THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
S&PDCf
ILLroiMn(15CDBnOI5
8YNOP8I3.
11
Kenneth Qrinwold, nn unsuccessful
Vyrltor becauso of socialistic tendencies,
lioldn up Andrew Onlbralth, president of
tho Bayou Stnto Securities, In tlio presi
dent's private otllco nnd escapes with 100,
000 In cash. Ho rocs uboard tlio Hello
Julio o.h n deckhand. Charlotlo Knrnham
of Wnhnska, Minn., who had seen him
cash Oalbralth's chock In tho bank, rec
ognizes him, and sends a letter of be
trayal to Oalhrulth anonymously. Orls
wold In arrested In St. Louis, but escnpes
from his captors. He derides on Wa
liaska, Minn., an a hiding place, nnd
takes tho train. Ho falls 111 on tho sleeper
nnd la enred for nnd taken to her homo In
wahuska by Margery Orlerson, daughter
of Jasper Orlerson, tho llnanclal magnate
of Wnhnska. Margery llnds tho stolon
rnonoy In Orlsuold'n suitcase. Droflln,
detective, takes tho trail. Margery asks
her father to get Edward Haymer Into
financial hot water and then help him out
of It. (Jrlswold recovers to Ilnd the stolen
money gone. Ho forms a friendship with
uayrner, tho Iron manufacturer. Drollln
comes to Wnhnska In search of the wom
an who wrolo the anonymous letter to
Qalbralth. Mnrgory take, Orlswold to
tho safety deposit vnult and turns tho
stolen money over to him. Charlotte bluffs
put Broffln nnd Margery begins to watch
him. arlswold puts his money In Hay
pier's plant nnd commences to rewrite his
book. Orlswold Is not suro that Chnrlotto
lion not jecognlzml him, He uses Mar
gery nnd Charlotte as models for tho
characters in his book and rends tho
rnanuserlptB to them. Hrollln spies on
Mnrgery, who thrown him off tho scent
regarding Orlswold, Mnrgery and Orls
wold save Otlbralth from drowning and
as he recovers consclmimiesH tho banker
rocognlzes (JMawold. Tim men at Hay
mor's Iron vjrks strike.
CHAPTER XXII Continued.
"Tho Federated Iron Workers, I
eupposo."
"Not In ii thousand yearn t They
aro only tho menus, to nn ond." Tho
tilting chair squeaked ngnln, and ho
wont on: "If I'm going to show you
how you can dodgo this fight, I'll havo
to knock d5vn a door or two first.
If I blunder In whoro I'm not wnntod,
you can kltk mo out. There Is one
way In which you can euro nil thin
trouble-sickness without resorting to
surgery and blood-letting."
"Name It, ' said Raytnor eagerly.
"I will; tut first I'll have to break
over Into thB personalities. Havo you
mado up your mind that you aro going
to marry Margery arlorson?"
Raymor lrughod silently, leaning his
head back c n tho cushion of tho lazy.
halr until 'Us cigar stood upright.
"That's a nice way to biff n man In
tho dark!" to chuckled. "But If you'ro
in oarnoBt 1 11 toll you tho Btrnlghtfor
ward truth: I don't know."
"You metn that Margery Grlerson
doesn't mcasuro up to tho require
ments of L'!ie Wnhaskan Four Hun
dred?" Thnro was satirical scorn In
tho observation, but Raymor did not
Dorcolvo It.
"Oh, I don't know as you would put
1t Quito that baldly," ho protostod.
"'But you seo, when It comes to mar
rying and sottllng down and raising a
family, you havo to look nt all Bldos of
tho thing. r.fho father, as wo nil know,
Is a cold-blooded old were-wolf; tho
niothor nobody knowB nnythlng nbout
uayo that ftapplly, In all probability
sho lBn't living. And there you aro.
