truth of her contention. “Well, anyhow.” Burke shouted, “you may stay Inside the law. but you’ve got to get outside the city. On the level, now, do you think you could get away with t that young Gilder scheme you’ve been planning?’’ “What young Gilder scheme?” “Oh, I’m wise—l’m wise!" the inspector cried roughly. “The answer is. once for all. leave town this afternoon or you'll be in the Tombs in the morning.” “It can’t be done, inspector.” Mary opened a drawer of the desk and took out the’document obtained that morning from Harris and held it forth." “What's this?" Burke stormed, but he took the paper. Demarest looked over the inspector’s shoulder, and his eyes grew larger as he read. When he was at an end of the reading he regarded the passive woman at the desk with a new respect. “What's this?"” Burke repeated helplessly. Mary was kind enough to make the document clear to him. “It's a temporary restraining order from the supreme court instructing you to let me alone until you have legal proof that I have broken the law.” ‘‘But it can’t be done.” shouted Burke. >■

“You might ask Mr. Demarest.” Mary suggested pleasantly, “as to whether or not it can be done. The gambling houses can do it and so keep on break ing the law. The race track men can do it and laugh at the law. The rail road can do it to restrain its employees from striking. So why shouldn’t I get one too? You see, I have money. 1 can buy all the law 1 want. And there’s nothing you can’t do with the law if you have money enough Ask Mr. Demarest He knows." “Can you beat that?” Burke rumbled. He regarded Mary with a stare of almost reverential wonder. “A crook appealing to the law!" “Well, gentlemen, what are you go ing to do about it?” “Miss Turner,” the district attorney said, with an appearance of sincerity. “I’m going to appeal to your sense of fair play.” “That was killed four years ago.” But Demarest persisted. Influence had been brought to bear on him. It was for her own sake now that he urged her. “Let young Gilder alone." Mary laughed again. “His father sent me afcay for three years—three years for something I didn’t do. Well, he's got to pay for it” By this time, Burke, a man of superior intelligence, as one must be to reach such a position of authority, had come to realize that here was a case not to be carried through by blustering. by intimidation, by the rough ruses familiar to the force. “Don't fool yourself, my girl.” he said in his huge voice, which was now modulated to a degree that made

it almost unfamiliar to himself. “You can’t go through with this. There’s always a weak link in the chain some where. It’s up to me to Snd it and I will.” “Now.” she said, and there was re-

spcct In the glanceshe gave the stalwart man. “now you really sound dangerous.” Fannie appeared at the door. “Mr. Edward Gilder wishes to see you. Miss Turner.” she said. “Shall I show him in?" “Oh, certainly," Mary answered, with an admirable pretense of Indifference, while Burke glared at Demarest, and the district attorney appeared ill at ease. (To be continued.)

Inspector Burke.

“Well, gentlemen, what are you going to do about it?”