The Red Cloud chief., 1888-07-13

Ao". ChSu PCHSOuS "CTC BIC AuOOn
lighters. Grip Jervis had long been sus
pected by the torpedo company, and detect
ives had been employed to watch him; bu,
he was cunning, and had never been caught
Leona's admission to Jockey Todd was the
first reliable evidence obtained BY any ont
in the cOmpany's employ that Grip was
actually a m~OOnlighter.
Jockey Todd loosed her arms and jerked
open the door. Leona's face blanched.
YOU'RE not goin' to tell on Grip. are you!
He carries q pistol, and would kill YOU"
Il amt goin' to do nothin' now. I'll shoot
this well, and think things over on the way
back. I'll most likely give it uD."
u, I'm so glad" LeOna exclaimed. for
eetful Of her brother in the JOY Of having q
half promise from her lover hat he would
abandon his dangerous business.
"'Tisn't because I'm afraid Of gettin'
killed. When a feller's got to die he'll do
it, no matter what his business is. Neither
me nor Grips goin' to get hurt till u time
comes. No; it's because I'm y regular and
Grips Q m%oonlighter that In bothered.
I'm mixed between duty and love. Say,
LeonA. what did you tell me forr
Il didn't quite tell you. You guessed it.
and l couldn't lie"
We'll. kiss me goodbye, and Wen fx
things up somehow"
She watched him drive up q small hill in
the road. The shsdowy appearance Of the
team and driver in the fog when they
reached the top of the rise. almost made her
cry out in anguish. With superstitious
fOrebOding she returned to b house.
Jockey Todd drove slowly: there was tur-
moil in his mind. He possessed . sense of
honor, and il troubled him to be deceiving
those whom ne served. He felt that if he
withheld from the company the evidence
that Grip was q moOnlighter he would be
treating them unfairly. He was very glad
when he reached the oil well that he had
come to torpedo. The exciting task that he
was bout to perform would for the time
divert his thoughts. He stopped the horses
q short distance from the derrick, and
jumped TO the ground. Then he opened the
box to get the glycerine. There was non
there! The box was empty, Yet he himself
had seen the IA placed there at the fac
tory before he started. He shut the lid
with a slam.
1T was mean. durn mean. of Grip Jervis
to steal my stuff while I was in his house
courtin' his sister"
He put his foot Of . hub Of . wheel, and
leaning an elbow on his knee, became
thoughtful. He could not 60 back to the
factory and declare that the box had not
been filled, for he had signed the receipt,
and it was already filed as Q voucher for the
quantity he had taken. II he reported to
the company that he had lost the Rlycerine
he might be accused Of conniving with the
moonlighters. At last he saw q wa out Of
his difficulty. Being on good terms with q
who manufactured %glycerine, and
whose trade was largely with the moon
lighters. Jockey Todd resolved to 60 to him
and try to buy enough Of the explosive to
shoot the well. He hid the shell under
some bushes. and drove to the factory,
where he succeeded in purchasing the
amount of glycerine he needed. He also
bought . shell.
When he returned to the well. curiosity
led him to look under the bushes where he
had secreted the other shell. 1t wa gone.
Grip is tryin' me mighty hard" he NUT
tered, as he swung q can Of glycerine care
lessly from the box.
1t was not long until the torpedo was at
the bottom Of the deep well, and then
Jockey Todd picked up the ~threecornerd
weight. I'D like to drop this o n Grips
head" he said. between his clinched teeth,
as he stood over b casing through which
the oil was soon to spout.
Now git!' he said to the men employed
on the lease, who were standing in the der
rick. They fed. and he dropped the go
devil" into the casing. He heard it strike
the petroleum. and . second later . sound
like the swapping Of . percussiOn-cap reached
him. Then he ran from the derrick floor.
He was only q few PAGES from it when .
column of oil shot over the top Of the der
rick.
He was always proud OF . successful shot,
and q quick response m 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 &C.
ing Grip Jervis lying under some low-hang-
ing bushes, and beside him the shell Jockey
Todd had brought TO b well that morning.
He became angry and jumped ON the box.
forgetting his reel. He took up the lines
and spoke to tho bays. They started OF at
q rapid gait, and he let them 20. Tho sur
face Of the road was soft md muddy, and
there were many deep ruts. Into one Of
these = front wheel sank, INC he went out
his shoulder into a puddle. The horses
ran on. passed the Jervis home. and dashed
into Hartford.
Leona sav them and the empty wagon.
and her heart stood still. At last It had
come, and Grip would soon return with the
news Of Hiram's death. She stationed her
self At q window from which she could SEQ
the road. A great weight of dread op-
pressed her, and there was . lump in her
throat, but she did not weep. She had al
ways prided herself that she was not ION
Of the cryin' kind" Presently she uttered
q glad exclamation. She saw Jockey Todd
the top Of the little hill. He was walk
along rapidly. and she knew at ono hat
was angry. But she did not mind that,
and ran to meet him.
%, I'm 20 glad you're not hurt" she
said. running into the middle of the muddy
road.
He wa covered with mud and presented .
sorry appearance. Leons's reaction of
spirits was 50 great that, ~unheeding the
scowl on his face, she laughed At him.
do you think it's funuyr" he snarled.
1T wouldn't be If you had been hurt"
she replied, softly, Is she looked fondly upon
him.
This. however, did not appease him.
That brother Of yours was the cause of
Il. I'm comm to see him tonight"
Her smile faded and her face grew pale.
With trembling Inns she asked: