CHAPTER XXIIL
we] Tne
The Flesh-Pots of Egypt.
Convinced by Verda Richlander's
telephone message to the construction
camp that he stood in no immediate
ing in wire touch with Stillings,
Jutte, and with Williams at the dam.
The High Line enterprise wags on the
knees of the gods, If Williams could
pull through in time, if the river-swell-
fing storms should hold off, if Stanton
should delay his final raid the
critical hour—and there was now good
season to hope that all of these of
tingencies were probable——the victory
s practically won.
wnith closed his desk at six o'cloe
3 i went
£ dinner. The day of suspense
practically at an end and disa
Beld aloof; was faifly outdistanced
the as it seemed. Williams’ fing
report had been to the effect that
enncrete-pouring completed,
the strain off 8
to his rooms, and, as once before ane
a similar reason, he laid his
«lothes out on the bed. He made
that he would be required to dine +
Yerda Richlander,
ping his coat when he heard a tag
the door and Jibbey can
“Glad rags, eh?” said the blas«
with a glance at the array on the bed.
“I've just run up to tell you that you
meedn't,
Stantons,
you out
and by,
wants to in the
Isat quiet
where we two can go for n
past
mn
is
to dress
across to the hotel
race,
was
long was
for
and he was
Verda’'s ng
and she
ight until
when she's fi
you
Ome
din
of
1
Wit-1008e
mezzanine,
little
Ree
there join
bite? You
know the
Smith
town, and I don't.”
put his coat on, and together
ircled the to Frascati's,
table main cafe.
were their
and joined
and For rea-
sons which he could scarcely have de
fined, he to
galk to
played
Kindly
they square
in the
giving
in
glad.
taking a
While
order,
they dinner
Starbuck came
them, Smith was
was relieved not have to
Jibbey
third hand
to sham
fing him
bumor, with 1
ons tales of the earlier
At the end of the mes
bey was still content to
ing
and Starbuck
admirably, taking
alone,
the black sheep nd
up, in quiet, straight-faced
many ant
linger,
open-mouthed to Starbu
nancings, Smith excused hin
to the hotel. He had
chosen his loungl chair in
of
Richlander came to join hi
“It has been a 1
she began
th
returned
iy
the
. 3 $ ?
diet cornér mezzanine bef
«1 ret n
Miss m.
hasn't it?"
have
SUPPOSE,
do but
ld
“You
dam, 1
had nothi
day,
evenly. . heen
busy wi but
¥—I have
think, and
don’t often
your
fo
t night
Kiave
May w
wonid come
gone
Boars ©
nen you
1
up to the house kiter
Montague.”
have,” he
telephon
i
and
your
I suppose I
promise,
indeed. = You are a to-
man.”
vhat way, particularly?
every
lifferent
If
transmigration,
conceivable wavy. one
could believe in one
would say that you had changed souls
with old, hard-hitting, rough
riding ancestor. Have your ambitions
changed, too?”
some
"
ambitions in that other life,
“Oh, yes, you had” she
smoothly.
it,
went on
eall you would have been quite
waoney enough to put you on a footing
with other men of your capabilities
You wouldn't be willing to do that
now, wonld you?—leaving the
then?”
“No, 1 hardly think I should.”
Her laugh was musically low and
sweet, and only mildly derisive,
“You are thinking that it is change
environment, wider horizons, and
nll that, which has changed you, Mon-
tague; but I know better. It is a
woman, and, as you may remember, I
have met her—twice.” Then, with
a faint glow of spiteful fire in the
magnificent eyes: “How ean you make
yourself believe that she Is pretty?”
He shrugged one shoulder in token
of the utter uselessness of discussion
fn that direction.
“Sentiment? he queried. “I think
we needn't go into that, at this late
flay, Verda. It is a field that neither
of us entered, or eared to enter, In
the days that are gone, If I say that
Corona Baldwin has-—quite uneon-
scionsly on her part, I must a you
to believe — taught me what love
means, that ought to be enough.”
Agnin she was laughing softly,
“You seem to have broadly forgot.
ten the old proverb about a woman
scorned. What have you fo expect
from me after making such an admis
sion ns that?”
Smith pulled himself together and
stood the argument firmly upon its
unquestionable footing.
“Let us put all these indirections
of
aside and be for the moment merely
a man and a woman, as God made us,
Verda,” he said soberly. “You know,
and I know, that there was never any
tions past and gone, We might have
married, but in that case neither of us
would have got or exacted any-
thing more than the conventional de-
and amenities, We mustn't
try to make believe at this late day.
You had no illusions about me when 1
Watrous Dunham's hired man:
haven't any illusions about
"
cencles
was
you
now.