Yot I won't dony that thoro aro times
when I'm tempted to shut my oyes
and take (ho high dive, anyway nt
the risk o:' splaBhlng a lot of good
poople who would doubtless bo prop
erly acanda'lzed,"
I By this tlhio Grlswold was gripping
tho arms of his chair Bavagoly and
othorwlso trying to hold hlniBolf
down; but this Raymer could" not
know.
"J?011 ilaY' reason to believe that it
to s is wholl'v with you, I suppose?"
camo from tho tilting chnlr nftor n
llttlo paiiBo "Miss arlorson Is only
waiting for you to apeak?"
y- "That's ti horrlblo question to ask n
man, Konrmth oven In tho dark. If
I say yea to It, It can't sound any other
way than boastful and and cnddlsh.
Yot I hoi.eiitly bollevo that Oh,
hang It all I can't you bco how impos
sible you'ro making It, old man?"
"Npt lnposalblo; only a trlflo dim
cult," wat tho qualifying rejoinder. "It
la easier from this on. That Is tho
poacoful vay out of tho shop trouble
for you, R.ij iner. When you can go to
Jaspo.r Grlorson and toll him you aro
going to marry lils daughtor, tho trou
ble will bo aB good as cured, This
laJjOT trouble that la threaten
ing to smaiih you Is Jasper Grleraon'a
roply to the move you mado whon
you let mo n and choked him off. Ho
li reaching for you."
Raymer held his peaco and tho at
moBphero o: tho room grow pungont
with tobacco smoke.
"I'm feeling a good bit Hko a yollow
dog, Kenneth," ho said, at longth.
"After what I'vo admitted nnd what
you'vo eald, I'm loft in tho position of
the poor dovll who would bo damned
if ho did aid bo damned If ho didn't.
You havo sticcoodod In fixing It so that
I can't as's Margery Grlerson to be my
wlfo, howovBr much I'd llko to."
"That Un't tho point," insisted Grla
wold hall a-ivagoly. "How you may
foel about it, or what your people may
Bay, 1b purely secoudary. Tho thing to
tio considered is, what will happen to
Miss Grlerson?"
"Why, bob hero, old man; if you
wero Mudgt's brother, you couldn't bo
putting the Bcrowa on any hardor!
What's got Into you tonight?"
DrlourrtlH vvnn tnnvnrnhln.
I(I0I,IU 1 1 . M - - . - .
"Miss fJrleraou hasn't any brother,'
cav?crorcAfiUj jcvffrrJ sort a
nnd aho might ns well not havo any
father better, perhnpB. As God hears
mo, Raymer, I'm going to seo to it
that alio gets a square deal."
"By Ocorgol I believe you aro In
love with her, yourself!"
"I am," was tho cool reply.
"Well, of ull the Say, Grlswold,
you'ro a throo-cornered puzzlo to mo
yet. I don't know what tho other
throo-fourths of tho town Is saying, but
my fourth of it has It nut tin that
you'vo everlastingly cooked my goose
ni uoctor nettle's; that you and
Chnrlotto aro Just about as good as on
gaged. Perhaps you'll tell mo that it
isn't true."
"It isn't yot."
"But it may bo, later on? Now you
aro gotting over into my llttlo garden
patch, Kenneth. If you think I'm go
ing to stand still and sea vou nut n
wedding ring on Charlotte Fnrnham'B
linger when I know you'd Hko to bo
putting It on Madge Grlerson's "
Grlswold's low laugh camo as an
easing of stresses.
"You can't very well mnrrv hoth of
them, youraolf, you know," ho sug
gested mildly. And then: "If you woro
not bo badly torn up over this shop
trouble, you'd seo thnt I'm trvlncr to
glvo you tho entlro field. I shall prob
ably leavo town tomorrow, and I moro-
ly Wanted to do vou. or Miss fJHnrRnn.
or both of you, a small kindness by
way of leavo-taklng."
Do you mean to tell mo that vou
aro going away, leaving mo bucked
and gagged by this labor outfit to live
or dlo ns I may? Great Scott, man!
