The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, August 24, 1920, Image 2
NORTH PLATTE SF.MT-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. ltUMHT! BIG CROPS ASSURED T By PETER B. KYNE GANADA GIANTS iAml CHAPTER XIV Continued. 10 For the space of a inlnuto tlio nmyor weighed Ills son's future as n corpora tlon njtornoy against his own future as mayor of Sequoia and Henry lost. , ",Jt might be nrrunged, Colonel," lio murmured In n low voice the voice of ehnmc. ,"It Is nlready nrraiiKed," the Colonel replied cheerfully. "Leave your Jit ut tic front j,'ate and drive home In Shir ley's car. I'll nrrange matters with her." He laughed shortly. "It means, of course, that I'll have to telegraph to San Francisco tomorrow and buy her a later model. Thank goodness, Mfti has a birthday tomorrow I Have a fresh cigar, mayor." Colonel Pennington had little diffi culty In explaining the deaj to Shirley, who was sleepy and not at all Inter ested. The Poundstoncs had bored her to extinction, and upon her uncle's aft- .,.. ...... . ... 1 Kuranco that sho would have a new car .Within a week, she thanked him and for the first time retired without offering-hor -cheek for his good-night kiss. Shortly thereafter tho Colonel Bought lil own vlrtuoux couch and prepared to Btirrender himself to tho first good ' sleep In three weeks. He laid the flat tering unction to his soul that Hryce Cardlpm had dealt him a poor hand from a mnrked deck and he had played It e'xceVdlngly well. "Lucky I blocked ' the young beggar from getting those hills out of tho Laurel Creek spur," ho mused, "or. he'd have had his Jump crossing tie overnight and then where the. devl? would I have been? Up Salt creel: without a paddle and nil the courts In Christendom would avail me nothing." Ile5 wau tdnzlng off, when a sound smote upon his ears. Instantly he was Mrlde ' nwnke, listening Intently, his head cocked on one side. The sound Ktw louder; evidently It was ap proaching Sequoia and with a bound the Colonel sat up In bed, trembling In every limb. Suddenly, out of the deep, rumbling diapason ho heard a sharp click then another and another. Ho counted them six In all. "A locomotive nnd two flat cars J" ho . murmured. "AjkI they Just passed over i lio switch Icurtlng from tho muln-lluu tracks out to my log dump. That means the.trttln Is going down Water, wrect to tho switch Into Cardigan's yard. By Grtorge, they'vo outwitted f mp!" With tho ability of a boy he sprang Into his clothes, raced downstairs, and leaped Into Mr-yor Poundstone's Jitney, Htandlng In Uio darkness at tho front "gate. jf, r CHAPTER XV. . Hie Rticccns of Bryco Cardigan's x aw plan for getting his rails down from : Laurel, creek depended entirely upon tno whimsy which might seize tho crew ( il,e I?1! niOBHl that huulcd tho last mau or togs out of Cardigan's red woods on Thursday afternoon. Should iiie.iengineer nnd fireman decide to leave tho lonunntlvo at the logging camp ror tho Mght, llryce's task would be as simple as turning n hose down a squirrel nolo. On tho othor hand, Hiiouid they run back to Sequoia with the engine, he and Ogllvy faced the al tptnntlvo of "borrowing" It from the lngunii Granilo Lumber company's roundhouso; nnd that operation. In view of (ho fart that Pennington's night wntcnnmn wond be certain to hear tho engine leaving offered dllllcultles. Throughout tho afternoon. uCter ' hnvlng sent his orders In writing to tho woods-honi, via George Sea Otter (for he dared not trust to the tel... phono), ho waited In his olllce for a telephone call from tho logging camp fas to- what action tho engine crow had taken. Finally, nt a quarter of six, uurtiB, 1UH woods-boss, rang In. - "They're staying hero all night, sir,1 lie reported. "House tJiem as far from the log ; lanuing as possible, and orgnnlzo a jioker game to keep them busy In case they don't go to bed beforo eight o'clock," Bryce ordered. "In the moun Aljno, send a' man you can trust Jim Harding, who runs the big bull-donkey, -will do down to tho locomotive to keep steam up until I arrive." lio hnd scarcely hung up, when Buck Ogllvy camo Into tho olllce. "Woll?'ho queried casually. "8nfq-0, Buckl" replied llryce, nothing to do but get n blto of din