The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-11-18

door, Sharpless entered by another and
sat down In the chair lately occupied
by the last visitor.
shut off that hungry crowd for a
few minutes, Fench, and I'll go over
these papers with you," he said.
Fench touched the electric button on
his desk, and when the clerk answered
the bell he gave the order to admit no
one till further notice. Now, then, I'm
ready for you"
well, about this Woodenware com
pany; they're all right. They'll bring
their own operatives, and they agree to
their factory, selling them to their men
on the installment plan. The sawmill
people you know about, They'll take
Town ~company's stock and pay for il
half cash and half lumber. This fire.
brick fellow wants TO know If we own
the furnace and rolling mill plants; and
il we'll agree to give him a monopoly
on the brick needed by us. l told him
we would, il he would take Block 3 at
figures, paying half cash; brick to
be taken on same basis and to be
furnished when ordered"
That's a good, careful provision"
Fench broke in, especially as the NOR
tar isn't dry on the first set Of linings
yet. Go on"
Then here's Edgeley, the cutlery
man. I've been having the devils own
time with him. He sent n man down
here to look over the situation, and I've
had a dozen interviews with him. First
he made me go to the courthouse and
overhaul the records. Then he wanted
to see the deeds. l tried to switch him off
of the Gates tract to a location farther
down the river, but he wouldn't have
that. / wouldn't fool with him a minute
If l wasn't SURE hat Edgeley has plenty
of money"
WANTED to see the deeds, did he?"
said Fench, thoughtfully. ID you
know, Sharpless, I've been sorry IA dozen
times you burned hat deed. 1t would
have been as good as any to show; and
I've wanted it 20 times if l have once"
"But you've got Gates deed TO us"
II thought l had, but 1 haven't"
what nave you done with itP"
II don't think I've ever had it. The
last / remember of it was that night
when you put it in your pocket and said
you'd have it recorded with the other
Look in your SAFE" said Sharpless,
land I'll go through my papers"
He was back in ten minutes without
the missing document. Did you find
it?" he asked.
NO"
Then it's gone"
Well, it don't matter much, except,
as / say, they'd be handy to show.
They're both recorded"
"Yes, they're recorded all right, but"
-Sharpless paused and knitted his
brows at the small bisque figure hold
ing the matches on Fench's desk.
But what?'
"Have you heard the talk about Kill
grow"
who. the dead man? No; what
about him?"
''They say he isn't dead-that he's
been seen on the mountain; comes and
perches himself up on that crag they
call Eagle Cliff o watch the improve
ments we're making on his farm"
THE devil you say!" Mr.. Fench came
out of his chair with a jerk and began
( O walk the floor ~nervously. The cooler
headed lawyer smiled and waited.
Fench tramped himself into a p~erspira-
ton, and then sat down again with a
groan.
We're done up, Sharpless-done up
slick and clean. That man can send us
good and ready"
The attorney seemed TO be enjoying
the discontinue of the manager. The
incident threw a sidelight on Fench's
character that was Instructive; it eX-
posed the shoddy warp that was usually
hidden under the wool of impudence
Sharpless knew then that if there were
any fighting to be done he would have
to do it himself, and there was a con.
temptuous emphasis,in his reply:
That's as you like. He'll fight fol
what he gets, I can tell you that; only
/ wish we had that deed"
Fench swore a quavering oath, which
was, nevertheless, broad enough to
cover the whole transaction and every
one connected with it. II don't see how
that could make any difference. / tel
you. we're done up, Sharpless."
at will make just this difference-if
we had that deed with Gates signature
we might stand some chance of pleading
as innocent purchasers, and Gates would
make a first-class scapegoat. As it is
there are some people who might be
mean enough to hint that we made our
title out Of whole cloth. However,
that's all beside the mark. This old
fellow must be at least 65 or 20; he's
on outlaw, and he's only one ignorant
man against the whole syndicate. II
we can't hold our own we deserve to GO
10 the WALL
What are you going TO do about itT'
Run him out of the country again.
IL | can; get somebody to give him a
hint that Uncle Sans men would like
TO interview him."
"Who knows him?'
PLENTY of people among the natives,
but l think he can be reached quickest
through the old Scotchman up on the
Little Chiwassee-what's his name?
Duncan-Jamie Duncan"
S~harpless rose to go back to his own
room, and Fench called to him as he
reached the door:
sASay Sharnless Won knoxy I never