If my monoy's gono, yours goes with
HI
"You nro freely welcomo to the mon-
oy, Edward If you can manngo to
nang on to It; and I havo pointed out
tho easy way to salvage tho Industrial
ship. Can't you give mo your blessing
and lot me go In peaco?"
Tho blessing was not withheld, but
nolthcr was it given.
"I camo hero with my own back-lond
of trouble, but It seems that I'm not
tho only camel in tho caravan," said
tho young ironmaster, thoughtfully.
"What Is it, Konnoth? anything you
can unload on mo?"
"You wouldn't understand," was
tho gentle evasion.
Once again Raymor took refuge in
sllcnco. After a time ho said: "You'vo
boon a brother to me, Grlswold, and
I shnll never forget that. But If I
needed your help In tho money pinch,
I'm needing it worse now. I'll do tho
right thing by Mnrgery; I think I'vo
boon meaning to, all along; If I
haven't, It's only becauso this wholo
town has been fixing up a match bo
twoon Chnrlotto and mo ovor since wo
woro school klda together you know
how n follow gets Into tho way of tak
ing u thing Hko thnt for granted mere
ly bocauso everybody elso does?"
"Yob; I know."
"Well, I guesa It isn't a heart-breaker
on either .side. If Chnrlotto cares,
sho tlooBn't tako tho troublo to show
It. Just tho same, on tho otlror hand,
I'vo got a shred or two of docencv loft.
Kenneth. I'm not going to marry my
self out of this fight with Jnspor Grler
son not In a million venrs. Stnv nvor
and holp mo soo It through; and whon
wo win out, I promise you I'll do tho
squnro thing."
"Thoro's only ono other way, Ed
ward; and that la to fight llko tho
dovll," ho said, speaking as ono who
has weighed nnd measured nnd decid
ed. "What do you Bay?"
"If you will Btay," Raymer began,
hesitantly.
"I'll stay as long aa I can." Then,
with tho note of hnrBhneas returning,
"We'll mako tho light, and wo'll glvo
thcao muckers of yours all thoy aro
looking for. Shut tho plant doors to
morrow morning and mako it n lock.
out. I'll bo ovor bright and early and
we 11 placo n bunch of wiro ordors in
tlio cities for strlke-brenkerB. That will
bring thorn to tlmo."
Raymor got up slowly and felt in
tho dark for his hat.
"Strlko-broakoral" ho groaned.
"Grlswold, It would mako my "father
turn over fn IiIb coffin If ho could
know that wo'vo como to that! But
I guess you'ro right. Everybody says
I'm too Boft-hearted to bo a master of
mon. Well, 1 must bo getting homo.
Tomorrow morning, at tho plant? All
right; good-night."
And ho turned to gropo hla way to
tho door and through Iho dark upper
hall and down tho etalr.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Narrowing Walls.
Grlawold Joined tho conference with
Raymer and tho shop bosses In the
ofllcos of tho plant tho following morn
ing. Having slept upon tho quarrel,
Raymor was on tho conciliatory hand,
nnd four of tho five department foro
men woro with him. Tho prompt clos
ing of tho shops had had its effect,
and a deputation of tho older work
men camo to plead for arbitration and
a poacoful settlement of tho troublo.
But Grlswold fought It and finally car
ried his point. "No compromise" was
tho answer sent back to the locked
out workman, and with It wont the
ultimatum, which Grlawolu Mmhelf
snapped out at tho leader of tho con
dilators: "Tell your committeo that
it is unconditional surrender, and It
must bo mado before flvo o'clock this
afternoon. Otherwise, not a man of
you can como back on any terms."
Then Orlswold procooded to mako tho
breach lmpassablo by calling upon tho
shorlff for a gunrd of deputies. Ray
mer shook his head gloomily.
"That settles It boyond any hope of
a patch-up," ho said sorrowfully. "If
wo hadn't declared war bofore, wo'vo
dono It now. I'm prophesying that no
body will weaken when It comes to tho
pay-roll teBt this afternoon."