ner and proceed to business." Hack Insisted on keeping an engage fncnt.to tllno with Molra, nnd llryce agreed to call for him nt the Hon .Gusto rcstnurant. Then Hryce went iVpme to dine with his father. Old Cardigan wns happier than his son had seen him. since tho return of the lallor to Soquoln. r'Well, sonny, I've hnd a mighty .ilMjsnnt aiternoon," no declared as 'llryce led him to tho dinner table. "I've lcen ul t tho Valley of the OhUits" Hryce I was amazed. "Why, how -pould you?" ho demanded. "The old kldrond.ls Impassable, and after you tS(PtSCl?ijle.nt1 of 1,10 8ltlt' roiu1, t,,u trail In to -mother's grave Is so over- irrowu with, buckthorn and wild lilac I doubt If a rabbit could get through It comfortably." "Not a bit of It," the old man re plied. "Somebody has gone to work and planked that old skid road and put up a hand rail on each slue, while the trail through the Olants has been grubbed out and smoothed over. All that old logging cable I abandoned In those cbopplugs has been strung from tree to tree nlongslde the path. on both sides. I can go up there alone now, once George sots me on the old skid road; I can't get lost." "How did you discover this?" Bryce demanded. "Judge Moore, representing the new owner, called round this morning and took me In tow. He said his client knew the property held for mo a cer tain sentimental value which wasn't transferred In the deed, and so the Judgo had been Instructed to have the skid road plnnked and the forest trail .....i.i. ...i ii.. grubbed out for me. It appears that tho valley Is going to h,o a public park, nfter all, but for the present and while I live. It Is my private park." "This Is perfectly amazing, partner." "It's mighty comforting," his father admitted. "Ouess the new owner must be one of my old friends perhaps somebody I did a favor for once and this Is his way of repaying. I'd like to know tho name of tho owner. I'd like mighty well to say thank you to him. It Isn't tisunl for people now adays to have -as much respect for sentiment In an old duffer like me as the fellow has. He sort of mnkes me feel as If I hadn't sold nt all." Huek Ogllvy came out . of the Hon Gusto restaurant with Molra, Just as Hryce, with George Sea Otter at the wheel of tho Napier, drove up to the curb. They left Molra at her board ing house, and rolled noiselessly away. At nine o'clock they urrlvcd nt Cardigan's log landing and found Jim Harding, the bull-donkey engineer, placidly smolclng his pipe In tho cab. .Hryce balled him. "Thnt you, Jim?" "You bet." "Hun up to .Tube Curtis' shanty nnd tell him we're here, llavo him gather his gang nnd bring two pairs of overalls and two Jumpers large size with him when ho conies." Presently tho woods-boss, accom panied by thirty of his best men, came down to the log landing. At Hryce's order they clambered aboard tho en gine and tender, hnnglng on the steps, on the roof of tho cab, on tho cow catcher anywhere they could find n too-bold. Huck Ogllvy cut off the air; and the locomotive anil tender began to glide slowly down the almost Im perceptible grade. With n slight click It cleaivd the switch and slid out onto tho Cardigan lateral, swiftly gather ing speed. A quarter of a mllo down the lino Huck Ogllvy upplled tho brakes and eased her down to twenty miles per hour. At tho Junction with the main line Huck bneked briskly up Into tho Lngunda Grande woods, and coupled to the two loaded Hat cars. Tho woods gang scrambled aboard tho Surveyed Pennington Calmly. tints, and the train pulled out for Se quoia. Forty minutes Inter they nun bled down Water street and slid to a grinding halt at the Intersection of H street. From the darkness of Cardigan's drying yard, whero they had been waiting, twenty picked men of the mill crow now emorged, bearing Inn terns and tools. Under Huck Ogllvy's direction tho dirt promptly began to fly, while tho woods crew unlonded the rails and piled them closo to the side walk. Suddenly a voice, hnrsh nnd strident with passion, rose above tho thud of the picks and the clang of metal. "Who's In charge horo, nnd what In hlnzos (' 'ou ii'Wn W cutting my t tracks?" I Drvoi turned In time to buhold Col. Author of "Cappy Ricks" Seth Pennington lenp from nn