“Perhaps not,” was the calm rejoin
der. “And yet today 1 have lled to
from who are trying
to crush you.”
gave you those
1 quickly.
“I know you did; and yet, when yon
way this morning you, knew
tly well that I was going to do
it if 1 should get the
Didn't you, Montague?”
He
demanded that much,
you accepted the serv-
gave it Mr. Kinzie
now that are another
-not the rar
m Lawrenceville last May.
» + would the other woman h
if the chance had fall
opportunity.
nodded slowly;
common honesty
freely.
you
one who ane
Tell
ive done
wich Hen
1
but he die
ald: “But you
Verda; in the you are
to make me believe you do.”
, “I hope not,’
Instead, he
way
; possibly 1 am wholly
natter and am
loophole of
+9 From wl
only look
She looked away
d. “From W:
» MY money
I have in my
Perhaps this may help to
some other
for You
KOO, never
you know something
wn right.
unt for
trouble, one, were ir
you But
there are other
is way, 1
that: matters
Mr.
to
conglidered now. "hough
Mr
wouldn't
this
earned Stan
te hasn't. I have
’ vill because I
nit and
out on
way?
to
1
you,
1¢ took it
evening,
me"
me,
understand,
done something;
sensation in prospect
He
was
exnlt-
fright
it fairly
that he
wasn’
you-—makes me t!
rap has-already been set for ¥
“In
other words,
r Kinzi
to Lawrenceville?"
“Montague, I'm almost
stood up and put his
him.
“Which
t
3
means that I have only
hours, at the longest,” he sa
And then: “There is a
turning over the
good bit
business of
be done,
here would be time enough to set my
ia order after the trap
been sprung.
until it is too late. Will you let me
thank you very heartily and vanish?” |
“What shall you do?” she asked.
“Set my house in order, as I say—
as well as I can in the time that re
mains, There are others to be con-
“Oh; the plain-faced little ranch
girl among them, I suppose?” ’
“No; thank God, she is out of it
entirely—In the way you mean” he
broke out fervently.
to her—yet?
“Of course I haven't.
me with the shadow of the peniten-
tiary hanging over me?”
“But you are not really guilty.” :
“That doesn't make any difference:
Watrous Dunham will see to it that
I get what he has planned to give me.” |
She was tapping an impatient tat-|
too on the earpet with one shapely |
foot. .
“Why don’t you turn this new leaf |
of yours back and go home and fight |
it out with Watrous Dunham, once
for all?" she suggested. !
“I shall probably go, fast enough, |
when Macauley or one of his deputies |
gets here with the extradition papers,”
he returned. “But as to fighting
Dunham, without money"
She looked up quickly, and this time
there was no mistaking the meaning |
of the glow in the magnificent brown |
eyes,
“Your friends have money, Monta.
gue-~plenty of it. All you have to |
do is to say that you will defend your- |
self. I am not sure that Watrous
Dunham eouldn’t be made to take your |
you couldn't be put in his place in the
ind Trust. You
have captured Tucker Jibbey, and that
means Tucker's father; and my fa-
ther—well, when it comes to the
worst, my father always does what 1
want him It's his one wenkness,”
For one little Instant Smith felt the
solld ground slipping from beneath his
feet. Here was a way out, and his
quick mentality was showing him that
it was a perfectly feasible way. As
Verda Richlander's husband and Jo-
to,
and win. And the re-
ward: once more he could take his
place In the small Lawrenceville
world, and settle down to the life of
conventional good report and
which he had once thought the acme
of any reasonable man's aspirations,
But at the half-yvielding moment a
word of Corona Baldwin's flashed into
his brain and turned the scale: “It
did happen In your case . ,. . glv-
ing you a chance to grow and expand,
to break with all theeold tradi
and the break left you
make of yourself what you
It the reinear-
nated Smith who met look
eyes and
the
fight Dunham
ease
to
was
the
made
choose,”
answer,
decision:
“If I could
shouldn't
“No,” wns sober
be
to
propose, 1
the it would take
drive a bullet through Verda,
now, you see, I know what love means.
You I have changed, and
I can Imagine past-and-
Montague jumping at
But the n
grind with the water that
: I'll take what is coming t6 me
take it like a Good
good-hy.”
the
what yon
powder
ne,
say
the
gone J,
never
man.
And he
temptati
and
back
away.
upon
went
ire.
trying
to forgehe
“Your Friends Have Money.”
A half
1 States ma
2 was,
enough to cup town,
session of the d
He sg
» Lorching
stopped the
order from
te, based on
paper rail-
yes its a
at Red Bu
§ 1%
Smith pushed the telephone aside,
“But it's too I" he protested.
dam completed; Williams
me before I went to dinner.
that remains to done to
charter is to shut
the water back up so
will flow Into the main ditch!”