"Bocauso wo havo tnken stops to
protoct our property?" rasped tho
fighting partner.
Bocauso wo havo tnken the ston
which serves notice upon thorn that we
consider thorn criminals, at least In
intention. You'd resent it voursolf.
Grlswold. If anybody should null tho
law on you before you had done anv-
thing to doscrvo it. I'm much mistaken
If you wouldn't "
"Oh, hell!" was tho "biting interrun-
tion; and Raymer could not know unon
what Inwnrd fires ho had unwittingly
llung a handful of inflammables.
Brollln was aa suro now that Grin
wold was hla man aa ho was of his own
present inability to prove it. "He'll
mako a miss-go, sooner or later," tho
portlnnclous ono was saving to hlmsnlf
as ho strolled past tho Raymer plant
with a keen eyo for tho barred gates,
mo lounging guards In tho vard. and
tho sober-faced workmen coming and
going at tho nay office. "If ha can
carry a steady head through what's
comln' to him hero, he's a bettor man
than i'vo been stacking him up to bo."
L,ater, a big, red-faced man with his
imi on mo DacK or hla Head and a
pasto diamond In his shirt bosom, camo
to Join tho shifting group on tho of
fice sidewalk. Broffln marked him.
Tho man's namo waa Clancy; ho waa
a Chicago ward worker, sham labor
leader, demagogue; a bad man with a
"pull." What chanco had brought
tho Chicago ward bully Into a vlllago
labor fight ho waB not long In finding.
Clancy had como becauso ho had been
hired to como. Tho remainder was
easy, Tho town gossips had supplied
all tho major facta of tlio Raymer
Grleraon checkmate, and Broffiri saw
a great light. It was not labor and
capital that wero at odds; it wa3 com
petition and monopoly. And monopoly,
invoking tho aid of tho ClancyB, atood
to win In a cantor.
Broffln dropped tho atlck ho had
been whittling and got up to move
away. Though Bomo imaginativo per
sons would havo it otherwise a do-
tectlvo may still bo a man of like pas
alona and genoroua prepossessions
with other men. For tho tlmo Broffln's
Anglo-Saxon heritage, the lovo of fair
play, mado him forget tho llmltatlona
of his trade. "By grapples, tho old
awlno!" ho was muttering to himself
as ho made a slow circuit of the plant
inclosure. "Somobody ought to tell
them two young ducks what they're up
against. For a picayune, I'd do it, my
self. Huh! and tho llttlo black-oyod
girl playln' fast an' looso with both of
'em at once while tho old money-octopus
oats 'om alive!"
Thus Broffln, circling tho Raymer
worka by way of tho four enclnslne
atreota; and whon hla back wa8 turned
tho. man called Clancy polntod him out
to tho group of discontents.
"D'yo see that folly doublln' tho
fonco cornor? Yo'ro a flno lot of tnva
up hero In UY bnckwooda! Do I know
him? Full well I do! An' that tihnws
"D'ye Seo That Felly Doublln' tho
Fence Corner?"
yo what honest workln'mon haa cot to
como to, thoso days. Didn't yo seo
him Blttln' thoro on that castln'? Th'
bosses put him thero to keep tricks on
yo. If yo havo tho nervo of a bunch
of hoboes, yo'll watch yer chancos and
stop on him llko a. cockroach. He's a
PInkcrton!"
Wahaaka waa duly thrilled and or.
cited whon, on tho day following tho
Btorm and shipwreck, it found "Itself
tno Bcono of an angry conflict between
. . ua liuu BUT-
priso, both to tho West sldo and to
iiDaUan, win i n .1 , . i . I
"Pottery Flat," to find tho now book
writing partner not only taking an nc
tlvo part In tho fight, but apparently
directing tho capitalistic hostilities
with a high hand. At half-past four It
waB whlBperod about that war hnH
been declared. Raymor and GriBwold
woro telegraphing for atrlko-breakors;
and tho mon wero BWearlng that tho
plant would bo picketed and that scabs
would bo dealt with aB traitors and
enemies.