nuto mobllo and advance upon Huck Ogllvy. Ogllvy held a lantern up to tho Colo nel's face and surveyed Pennington calmly. "Colonel," he began with exnspcrat- Ing politeness, "I presume you' are Colonel Pennington my namo Is Htichanan P.. Ogllvy, nnd I nm In chnrgo of these operations. I nm the vice president and general mnnager of the N. C. O., and I nm engaged In the blithe task of making a Jump crossing of your rails. Have n cigar." And he thrust a perfecto under the Colonel's nose. Pennington struck It to the ground, nnd on the Instnnt, hnlf a dozen rough rnscals emptied their shovels over lilin. He was deluged with dirt. "Stand bnck, Colonel, stand back, If you please. You're In the wny of the shovelers," Huck Ogllvy warned him soothingly. Hryce Cardigan came over, and at sight of him Pennington choked with fury. "You you " he sputtered, un able to say more. "I'm tho N. C. O.," Hryce replied. "Nice little fiction that of yours about tho switch-engine being laid up In the shops and tho Laurel creek bridge be ing unsafe for this big mogul. He looked Pennington over with frank ad miration. "You're certainly on fithe Job. Colonel. I'll say that much for you." You've stolen my engine." Penning ton almost screamed. "I ll have the law on you for grand larceny." "Tut-tut! You don't know who stole your engine. For all you know, your own engine crow mny hnve nm It down here." "I'll attend to you, sir," Pennington replied, nnd he turned to enter Mayor Poundstone's little flivver. "Not tonight, at least." Bryce re torted gently. "Having gone this far. I would be a poor general to permit you to escnpe now with the news of your discovery. You'd be down hero In nn hour with n couple of hundred members of your mill crew and give us the rush. You will oblige me, Colo nel Pennington, by remaining exactly where you are until I give you permis sion to depart," "And If I refuse" "Then I shall manhandle you, truss you up like a fowl In the tonnenu of your car, and gag you." To Hryce's Infinite surprise the Colo- nel smiled. "Oh. very well!" ho re plied. "I guess you've got the bulge on mo, young man. Do you mind If I sit In the warm cab of my own en gine? I enme away In such a hurry I quite forgot my overcont." "Not ut all. I'll sit up there and keep you company." Half an hour passed. An nutomo- bllo came slowly up Water street and paused half a block away, evidently reconnolterlng tho situation. Instant ly the Colonel thrust his hend out tho cab window. i "Sexton!" ho shouted. "Cardlgnn's cutting In a crossing. lie's holding mo. here against my will. Get the mill crew together nnd phone for llondeau ind his woods-crew. Send the switch- engine nnd a couple of Hats up for them. Phono Poundstone. Tell him to hnve tho chief of police " Hryco Cardigan's great hnnd closed over the Colonel's neck, while down Water street a dark streak that was Huck Ogllvy sped toward the automo bile, Intending to climb In and make Pennington's manager a prisoner nlso. Ho was too late, however. Sexton swung his enr nnil departed at full speed down Wnter street, leaving tho disappointed Ruck to return panting to the scene of operations. Hryco Cardigan released his hold on Pennington's neck. "You wjn,. Colo nel," ho announced. "No good can come of holding you here any longer. Into your car and on your way." "Thnnk you, young mnn," the Colo nel nnswered, nnd there was a metal- He ring In his voice. Ho looked ut his watch In the glare of a torch "Plenty of time," he murmured. "Cur few sbnll not ring tonight." Quite deliberately he climbed Into the mayor's lato sourco of woo and breozed away. Colonel Pennington did not nt once return to his home, however. Instead he drove up to the business center of the town. Tho streets were deserted, but one saloon tho Snwdust Pile was still open. Pennington strode through the Imr nnd Into tho bnck room, whero n num ber of poker gajnes were In progress, For a moment ho stood, his cold, ophidian glance circling the room un til It camo to rest on no loss u per sonngo inan tno hiiick Minorca, an Individual with whom tho reader bus already Jiad some slight acquaintance, It will be recalled that tho Black Mlnorcn led tho futile rush ngalnst Hryce Cardigan that day In