“Right there's where they've got
us!” was the rasping reply. “They
won't let Williams touch the splliway
late
is
1
All
the
be dave
that
i
:
With the president and the chief of
construction locked up, and the wheels
blocked for the next twenty-four hours,
our charter will be gone”
“This world and another,
the fireworks,” Starbuck
and then
threw
law tangle, and those stock options of
yours due to fall in, it looks us if a
few prominent citizens of the Timan-
youl would have to take to the high
grass and the tall timber. It sure
does, John”
expecting something of this kind-—and
expecting it to be a fake. That's why
I sent Stillings to Red Butte; to keep
watch of Judge Lorching's court. Still
ings was to phone me If Lorching is
ued an order.”
“And he hasn't ‘phoned you?”
“No: but that prove any-
thing. The order may have been is
sued, and Stillings may have tried to
let us know. There are a good many
ways in which a man’s mouth may be
istopped-—when there are no scruples
doesn't
“Then you think there Is no doubt
that the court
that this man M'Graw
deputy marshal and
what he is doing?”
“In
order is straight, and
in
the
really a
hus law for
the absence of any
proof
+
to the
¥ 1
6 Dellev i
But we's
are obliged
at least to accept it
ea a Pl
mind that we'veggot t«
up Mr.
in J)
there a
crowd.
nd clean M'Graw
aut
» f 1
threw hands and
his
drs
up
noise lke a
while
practic
That
Line knockout.
I'm the
brings us back
a far as
this
the
we: and everyone of them
for a second penitentiary
#
the
in"
mine
sald
me
owner
“Count
informs the
brusque reply. in
the country and a good name to main.
tain. I have nothing. jut you
tell me a few things. Are our work-
tion only.” was
“You have a stake
cnn
“Yes. Ginty sald there were only a
everywhere, Wouldn't
CHAPTER XXIV.
A Strong Man Armed.
Smith put his elbows on the desk
and propped his head in his hands,
It was not the attitude of dejection;
it was rather a trancelike rigor of
newly emergent pewers once more
springing alive to answer the battle
call. At the desk-end Starbuck sat
with his hands locked over one knee,
too disheartened to roll a cigarette,
normal solace for all woundings less
than mortal. After a minute or two
Smith jerked himself ground to face
the news-bringer.
“Does Colonel Baldwin know?" he
asked,
“Sure! That's the worst of it. Didn't
I tell you? He drove out to the dam,
reaching the works just ahead of the
trouble. When M'Graw and the posse
outfit showed up, the colonel got it
into his head that the whole thing was
merely another trick of Stanton's——a
fake. Gintyy the quarry boss, brought
the news to town. He says there was
a bloody mix-up, and st the end of it
the colonel and Williams were both
under arrest for resisting the officers.”
Smith nodded thoughtfully, “Of
him. Most of the two shifts are stay-
ing on to get their pay-—or until they
find out that they aren't going to get
it"
“And the colonel and Willlams: the
marshal is bolding them out at the
“Uh-huh; locked
shack, Ginty says.”
“Good. 1 shan't need the colonel,
but I shall need Willams, Now an
other question: you know Sheriff
Harding fairly well, don't you? What
sort of a man is he?"
“Square as a die, and as nervy as
they make ‘em. When he gets a war
up in the office
deal or allve”
“That's all I'll ask of him.
and find me an auto, and then you can
good, stogt alibL"”
(TO BE CONTINUED.
Candles Va. Electricity.
ment, anxious to encourage a wider
pared figures showing It is much cheap
er than candles or kerosene,
haurs were obtained. If electricity for
lighting costs © cents for a kilowatt
hour a 20-watt lamp can be lighted for
50 hours for © cents. The efliiciency of
a 20-watt Incandescent is a candle
powef for 1.17 watts. Thus a 20-watt
lamp will provide about 17 candle
power, It will burn 50 hours for §
cents, or 850 candle-power hours will
cost © cents, One cent will buy M4
candle-power hours, or 85 times as
much light as can be obtained from »
candle for 1 cent.
| pe
m THE DIFFERENCE
"a
= By A. C. NEW,
Walter Brent his satchel,
guve another impatient glance at the
dispatch board and walked across the
deserted station to the news stand
“See that York train's an hour
and a half late,” he remarked cryptical-
ly to the'drowsy proprietor, who nodded
a sleepy as
the Tattler,
near here?”
