Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-05-30

little boom here now: give it the top
boom price, If you like"
The two referees drew apart and
laid their heads together.
| "As property is goi,,g here just now.
| $50 for the inside lots. and 800 apiece
for the corners; say three thousand
for the plot. And that is just about
three times what anybody but land
crazy idiot would give for it." 1t was
| Frazee who announced the decision.
Thank you both until you are bet
ter paid. Now we'll go back to town
and you can write me a joint letter
! Stating the fact. If you think it will
get you disliked here at home, make
the figure higher; make it high enough
| SO that all CASTOR will be dead sure to
approve"
'You are going to print it," asked
the Building and Loan appraiser.
| II may want to. You may shape it
| to that end
| 'I'H stand by my figures" said Fra
zee. 'It will give me my little chance
| to get back at the governor. l had
it assessed as unimproved suburban
| PAOPOity a. 81 tue lOt, Uut lie
made kick to the board of eGualiza.
ton and got it put in as unimproved
farm land at $50 an acre." Then, look
ing at his watch: WED better be
getting back, if rou want to catch the
accommodation. Won't you stay over
and visit with us?''
Il can't, this time; much Obliged"
said Kent; and they drove to the
Building and Loan Office where the
joint letter of appraisal was written
and signed.
Kent caught his train with some
thing to spare, and was back at the
capital in good time to keep a dinner
| engagement at Miss Van Brooks. He
| had understood that Ormsby would be
the only other guest. But Portia
had little surprise in store for him.
Loring had dropped in. unannounced,
from the east; and Portia, having
first ascertained that Mrs. Brentwoods
asthma was prohibitive of late dir
ings-out, had instructed Ormsby to
bring Elinor and Penelope
Kent had been saving the results
of his deep-sea divings in the oil-field
investigation to spread them out be,
fore Miss Van Brock and Ormsby cir
committee but he put paddock on
his lips when he saw the others.
| Portia gave him Elinor to take out,
and he would have rejoiced brazenly
il the table talk, from the boullcn to
the ices, had not been persistently gen.
eral, turning most naturally upon the
Universal Oil cOmpany's successful
coup in the Belmount field. Kent kept
| out of it as much as he could, striving
manfully to monopolize Elinor fer his
own especial hehoof; but finally Por-
tia laid her commands upon him.
! you are not to be allowed to ma
room yourself with Miss Brentwood
| any longer she said dictatorially.
| You know more about the unpub-
lished part of this Belmount conspir-
acy than anyone eXcept;-~ the con-
spirators themselves, and sou Sce tc
| tell us all about it,
| Kent looked up rather helplessly.
| Really, I'm not sure that know
anything worth repeating at your din
ner-table,' he protested.
| But Miss Van Brock made a mock
| Of his caution.
"You needn't be afraid. I pledged
every body to secrecy before you came
1t is understood that we are in 'execu-
tive session. And if you don't know
much, YOU may tell us what you know
now more than you knew before you
knew so little as you know now"
Hold on said Kent; will you
please say that over again and say it
slowly?"
Never mind" laughed Ornsby.
Miss Portia has copyright on that
But before you begin, I'd like to know
If the newspapers have it straight
as far as they have gone into it?'
They have, all but one small detail
They are saying that Senator Duva1l
has left the city and the state.''
Hasn't he?" Loring asked.
"He hadn't yesterday
"My-oh!" said Portia. "They will.
mob him if he shows himself
Kent nodded assent.
He knows it: be is hiding out.
| But I found him.
| "Where?" from the three women in
chorus.
I'm his own house, out in Pentland
place. The family has been away
since April, and the place has been
shut up. l took him the first meal
he'd had in &c hours
| Portia clapped her hands. The but
Ter came in with the coffee and she
dismissed him and babe him shut the
doors.
Now begin at the very tip end OF
the beginning" she commanded
Kent had sharp little tussle with
his Unborn reticience, thrust it to the
wall and told plain tale
ut begins in a piece of reckless
folly. Shortly after left Miss Brent
woods last Thursday evening l had d
curious experience. The shortest way