Penning ton's woods. The Colonel npproached the table where tho Hlack Minorca sat thuuilv Ing tho edges of his cards, and touched the cholo. on tho shoulder, The Hlack Minorca turned, nnd Pen nlngton nodded to him to follow whereupon the latter cashed In his chips nnd Joined his employer on tho sidewalk, Hero a whispered conver sation ensued, and nt Its conclusion the Hlack Mlnorcn nodded vigorously. "Sure I" ho assured tho Colonel. "I'll fix 'cm good nnd plenty." Together Pennington nnd the HInck Mlnorcn entered the automobile and proceeded swiftly to the Lngunit Grande Lumber company's mill ofllce. From a locker the Colonel produced a repenting rifle and three boxes of cartridges, which he handed to the cholo, who departed without further ado Into the night. Twenty minutes later, from tho top of a lumber pile In' Cardigan's (Irving Bryce Cardigan Saw the Flash of a Rifle. ynrd. Hryce Cardigan saw the Hash of a rifle and felt a sudden sting on his left forearm. Ho leaped around In front of the cowcatcher to guln the shelter of the engine, and nnother bul let struck nt his feet and ricocheted off Into the night. It was followed by a fusillade, the bullets kicking up the freshly disturbed earth among tho workers and sending them scurrying to various points of safety. In an In stant the crossing was deserted, and' work had been stopped, while from the top of tho adjacent lumber pile the HInck Minorca poured a stream of lend and filthy Invective at every point which he suspected of harboring a Cardigan follower. 'I'd like to plug him." Huck mur mured. "What would be tho use? This will bo his last night In Humboldt coun ty" A rifle shot rang out from the side of H street; from the lumber pile ncross the street, Hryco nnd Ogllvy heard a suppressed grunt of pain, and n crash as of a breaking board. In stantly out of the shadows George Sea Otter came padding on velvet feet, rifle In hand nnd then Hryce understood. "All right, boss," said George sim ply us he Joined Hryce nnd Ogllvy un der the lee of tho locomotive. "Now wo get busy again." "Snfe-o. men," Ogllvy called. "Hack to tho Job." And while Hryce, fol- lowed by the careless George Sea Ot ter, went Into the lumber yard to suc cor tho enemy. Ogllvy set an example to the men by stepping Into the open nnd starting briskly to work with n shovel. At tire bottom of tho pile of lumber tho Hlack Mlnorcn was discovered witn n severe flesh wound In his right hip; nlso he was suffering from numerous bruises nnd contusions. George Sea Otter possessed himself of the fallen cholo's rlllo, while Hryce picked the wretch up and carried him to his nuto mobile. "Tuko the swine over to the Lnguna Grande Lumber company's hospital and tell them to patch him up," ho or dered George Sea Otter. "I'll keep both rifles and tho ammunition here for Jules Kondoau and his woods gang They'll probably bo dropping In on us about '- a. m., If I know anything about Colonel Pennington's wny of doin things." . Having dlspntched tho HInck Minor cn to hold up the work until the ar rival of re-enforcoments, Colonel Pen nlngton fairly burned the streets en route to his home. He was desirous ot getting Into a henvy ulster before von Hiring forth again Into tho night air. The violent slam with which he closed the front door after him brought Shirley, In dressing gown nnd slippers to the staircase. "Uncle Sethi" she cnlled. "What's tho matter?" "Theres tho devil to pay," ho an swered. "That fellow Cardigan Is bad of the N. C. 0 after nil, and ho and Ogllvy have a gang of fifty men down nt tho Intersection of Water nnd H streets, cutting In a Jump-crossing of our lino." He dashed Into the living room, and she heard him calling frantically Into the telephone. , "At lust I'! she murmured, and crept Copyright by Peter D. Kyne down tho stairs, pausing behind tho henvy portieres at the entrance to the living room. "Thnt you, Poundstone?" she heard him saying rapidly Into the transmit ter. ''Pennington spcnklng. Young Hryce Cardigan Is behind thnt N. C. 0. outfit, nnd It's a logging road und not Intended to build through to Grant's ass nt nil. Cardigan nnd Ogllwy nru t Wnter and H streets this very In stant with a gang of fifty men cutting n a Jump-crossing