Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-07-13

nv any one ia the company's employ
that Grip was actually moonlighter.
jockey Todd oosed her arms and
ierkcd open the door. Leona's face
blanched.
you're rot goin' to tell on Grip,
are you? He carries pistol, end
would kill you"
II Gin't goin' to do nothin' now.
/ I'll shoot this well, aud think things
over on the way back. Ill most like,
I ly give it up"
! "Oh, Hm so glad!" Leona excla!m-
ed, forgetful OF her brother in the joy
of having half-promise from her.
er that be would abandon his danger
Gus business.
"'Tisn't because I'm afraid Of
gestin' killed. When feller's got to
die he'll do it, no matter what his
/ business is. Neither me nor Grips
goiu' to get hurt till our time Gomez.
No; its because i'm q regular and
Grips moonlighter that Pm bother
ed. rm mixed between duty and
love. Say, Leona, what did you tell
me for?"
Il didn't quite tell you. You
guessed it. and | couldn't lie"
"Well, kiss me good-by, and We'll
fix things up somehow"
She watched him drive up small
hill in the road. The shadowy ap-
pearance of the team and driver in the
fog when they reached the top of the
rise almost made her cry out in ang-
uish. With superstitious foreboding
she returned to the house.
Jockey Todd drove slowly; there
was turmoil in his mind.
he possessed sense of
honor, and it troubled him to be de-
ceiv;ng those whom he served. He
felt that it he withheld from the com
pany the evidence that Grip was a
moonlighter he would treating them
unfairly. He was very glad when he
reached the oil well that lie had come
to torpedo. The exciting task he was
about TO perform would for the time
divert his thoughts. He stopped the
horses a short distance from the der
rick, aDd jumped to the ground. Then
he opened the box to get the glycer-
inc. There was none there. The
box was empty, yet he himself had
seen the can placed there at the fac
torg before he started. lie shut the
lid with slam.
1T was mean, durn mean, of Grip
Jervis to steal my stuff while | was
in his house courtin' bis sister"
He put his foot on a hub of a
wheel, and leaning an elbow on his
knee, became thoughtful. He could
not go back to the factory and de-
clare that the box had not been filled,
for he had signed the receipt, and it
was already filed as voucher for
the quantity he had taken. If he re-
ported to the company that he had
lost the glycerine be might be accus'
ed of conniving with the moonlight
ers. At last be saw a way out of
his difficulty. Being on good terms
with man who manufactured gly-
cerine, and whose trade was largely
with the moonlighters, Jockey Todd
re resolved to go to him ard try to buy
enough to "shoot the well. He hid
the she'll under some bushes, and
drove to the factory where he sue
ceeded in purchasing the amount of
glycerine he needed lie also bought
she'll
When he returned to the well,
curiosity led him to look under the
bushes where he had secreted the
other shell. 1t was gone.
Grip is tryin' me mighty hard, !"
be muttered, as he swung can of
glycerine carelessly from the box.
Ii was not long until the torpedo
was at the bottom of the deep well
and then Jockey Todd picked up the
three ,cornered weight. "Pd like to
drop this on Grips head" be said,
between his clinched teeth, as he
stood oyer the casing through which
the oil was soon to spout.
"Now git !" he said to the men en-
ployed on the lease, who were stand
ing in the derrick. They fled, aud he
dropped the ego devil" into the cas-
ing. He heard it strike the petrole-
um, and second later q sound like
the swapping of a percussion-cap
reached him. Then he ran from the
floor. He was only few PAGES from
| it when the oil shot over the top of
| the derrick.
He was always proud of a success
full shot and quick response on the
part of the well, but this time his
pleasure was momentary. AS he
turned to look at the flow, something
flashed in the sunlight. He shut his
eyes quickly, but not soon enough
to avoid seeing Grip Jervis lying un-
der some iow-haDging bushes, and
beside him the shell Jockey Todd
had brought to the we'll that morn
ing. He became angry, jumped on
the box, forgetting his reel. He took
up the lines and spoke to the bays.
They started off at rapid gait, and
be let them 90. The surface of the
road was soft and muddy, and there
were many deep ruts. into one oil
these a front wheel sank, and he
went out on his shoulder into a pud-
die The horses ran on, passed the
Jervis home, and dashed into Har-
ford.
Leona saw them and the empty
wagon and her heart stood still. AT
last it had come, and Grip woulc
soon return with the news of Hi
rams death. She stationed hersel
at q window from which she coulC
see up the road. A great weight o
dread oppressed her, and a lumE
Was in her throat, but she did no
weep She had always prided her
self that she was not zone of the
cryin' kind" Presently she uttered
glad exclamation. She saw Jock
ey Todd on the top of the little hill
He was walking along rapidly and
she knew at once that he was angry
But she did not mind that and ran t.
meet him.
ooh! Pm so glad you're not hurtp
she said, running into the middle O
the muddy road.
He was covered with mud, ant
presented sorry appearance. Leo