It waa botweon half-past four and
flvo that Miss arlereon, driving In tho
baskot phaeton, mado a stop In front
of tho Farmers' and Merchants' bank.
SInco it waa long paBt thoclosing
hours, tho curtains wero drawn In tho
bank doors and street-facing wlndowa.
But thoro waa a side ontranco and sho
wont straight to tho door of tho prl
vato room, entering without warning.
Her father was not alone. In tho
chair at tho desk-end sat n man florid
of faco, hnrd-eyed and grosa-bodied.
His hat was on tho back of his head.
and clnniDod between hla teeth under
tho bristling mustaches ho hold ono of
Jasper Grlerson's fat black cigars. Tho
conferonco paused when tho door
oponed; but when Margery crossed
tno room and perched herself on tho
deop seat-of tho farthest window. It
went on In guarded tones at a silent
signni from the bankor to hla vlaltor.
Thoro waa a trado Journal lying in
tho window-Beat, and MIs8 Grlerson
took it up to become Idlv Immersed in
a study of tho advertising pictures. If
sho listened to tho low-toned talk it
waa only mechanically, ono would Bay.
rot tnoro waa a quickening of tho
breath now nnd again, and a nresslnc
of tho white teeth upon tho rlpo lower
lip, aa sho turned tho pages of the ad
vortlslng supplement; these, though
only detached sentences of tho talk,
drifted acroaa to tho wlndow-aeat:
"You'ro fixed to nut tho entlro ro
sponslblllty for tho ruction over on to
tho other sldo of the house?" was one
of the overheard aentencea; It wa8 her
rather a query, and sho also heard tho
answer. "Wo'ro goln' to put 'em In
bad, don't you forget It. There'll bo
somo broken heada, moat likely, and
if they're ourB, aomebody'll nay for
em." A llttlo farther along it waa her
father who 8ald: "You'vo got to quit
this running to mo. Keep to your own
side of the fence Murray's got hla
orders, and he'll nay tho bills. If nnv-
thing breaka loose, I won't know you.
uei tnarr "I'm on," aald tho red
faced man; and ahortly afterward ho
tooK hla leave.
When tho door had closed behind
tho man who looked llko a ward heeler
or a walking delegate, and who had
been both, and many other and more
questionable things, by turns, Jasper
Grlerson swung hla huge chair to faco
the window.
"Well?" ho aald, "how's Galbralth
coming along?"
Tho amolderlng Area in tho daugh
ter's eyes leaped up at the provocation
lurking in tho grim brutality; but thoy
woro dying down again when sho put
tho trado Journal asido and said: "I
didn't como here to tell you about Mr.
Galbralth. I came to glvo you notlco
that It Is tlmo .to quit. Whon I asked
you to put Mr. Raymer under obliga
tions to you, I Bald I'd toll you when
it was time to atop."
Tho president of tho Farmers' and
MerchantB' tilted hla chair to the
lounging angle and laughed: a slow
gurgling laugh that apread from Hp to
eyo and thenco abroad through hla
great frame until ho shook Hko a gro-
tesquo Incarnation of tho god of mirth.
"I am to turn around and holn him
out of tho hole, am I? Oh, no; I guesa
not," ho denied. "It's bualneaa now,
llttlo girl, and tho tea-flght8 aro barred.
I'll glVQ VOU a Check for thnt nnnn n'
blnckB you wero looking at, and wo'll
call It square."
'Does that moan that vou Intend rn
go on until you havo smashed him?"
alio asked, quietly Ignoring tho puta
tive bribe. .
"I'm going to nut him out of bus!-
nesa him nnd that other fool friend of
yours if that's what you mean."