of my line, curse them I They'll have It In by six o'clock tomorrow morning If something Isn't done and once they get It In, the fat's n tho Are. Telephone the chief of police nnd order him to take his entire force down there, If necessary, and stop that work. To blazes with that temporary franchise! You stop that work- for two hours, nnd I'll do tho rest. Tell the chief of police not to recognize that temporary franchise. He can bo suspicious of It, can't he, and refuse to let the work go on until he finds out? And you can bo hard to Hnd for two hours, can you not?,Delny, delay, man I That's all I want. . . . Yes, yes. I unilerstund. You get down about day light and roast the chief of. police for Interfering, but In tho meantime! , . Thnnk you, Poundstone, thank you. uood-ny I He stood nt the telephone, the re ceiver still held to his ear and his right forefinger holding down the hook while the lino clenred. When he spoke ngain, Shirley know he was calling his mill olllce. He got a response Immedi ately, notwithstanding the lateness .of the hour. "Sexton? Pennington speaking. I've sent over the HInck Minorca with a rlllc and sixty rounds of ammunition. . . What? You can henr him shooting nlready? Bully boy with a crockery eye! He'll clean tho gang out niul keep them from working until, tno police arrive, lou've teiepnoned Hondeau. have you? . . . Good! He'll have his men wnltlng nt the log andlng, und there'll be no delay. Sex ton, we've got to block them. It means a loss of millions to me If we fall !" Shirley was standing In the doorwny as he faced about from the telephone. "Uncle Seth," she said quietly, "use any honorable method of defeating Hryce Cardigan, but call off the Hlaclc Minorca. I shall hold you personally responsible for Bryce Cardigan's life, and If you fnll me, I shall never for give you." "Silly, silly girl !"f he southed her. 'Don't you know I would not stoop to bush-whacking? There's some shoot ing going on, but Its wild p hooting, just to frighten Cardigan and his men off the Job." "You can't frMten him," sho cried passionately. "You know you can't. He'll kill the Hlack Minorca, or tho Black Mlnorcn will kill him. Go ln- stnntly and stop It." "All light, nil right!" he said rather humbly, and sprang down the front steps Into the wnltlng car. "I'll play the game fairly, Shirley, never fear." She stooll In the doorway and watched the red tall-light, like a malevolent eye. disappear down tlio street. And presently ns she stood there, down tho boulovnrd n huge gray car enme slipping noiselessly so noiselessly, In fact, that Shirley recog nized It by that very quality of silence. It was Bryco Cardigan's Napier. "Gcorgo!" she cnlled. "Come here." The car slid over to the gate and stopped nt the sight of the slim white llgure running down the garden wnlk. "Is Mr. Cardigan hurt?" sho demand ed In nn ngony of suspense. George Sea Otter grunted comtemp- tuously. "Nobody hurt 'cept the Black Minorca. 1 am taking him to your compnny hospltnl, miss. He tried to shoot my boss, so I shot him myself once through the leg. Now my boss says: 'Take him to the Lnguna Grando hospital, George.' Me, I would drop this greaser lu tho bay If I was tho boss." She laughed hysterically. "On your way back from the hospital stop nnd pick me up, George." she ordered. Ho touched his broad hat, and she returned to the house to dress. Meanwhile Colonel Pennington hnd reached the crossing onco more, sim ultaneously with the nrrlvnl of Sum Perkins, the chief of police, accom panied by two automobiles crnmmed with pntrolmen. Perkins strutted up to Bryco Cardigan and Buck Ogllvy. "What's the meaning of nil this row, Mr. Cardigan?" ho deninnded. "Something has slipped, Sam," Bryce retorted pleasantly. "You've been culling me Bryco for the past twenty years, and now you're mister ing me! Tho inennliig of this row, you nsk?" Bryco continued. "Well, I'm engaged In limiting n Jump cross ing of Colonel Pennlitgton's tracks, under a temporary franchise grunted me by tho city council of Sequoln. Here's the franchise." And he thrust the document under the police chiefs nose. (TO HE CONTINUED.) Looking On. "What part of tho army appeals to you most?" "The outside." Home Sector. Need of Farm Labor Urgently Required for Harvest. "Ttnlns of the pnst week which ht.