Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 3 — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

vL@ in their exalted seats, began to do a bit -of wondermg themselves. Spigot’s resignation was quite as imex- ‘plicable to Ellis Turner as to the others, and, moreover, it was destined to remain a mystery to him; for Spigot had successful- ly evaded an interview with him before he slipped quietly out of town. Turner realized, of course, that some- thing was in the wind. With the removal of this important pillar, as represented by the prosecutor, the entire structure of po- litical power which he had erected sagged perilously and threatened collapse; fer, should the sheriff and-the board of select- men become seized with panic and fellow the.example of Spigot, the structure would collapse and bury him beneath its débris. Turner rose to the emergency with his customary quickness of action. He imme- '. diately sought out President Cass Bidwell, of the board of selectmen, who, now that Spigot was gone, was his most valuable henchman | “Cass,” said Turner, “ you are the man to whom Spigot handed his resignation this evening. Did he give you his real reason for quitting? I haven’t been able to see him. The sneaking rat won't let me get at bim. 3 Bidwell shook his head. “IT couldn’t get anything out of him, Ellis. He jest comes across the hall to my office and hands me his written resignation. ‘I’m resigning,’ he says. ‘I’m leaving town to-night or to-morrow morning.’ Nat- urally, I like to fell off my chair. ‘ What for?’ I says to him. ‘It’s my health,’ he says. ‘I’ve got to go away at once.’ “You know as well as me, Ellis, he _ never had a sick day as long as we've known him. But jest then, he sure looked sick as a dog. But o’ course I didn’t be- lieve that was the reason he was quitting all of a sudden, and leaving town. I knew something was wrong. But I couldn't get a word out of him He jest walked out of my office, and I ain’t seen him since.’ Turner’ was silent a moment, his gray eyes like steel points. “ Cold feet,” he pronounced finally. oN clear case of cold feet. Somebody—un- doubtedly Patterson or Boom—“has started ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. some whispering about that special election . last September, and Spigot got scared. He always was a white-livered rat—like War- ren. » BP “ People are beginning to talk,” Bidwell stated. “I never saw anything like it. It got around almmst as soon as the news that Spigot quit. The ngembers of the board heard things even before I called a meet- ing a few hours ago to read ’em the resig- nation; and after the meeting several of ‘em, confidential like, asked me things— about you!”’ “That’s what I was afraid of,” said Turner, tightening his lips. ‘“‘ We’ve got to keep that bunch from running away be- fore I can get things smoothed over. I’ve got Warren roped hand and foot; I’m not afraid of him bolting—unless the others do. It’s yp to you, Cass, to see to it that they don’t.” “They won't if I can help it,” said Bid. well simply. The two men looked at each other with understanding. Of all the men whom Tur- ner had bound to him, Bidwell alone did not serve him through fear. When Turner had picked him up, eight years ago, he had been a mere farm-hand, big boned, rough, but with a keen mind that was admirably suited to T-urner’s purposes. Tumer had “made ” him, and he was deeply grateful: ‘“ That’s the idea,’”’ said Turner thought- fully. ‘“ Keep them quieted down, and everything will blow over all ght. It’s up to the Governor now to appoint a new prosecutor to finish out Spigot’s term. He'll appoint a man on the recommendatign of the board. The man we need in there is a fellow like Dan Newbury, that shyster law- yer of Yellow Springs. As soon as we can put through his appointment, we'll be back to where we were before Spigot quit. See?”’ Bidwell nodded. “I'll call a meeting to- morrow night.” “ That’s right. ly as possible.” ‘How about that fellow, Boom?” asked Bidwell. ‘“ He’s a hell of a lot of trowble —and hard to get rid of.” Turner’s lips curled. ‘‘ Leave him to me,” he replied meaning- “ He’s a lot of trouble—but he hasn’t EO dDOO|KKS Put it through as gquick- ly. UCC Colin