Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-05-02

to erect three such depots as the heavi-
est crop could possibly FILL
1t was while the pendulum of pros
perity was in full swing that David
Kent took a day off from sweating
over his problem of ousting the re-
ceiver and ran down to CASTOR Sin
ele-eyed as he was in the pursuit of
Justice, he was not unmindful of, the
! six lots standing in his name in the
CASTOR suburb, and from all accounts
the time was come to dispose of them.
He was smoking his after-dinner
cigar in the lobby of the hotel and
trying as he might to orient himself
when Blashfield Hunnicott drifted in.
Kent gave the sometime local attorney
cigar, made room for him on the
plush-covered settee, and proceeded to
pump him dry of CASTOR news.
Summed up, the inquiries pointed
themselves thus: was there any basis
for the CASTOR revival other than the
lately changed attitude of the railroad
In other words, if the cut rates should
ties cease, would there not be a second
and still more disastrous collapse of
the Castor bubble?
Pressed hardly, Hunnicott admitted
the probability; given another turn,
the screw of inquiry squeezed out
an admission of the fact, slurred over
by the revivalist, that the railway
company's treasury was really the
almsbox into which all hands were
dipping.
Zone more question and I'll let up
on you" said Kent 1T used to be
said of you in the flush times that
you kept tab on the real estate trans
fers when everybody else was too
busy to read the record. Do you still
do it?''
Hunnicott laughed uneasily.
Rather more than ever just now,
as you'd imagine"
ct is well. Now you know the mem
bers of the old gang, from his excel
lency down. Tell me one thing: are
they buying or selling?"
Hunnicott sprang up and slapped
his leg.
by Jupiter, Kent! They are selling
every last man of them"
Precisely. And when they have
sold all they have to SELF"
They'll turn us loose-drop us
quit booming the town, if your theory
is the right one. But say, Kent,
cant believe it, you know. It's too
big a thing to be credited to Jim Gull
ford and his handful of subs in the
railroad office. Why, it's all along
the line, everywhere"
I'm telling you that Guilford isn't
the man. He is only cog in the
wheel. There is bigger mind thar
his behind it"
Il can't help it," Hunnicott protest
ed. Il don't believe that any man or
clique could bring this thing about
unless we were really on the upturn."
Very good; believe what you
please, but do as tell you. Sell every
foot of CASTOR dirt that stands in
your name; and while you are about
it sell those six lots for me in subdi-
vision five. More than that, do it pref
ty soon"
Hunnicott promised, in the broker
the talk to the receivership.
Still up in the air, are you, in the
railroad grab case?"
Kent nodded.
mo news Of MacFarlane?"
Plenty of it. His health is still
-precarious, and will likely remain so
until the spoilSmen have picked the
skeleton clean"
Hunnicott was silent for a full min
ute. Then he said:
Say, Kent, hasn't it" occurred to
you that they are rather putting meat
on the bones instead of taking it off
Their bills for betterments must be out
of sight,
1t had occurred to Kent, but he gave
his own explanation of Major Gull
fords policy in terse sentence.
ct is a part of the bluff; fattening
the thing little before they barbe-
cue it."
Il suppose so. It's a pity we don't
live little farther back in the his
tory of the world: say at a time when
we could hire MacFarlane's doctor
to obliterate the judge, and no ques-
tions asked
Who can explain how it is that some
testing word, trivial and purposeless
it may be, will fire hidden train of
thought which was waiting only for
some chance spark? "Obliterate the
judge" said Hunnicott in grim jest;
and straightway Kent saw possibili-
ties; saw thing to be done, though
not yet the manner of its doing.
eff you'll excuse me-" he said abb
ruptly to his companion, 81 believe
I'll try to catch the flyer back to the
capital. I came down to see about
selling those lots Of mine, but if you
will undertake it for me-
"Of course" said Hunnicott; "Ill
be only too glad. You've ten minutes:
can you make it?''
Kent guessed so, and made the guess
fosv So