Part 16 (1/2)

The girl, followed by Burton, entered the brightly lighted roolad, Mr Prim,” said the latter, ”to be able to return Miss Priirl looked up into the face of Jonas Prim The man voiced an exclaasped and sank upon a sofa The girl stood ain bent upon the floor

”What's theis wrong, Mr Burton,” Jonas Prihter”

Burton looked his surprise and discoirl

”What do you oing to ask what Ias Miss Prim,” she said ”I have never said that I was Miss Prinorant little farmer's boy and I did not deny it when I found that you intended bringing me to Mr Prim, for I wanted to see him I wanted to ask hihter either; but my father and Mr Pri,” she continued, addressing Jonas Prim ”My father has always admired you and from what he has told me I knew that you would listen to me and do what you could forto the jail in Payson, for Payson is my home Everybody would have known me It would have killed my father Then I wanted to co the reports and insinuations in the paper, that your daughter was not with Reginald Paynter when he was killed She had no knowledge of the crime and as far as I know may not have yet I have not seen her and do not knohere she is; but I was present when Mr Paynter was killed I have known him for years and have often driven with him He stopped me yesterday afternoon on the street in Payson and talked within a car in front of the bank After we had talked a few minutes two men came out of the bank

Mr Paynter introduced the out into the country to look at a piece of property--a farm sooing to stop at The Crossroads Inn for dinner He asked --he kind of dared me to, because, as you know, The Crossroads has rather a bad reputation

”Father had gone to Toledo on business, and very foolishly I took his dare Everything went all right until after we left The Inn, although one of the men--his companion referred to him once or twice as The Oskaloosa Kid--attempted to be too familiar with me Mr Paynter prevented him on each occasion, and they had words over reat deal, this man renewed his attentions and Mr Paynter struck him Both of them were drunk

After that it all happened so quickly that I could scarcely follow it

The man called Oskaloosa Kid drew a revolver but did not fire, instead he seized Mr Paynter by the coat and whirled him around and then he struck him an awful blow behind the ear with the butt of the weapon

”After that the other two men see to do and at last decided to throw Mr Paynter's body out of the machine, for it was quite evident that he was dead

First they rifled his pockets, and joked as they did it, one of the as much as they had planned on; but that a little was better than nothing They took his watch, jewelry, and a large roll of bills We passed around the east side of Oakdale and came back into the Toledo road A little way out of town they turned the machine around and ran back for about half a mile; then they turned about a second time I don't knohy they did this They threw the body out while the htened that I can't say whether it was before or after they turned about the second time

”In front of the old Squibbs place they shot at me and threw me out; but the bullet missed me I have not seen them since and do not knohere they went I a to aid in their conviction; but, please Mr Pri sent back to Payson or to jail I have done nothing criminal and I won't run away”

”How about the robbery of Miss Pris?” asked Burton ”Did they pull both of those off before they killed Paynter or after?”

”They had nothing to do with either unless they did them after they threw ht,”

replied the girl

”And the rest of the gang, those that were arrested with you,” continued the detective, ”how about thee and the boy they called The Oskaloosa Kid, though he isn't the sairl, Giova, that ith me The others were tramps who came into the old mill and attacked us while ere asleep I don't knoho they were The girl could have had nothing to do with any of the cri her father in the woods back of the Squibbs' place The e and the boy were taking refuge from the storm at the Squibbs place when I was thrown from the car They heard the shot and ca to do with--with--” she hesitated

”Tell the truth,” coo hard with you if you don't Whatabout those two--now out with it”

”The boy robbed Mr Prie was not with hi the storether They were kind to et the boy in trouble That is the reason I hesitated He seemed such a nice boy!

It is hard to believe that he is a crie was always so considerate He looks like a traentle briskly, and a moment later the butler stepped into the room to say that Mr Burton anted on the wire He returned to the living room in two or three minutes