Again the sudden lightning glowed
in Margery Grlerson's oyes: again
thoro was a struggle, short and nhnrrv
between tho leaping passlona and tho
Indomitable will. Yet alio could apeak
softly.
"What la tho reason? Whv d n vnn
hato these, two so desperately?" she
asked.
Jasner Grlerson fanned awnv. thn
nimbus of cigar smoke with which ho
had surrounded himself nnd 8tarcd
gloomily at her through tho rift.
"Who aald anything about hating?"
ho dorlded. "Thafa a fool woman's"
notion. Thla la bU8lne83, nnd thero
ain't any such thing as hato In busi
ness." "I hato It!" sho said coldlv. Than
sho dragged tho talk back to tho nhnn.
nol It waa leaving. "I ought to havo
broken In aoonor; I might havo known
what you would do. You aro respona
lblo for this labor troublo thoy aro
having over at tho Iron worka. Don't
bother to deny It; I know. That waa
your 'heeler the man you had here
Whon I enmo. You don't play fair with
many people: don't you think vou'd
hotter mako an cxcoptlon of mo?"
Grlorson was mouthing his cigar
again and tho smoky nlmbUB waB
thickening to Ita cuatomary donaitv
whon ho aald: "You'ro nothing but a
spoiled baby, Madgo. If you'd cry for
tho moon, you'd think you ought to
have It. I'vo Bald my aay. and that'a
all thoro is to it. Trot along homo and
'tend to your tea parties; that's your
part of tho gamo. I can play my hand
alone."
Sho sllnnod out of tho window-sent
and crossed tho room quickly to stand
boforo htm.
I'll go when you havo answered ono
UuJOWU Du OU1U, IUU BUJipr UooUU
passions finding their way Into her
I III! l , i , ,
question," sho said, tho suppressed
voice. "I'vo asked for broad and
you'vo glvon mo a Btono. I'vo said
'ploaso' to you, nnd you slapped mo for
It. Do vou think vou enn afford to
shovo mo ovor to tho other sldo?"
"I don't know what vou'ro drlvlnir
at, now," was tho oven-toned rejoinder.
"TVin't vnn? Thnn I'll toll vnu. Vnu
havo boon pinching this town for tho
lion's sharo oVor since wo camo hero
shaking It down as you used to shako
down tho" sho broko off short, and
again tho indomitable will got thn hot
tor of tho soothing Daaalons. "Wo'll lot
tho by-gonea go, and como down to tho
present What if somo of tho things
you are doing horo and now would got
into pnnt7"
"For instance?" ho suggested, when
aho paused.
Tho daughtor who had nskpd for
bread and had been given a Btono put
ner faco In her hands nnd moved to
ward tho door. But nt tho lost momnnt
sho turnod again llko a spiteful llttlo
tigor-cat at bay.
"You think I can't Drovo it? Thnt
la whero you fall down. I can convinco
poopio if I chooso to try. And
that Isn't all: I can toll thom hnw vou
havo planned to sell Mr. Galbralth a
tract of 'virgin' pine that has. been
culled ovor for tho boat timber at
leaat throe tlmea In tho past flvo
yoara!"
Jaapor Grlorson Btnrted from hla
chair and mado a quick clutch Into
smoky Bpaco. "Madgo you little
dovill" ho gritted.
But tho grasping handa closed unon
nothing and tho sound of tho closing
uoor was his only anawer.
When aho had unhitched tho llttlo
Morgan and had driven away from tho
bank, Miss Grlerson drovo qulcfkly to
tho Wlnnobago houao and drew up at
tho carriage stop. A bell boy ran out
He Stepped Behind the Nearest Shade
Tree and Tightened His Grip.
to tho wheel of tho phaeton. Two min
utes nfter tho boy's disappearance,
Broffln camo out and touched his hat
to tho trim llttlo .peraon In tho baaket
seat.
"You aro Mr., Matthew Broffln of tho
Colburno Detective agency, are you
not?" she asked, sweetly.
