Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 14, 1928 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

DAMMING HAIRPIN CANON, Between five and six that afternoon he had apprised Fenton that he was aware of the changes in the dam and suspicious of their purpose. The com- missioner in return had warned him that he’d better drop such investiga- tions and keep clear of local trouble- makers, or he’d find the climate of Los Chicos County unhealthy for him—as unhealthy as it was going to be for Molly Todd. At six ten he had started for Molly’s house to lay the information in his pos- session before her. At six fifteen, according to Jarley, the butler, there was a telephone call at the castle for Da Silva, Molly’s sec- retary. This call, on being traced up, was reported by the local exchange to have come from the commissioner’s office in the courthouse. ‘The inference was, of course, that somebody there was apprising Da Silva of Norman’s imminent arrival and his purpose. At six forty-five, approximately, Norman reached the castle, and his presence was reported by Jarley to Da Silva, who, without consulting Molly, directed that the visitor be notified she was engaged. At about seven o’clock, or a little later, Norman, who was being held up within the grounds by a blowout, had given his message for Molly to the em- ployee at the lodgekeeper’s house, and this had been delivered to her at eight, just about the time that Norman ar- rived back at Rio Rita. On receiving the message, Molly had at once confronted Da Silva with it, and failing to receive any satisfactory explanation of his action, had sum- marily dismissed him. Then, as he left the house, she had sent Big Bill riding off post haste to the village fo inter- cept Norman and bring him back to her. The rest was largely a matter of con- jecture. Da Silva did not lodge in the castle, but lived alone in one of the small cottages on the estate. So it was 191 impossible to tell what his exact move- ments had been. : It seemed fair to assume, however, that he had learned of what took place in the village, and knew that Norman was returning with Big Bill. Chances were that the fact had been communi- cated to him in some fashion by the gang, although he may have only rea- soned it out from seeing Big Bill’s horse, Jasper, come back without his master. At any rate, either under orders or on his own initiative, he had endeav- ored to turn the circumstance to a sin- ister advantage. From his acquaintance with the house, he knew just about what would happen on Norman’s arrival. Big Bill, after landing his man at the door, would go back to the stables to look after his horse. Jarley, having admit- ted the visitor, would retire to his pan- try. There would be an interval, when with Molly coming downstairs to greet Norman, the two would be alone in the hall together; and that, Da Silva figured, would be his opportunity. With Molly shot through the heart and falling to the floor, it was natural to suppose that Norman would at once rush to her, and be discovered bending over her body. Then the pistol would be found on the floor, marked with his initials, and he would be accused of the murder. In the excitement no one would stop to question the flimsy fiature of the evidence against him, or to listen to his protestations of innocence. In their rage and fury the employees of the es- tate, all of whom were devoted to Molly, would simply take him out and string him up. And if they showed any qualms-or hesitation on this score, Da Silva would be ready with fervid appeals to incite the mob spirit. Thus he reasoned, no doubt, the two chief obstacles to the plans of the court- house crowd would be eliminated, and COPMICLOOOKS (F@)