The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-07-11

uph huuW- nut tuefc was an
explosion; heard 1t. Surely Uncle
Somerville wouldn't"
The secretary shook his head
NO; | think you may exonerate Mr..
Darrah. personally; in fact I am quite
sure you may"
'But someone planned II. You
knew II was going TO happen-you
were out here watching for It."
Was II" The secretary's smile was
a mere barring OF the teeth. His blood
was the sycophantic lymph which
fiows In the veins OF those who do
murder at a great mans nod.
1T 10 horribly unfair" she went on.
II understand the sheriff IL here.
Couldn't he have prevented thisy"
Jastrow's reply was an evasion.
"Oh. it's all legal enough. That bare
place up there is placer claim. Sup
posing the owners found II necessary
to put In a few sticks Of dynamite to
loosen the frozen ground. II IL Mr..
Winton's misfortune II his railroad
happens to be in the way, don't you
Think"
But 1t was planned beforehand, and
you knew OF It," she insisted. Her
eyes were MASKING. and the secretary's
desire for possession warmed into
something like admiration.
did II"
Yes. you did"
1T would be impolite to contradict
you"
1T 10 more impolite not to answer
my question. Couldn't the sherifl
have prevented it,"
"Supposing he didn't want to pre-
vent 1t? Surprising he brought the
men who did 1t over on bis train last
night?"
Then say again 1t is horribly I'M
fair"
The secretary's rejoinder was q
platitude: Everything il fair In love
or war"
But this is neither" she retorted
Think not?" he said, coolly. wait
and you'll see. And word In your
ear. Miss Carteret: you are one OF us
you know. and you mustn't be dis
loyal. know what you did yesterday
after you read those kilograms"
Virginia's face became suddenly
wooden. Until that moment II had
not occurred to her that Jastrow's mo-
tive In showing her the two kilograms
might have been carefully calculated
Though she would have disavowed Il
emphaticaily. Miss Carteret was an
aristocrat OF the aristocrats; and the
conviction that the secretary had de-
liberately gone about TO establish a
confidential relation filled her with
cold anger.
Il have never given you the right
to speak to me that way, Mr.. Jas
strow." she said. with the faintest pos
sible emphasis on the courtesy prefix
and with that she turned from him
to focus her field glass on the con-
struction camp below
At the Utah stronghold all was ac-
tivity of the f1ercest. Winton had
raced back with his news OF the catas-
trophe, and the camp was alive with
men clustering like bees and swarm
ing upon the fat cars OF the material
train TO be taken 10 the front.
While she looked. studiously ignor-
ing the man behind her. Virginia saw
the big octopod engine come clamor-
ing up the grade. showing the fats be-
fore IL. losing itself quickly in the
doubling OF the gulch loop TO reappear
presently on the scene OF the disaster
In a twinkling the men were OF and
at work, and the frosty morning air
rang with the battle shout OF labor
triumphant-or meaning TO be.
virginia's color rose and the brown
eyes filled swiftly One part OF her
ideal-her masculine ideal--was cour.
age of the sort that rises the higher
for reverses. So the prompt counter
strok, filled her with Joy. and at the
moment Winton was as near gaining a
partisan as the Rajah was to losing
one. But at the heart thrilling instant
she remembered the cold-eyed secre-
tary. and, lest he should spy upon her
emotion as he had upon her sympathy
she turned quickly and took refuge In
the car
In the open compartment OF the
Rosemary the waiter was laying this
plates for the early breakfast. and
Bessie and the Reverence v lillian were
at the window. watching the stirring
industry battle now In full swing on
the opposite slope. Virginia Joined
them.
Isn't IT a shame." she said. "ol
course, / want our side to win. but II
seems such pity that we can't hghl
fairly"
The haxen-haired cousin looked her
entire lack Of understanding, and Cal.
vert said: Isn't what a shane7
thereby eiiciting a crisp explanation
from virgini In which she set we'll.
founded suspicion In the light Of fact
touching the cause of the landsl de
The Reverend Billy shook his head
II was his meter to deprecaie VIC
lenee, and he did Il.
Such things may De within the Law
of business. but they viii surel,
breed bad blood aud lesi to reprisals
| hope"
The interruption was the Rajah ia
his proper person. busting ogt fierce.
ly TO a conference with his myrini
dons. BY tacit consent the three al
the window fell silent There wal
battle and murder and sudden death
in the Rsjsh's eye
The event for which they waited die
not finger. There was q hssty muster
&-.a~ - - A