Broffln took tho privilege of tho ac
cused and lied promptly.
'Not that anybody ever heard of, I
reckon," he denied, matching tho smile
In tho Inquiring oyes.
Sho laughed softly. "You see, it re-
solvos itself into a question of veracity
between you and Mr. Andrew Gal
bralth. You say you aro not, and ho
says you are. Which am I to believe?"
Broffln did some pretty awift think
ing. Thero had been tlmea when ho
had fancied that Mlaa Grlorson, rather
than Miss Farnham, might bo tho key
to hlB problem. Thoro was ono chanco
in a thousand that she might inadvert
ently put the key into his hands If ho
should play his carda skillfully, and he
took tho chanco.
"You can cnll It a mistake of mine,
if you like," ho yielded; and sho
nodded brightly.
"That is better; now we can go on
comfortably. Aro you too busy to
tako a llttlo commission from me?"
"Maybo not. -What Ib it?" Ho was
looking for a trap, and would not com
mit himself too broadly.
"Thero aro two thlnga that I wish to
know definitely. Of cour80, you havo
heard about tho accident on tho lako?
Mr. Galbralth is at our house, and ho
is very ill out of his head most of tho
tlmo. Ho is continually trying to tell
Bomoone whom ho calls 'MacFarland'
to bo careful. Do you know anyone of
that namo?"
Again Broffln thought quickly. If ho
should tell tho plain truth. . . .
Toll mo ono thing, Miss Grlorson," ho
said bluntly. "Am I doin' business
with you, or with your father?"
"Most emphatically, with mo, Mr.
Broffln."
"All right; overy thing goes, then.
Mr. Galbralth has boon figurin' on buy
ing somo pino lands up north, and he
has sent MacFarland up to Duluth to
verify tho boundary records on the
county survey."
"I thought ao," aho afflrmed. And
then: "Tho recorda are all right, Mr.
Broffln; but tho landa which Mr. Mac
Farland will be shown will not bo tho
landa which Mr. Galbralth is talking
of buying. I want ovidenco of this
in black and white. Cnn you telegraph
to someono in Duluth?"
Broffln permitted himself a small
Blgh of relief. Ho thought ho had soon
tho trap; that she was going to try to
got him away from WahaBka.
"I can do better than that," ho of
fered. "I can send a man from St.
Paul; a good aafo man who will do
Just what ho la told to do and keep
hla mouth shut."
Bho nodded approvingly.
"Do It; and toll your messenger that
time la prccloua and oxpenso doesn't
count. That la tho first half of your
commission. Coma a llttlo closer and
I'll tell you tho second half."
Broffln bent his head and sho whis
pered tho remainder of his Instruc
tions. Whon sho had finished ho
looked up and wagged his head aypro
hondlngly. "Y.os; I see what you mean atid It's
hono o' my buslncsa what you mean It
for," ho answered. "I'll got tho evi
dence, If there la any."
"It muBt bo Hko tho other; In black
and white," aho stipulated. "And you
neodn't say 'If.' Look for n red-faced
man with stiff muatachea and a big
mako-bcllevo diamond in his ehlrt
front, and mttko him toll you."
Mlas Grlerson was opening her
purse nnd sho pnsaed a yellow-backed
banknoto to her newest confederate.
"Your retainer," she explainod.
Broffln's grin thla time was wholly
of appreciation.
"You'ro tho right kind tho kind
that leads trumps all the while, Mlaa
Grlorson," ho told her. Thnn ho did
the manly thing. "I'll go Into this, Just
ua you say what7 But It's only fair
to warn you thnt It may turn up some
things that'll feazn
thnt old sayln about sloepln' doga?"
iMisa urlerson wbb gathering tho
reins over the llttlo Morgan's back nnd
her black eyes Bnapped.
This Is ono tlmo when wo are go
ing to kick tho doga nnd mako them
wako up." sho returned. "Good-bvr
Mr. Broffln."
CHAPTER XXIV.