-vfr been general throughout all portions of Western Canada, covering MANI TOBA, SASKATCHEWAN, nnd AL BEItTA, hnve placed beyond all mnn ner of doubt the certainty of vast grain crops throughout the entire dis trict. Reports from all points Indicate marvelous and rapid growth. Tho conditions of n week or bo bnck, which were decidedly less promising nnd led many to think thnt there might be a partial failure, hnve disappeared al together nnd now there Is a wave of optimism clrculntlng throughout the entire country. In 1015 there were enormous yields reported from all parts. id It would appear now ns If In many places the yields of 1015 would be equaled If not beaten. What might nppear to be a draw back, Is the apparent shortage of fnrm help. The Province of Mnnltobu through Its Employment Bureau In Winnipeg. Is asking for 10,000 hnrvest hands and over, offering from $5 to $0 per day. The Province of Sas katchewan Is asking for 15.000 extra hands to tnke care of tho Immense hnrvest that Is certL-Iii to be reaped In that Province. In Albertn the crop area Is somewhat less, the labor con ditions somewhat better, and Is mak ing n request for 5,000 extra form hands. Interviewing the officials of the dif ferent Governments, they are Inclined to the opinion that as the crops In Kansi.. Nebraska, South Dakota, Illi nois and other Central States are har vested there will be n movement north wnrd that will materially help to take care of the labor situation. With the low railroad rates that may be secured on implication to the Employment Of fices t.-t Winnipeg and at boundary points, or which may be secured through the Canndlnn Government Of fices at Chicago, 111.; Detroit. Mich.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Kansas City, Mo.; Omnha, Neb.; Des Moines, In.; Water town, S. D.; St. Paul, Minn., and Grand Forks, N. D will give to those seeking employment the opportunity to reach the harvest fields at a .lor cost. Advertisement. Wonderful. "I noto In my engagement book." the nlteont-inlndod professor remarked, "a memorandum 'Tuesday. Mlsa Clusser Wedding.' Evidently Miss Classer Is to bo married, und I deslro to nttend, but for the life of me I can't think -who It is she Is to marry." "Why, John, you are to marry her yourself !" "Oh, ah, yes. of course! Wonder ful memory you hnve, my denr sister. Thousands Have Kidney Treuble and Never Suspect It Applicants for Insurance Often Rejected. Judging from reports from druggists who are consfltnHy in direct touch with the public, there is One preparation that has been very successful in overcoming these conditions. The mild and healing influence of Dr. Kilmers bwamp-Itoot is soon realized. It stands the highest for its remarkable record of success. An examining physician for one of tho pr .minent Life Insurance Companies, in an interview on the subject, made the as tonishing statement that one reason why so many applicants for insurance are re jected is because kidney trouble is to common to the American people, and the large majority of those whose applica- ' tions are declined do not even suspect that they have the disease. It is on sale at nil drug stores in bottles of two Bizci, medium and large. However, if you wish first to test this sreat preparation send ten cents to Dr. Kilmer & Co., Binghamton, N. Y., for a wmple bottle. When -writing bo sure and mention this paper. Adv. Up-to-Date interpretation, "What did Poe's Haven mean by saying 'Nevermore?' " "I don't know, but I know what ho would mean If he were sitting on a bust row nnd renllzed ho could never again go on one." Shave With Cuticura Soap And donlile your razor effcleney ns well as promote skin purity, skin com- fort nnd skin health. No mug, no slimy soap, no germs, no wivste, no Irrltntlon even when shaved twice dally. One soap for all uses shaving, bathing and shampooing. Adv. Fooled Him That Time, "now did you come to put this poem nn the bnck of n Libert v hnniir J V , the editor. I "I wns tired of hearing you sny my poetry wasn't worth the paper It was written on." Boston Transcript. INDIGESTOWi !f CENTS J 6 Bell-ans Hot water Sure Relief Sure Relief 1