“'Bout half a block down the street,”
an the briefly,
Brent the magazine,
Brent then w
Raising his umbrella,
ing hard, he
gtreet, until
dimiy-lit
ment in surprise, vers
dainty young girl » standing
toes extinguishing the front liz
he left
and
then disasppeare the
*
checked
New
sent. “Give me a copy of
Is there any eating place
swered other handing
the stati
for it was
trudged down the
he
lunchro
alked out of yn.
rain-
quiet
halted 'ront of a
He paused a mo
for a |
ii,
1
i Was
fs entered she the light
ing manded his
der, dire Lion
Bre nt
OTL
face
gen-
me back
away to
$ 2 veil
i ou Aun
beneath
her, attired in a
ing gown, downstairs. At the fr
11 sav sened
slipped
fe
0 sleep
ont door
riod
oned
iceman acosted her.
he said, zhaking off the
at th'
as
door a beefy pe
*“Mis' Lucy.”
“we got a ¥¢
Kap,
cents
ng
he
guy up
owes yeh forty
and the officer
Mm ns in her hands, “Says
was eatin’ in here "while ago. 3g,
ndsome young feller, brown hair, an’
all dressed up. Know “im?”
“Yes” she faltered. “But whys
locked up?”
"
»
:
Yo who savs
Here it
wil some co
is,
sli
he
h
ne
“Fer fightin," was the brief reply.
“lI caught "em down th’ street. He had
his coat around Joe's mouth and was
beatin’ th' life outa him-—you know
Joe, th' one that runs a taxi. He's at
th’ hospittie”
At the mention of “Joe,” the color
receded from Lucy's face, leaving it
deathly pale.
“Did-—do you know what they were
fighting about?" she inquired nerv-
oysiy,
“Bout a woman, I guess” replied
the bluecoat. “Th' young un’ was callin”
Joe a skunk fer mistreatin’ a fine little
Indy. Joe never answered. Never had
| no front teeth left t* answer with.”
Lucy thought quickly.
“Mr. Giles,” she asked, hurriedly.
“How much collateral do you want to
+
| she checked a reply from the police
“No, I mean it. Hehe
He] know he's too nice to be
How much? Can I pledge
»»
came,
locked up.
this place? It's mine,
The next day Brent rushed into the
restaurant.
“Miss Marston—Lucy.,” he sald,
reaching across the counter and tak-
ing her hands in his. “I thank you for
that. But don’t thank me. I couldn't
let the beast kiss you—and 1 couldn't
let him ruin your place. So I dragged
him out first, then beat him, Bute]
1 can’t blame him much for wanting to
kiss you. I'd like to make a life job
of that myself. How about one now
for collateral?” :
“Well,” she whispered, “you're dn
ferent. 1 wouldn't mind kiss--" but
he stified her sentence with his lips,
(Copyright, WE hit ateCure N
—— DOP i |
-
BIG CROPS IN
WESTERN CANADA
Good Yields of Wheat, Splendid
Production of Pork, 5%"
The
ance
most of
wheat, oats and barley
reports give an assure
throughout
where
latest
good grain
Western
¢
3 Crops
ida, the
Alls
are now being
harvested, about ten d: ¥% earlier than
last year. Manitoba, 8;
and Alberta are
in a noble
itchewan
thelr bit”
ishing
all “doing
way tows
! in aver.
age in listricts
A letter recelved at the
Governn
crop
1 i office
from a
har
month
eat crop
Canadian
sr nedr
vest in that
earlier ti
is
wh
more,
be al
Delian
estimate
t
He. some of his ne
The avers
mil-
seven
fifty dol-
for
six
hops
Carty
rnin
“r
LLLP
first
There is
and im-
be pro-
disease,
foo
3 oan
4 Can
men verify
¢ ever been
country's i{m-
of both beef
sheep Industry
3 At a sale at
ounds of wool were
cents a pound,
ale at Edmonton 80,000 pounds
were sold at even better prices than
those paid at Calgary. The total clip
this season will probably approximate
two million pounds. Many reports
are to hand showing from six to eight
pounds per fleece. 35 carloads were
sent to the Toronto market alone
Advertisement,
raising
The
Sarcastic Beggar. .
The lady of the house shut her lps
tightly when she saw who had rung
the bell.
“Mo,
January.
twice
help.”
“I wouldn't ‘ave called, mum.” said
the tramp, seeing that he need expect
nothing more from that house, “only 1
‘eped you might "ave gne of them little
‘ome made cakes, left like you gave
me at that time. I want to enlist, but
I'm jest a stone too light, and one of
your little cakes would have put me
London Tit-Bits,
To Drive Out Malaria :
And Build Up The S
Take the Old Standard GROVE'S
she sald, “you were here in
I never give to a beggar
I know he is undeserving of
what are taking, as the formula is
int on every label, showing it is
inine and Iron in a tasteless form. The
inine drives out malaria, the Iron
ilds up the system. Go cents
The %iss of a homely girl may be
—
It's always safe but unsportsman-
until the happy pair have been mam
ried n year.