Gates of Brass.
It was an hour beyond tho normal
quitting time on tho day of ultimatums
and counter-threatening8, tho small of
fice forco had gono home, and tho
night squad of deputies had come to
relieve the day guard. Grlswold closed
tho spare desk In tho manager's room
and twirled his chair to faco Raymer.
Wo may as well go and get some
thing to eat," ho suggested. "There
will bo nothing doing tonight."
Raymer began to put his desk In on
der.
"No, not tonight. Tho troublo will
begin when we try to start up with a
now force. Call It a weakness If you
like, but I dread It, Kenneth."
Grlswold's smllo was a mere bar
ing of tho teeth. "That's all right, Ned ;
you do the dreading and I'll do tho
fighting," ho said; adding: "What
we'vo had today has merely whotted
my appetite."
Tho man of peace shook his head
dejectedly.
"I can't understand It," ho protested.
'Up to last night I was calling you a
benevolent socialist, and my only fear
was that you might somo time want
to reorganize thlnga and turn tho plant
Into a little aectlon of Utopia. Now you
aro out-herodlng Herod on tho other
side."
Grlswold got up and crushed hla soft
hat upon hla head.
'Only foola and dead folk aro denied
tho privilege of changing their minds,"
ho returned. "Lot's go up to tho Win
nebago and feed."
Tho dinner to which they sat down
a little later waa a small feast of si
lence. Though he had not betrayed It,
Grlswold was fiercely Impatient to get
away to Margery.
Twice, on his way to her after leav
ing Raymor, ho fancied he was fol
lowed, and twice ho stepped behind
tho nearest shade-tree and tightened
his grip upon the thing in his right
hand pocket. But bo.th times tho rear
ward sidewalk showed Itself ompty.
SInco false alarms may have, for the
moment, all tho shock of tho real, ho
found that hla handa wero trembling
when ho enmo to unlatch tho Grlerson
gate, and It mado him vindictively
self-scornful. Also, It gave him a
momentnry glimpse into anothor and
hitherto unmeasured depth in tho val
ley of stumblings. In the passing of
the glimpse he was mado to realize
that it is tho coward who kills; and
kills because he is a coward.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
DRAW MOISTURE FROM WATCH
Timepiece Is Not Necessarily Ruined
If Unfortunately It Has Been
Water-Soaked.
What to do with a water-soaked
watch la often a problem when ono Is
caught In tho wllderneaa, or In a com
munity whero no Jeweler la to bo
found. Lack of knowing what atepa
to tako often rcculta In much oxp mo,
If not In the utter ruin of the watch.
Watchea mado with both a Bcrew
faco and screw back may bo dried
easily by removing tho front and back,
emptying tho watch of as much water
as will run out, reversing tho crystal,
screwing it on tho back of tho watch,
and then laying it whero tho sun will
have a chanco to reflect through the
ryHtal.
Tho heat of the sun on tho crystal
will draw tho molsturo from tho worka
in fifteen or twenty minutes, says the
Technical World. If water still re
mains In tho works, tho crystal may
bo unscrewed, wiped nnd replaced,
and tho process repeated.
After the sun fnlls to draw any
moro of tho water out of tho glass It
is safe to conclude that thero Is no
moro In tho works, nnd tho oil origi
nally on thom, "Warmed by tho sun,
lubricates tho parts.
Thero should bo no more trouble
with tho watch, although it is advls
ablo to havo It examined by a Jeweler
at tho earliest opportunity,
Kultur That Counts.
Contain Muller of thn nnvnrlnn
landwfihr. desired to havo n flrnnlnrn
built in his commodious underground
quarters m tno second lino trenches.
"Sergeant." said ho. "fetch mn n
couple of mon who cnn do tho Job.
i uon i wuui any oi your volunteer pro
fnnnnrn nnd dnotnrn. hut hnndv fellnwa
-,
bricklayers or that sort of thing."--.
Now York Evening Post.
I
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