The citizen., 1909-06-24

to develop his businesses; there's more
money in stealing a railway than in
building one up. oh. he isn't fool;
If could once get him where he would
have to listen, know l could make
him understand. He's pretty cold
blooded, and he doesn't realize. He
only sees straight ahead, not all
around, like all these superhumanly
clever thieves; they have mighty stu
pid streaks. Well, I've got him now,
and II is kin or cure for him. He can't
make a rifle. knew l couldn't do
anything alone; had to wait had
TO have stronger men than l am to
help. BY and by they tried their jack
al business on a real lion-on Tracy.
They wanted to steal his road. | got
on to them first. / see heap of peo-
pie in heap Of different businesses
the little people who talk. They no
tice all right, but they can see only
their own little patch. l was the fell
low riding round and seeing the town
ship. pieced together the plot and !
told Endy Tracy. He wouldn't believe
given Keatcham his first start and
done hundred things for him. To be
sure, his father has been obliged as
an honorable man to oppose Keatcham
lately, but Keatcham couldn't mean to
burn him out that way. But he soon
found that was precisely what Keatch-
am did mean. Then he was glad
enough to help me save his father. The
old man doesn't know a thing; we
don't mean he ever shall know. We
let him put up the best sort OF fight
a man can with his hands tied while
the other fellow is free. My hands
are free, too. don't respect the
damned imbecile laws that let me be
plundered any more than they do; and
since my poor mother died last sum-
mer am not afraid Of anything; they
are; that's where have the choice of
weapons. I tell you, sub, nobody is
big enough to oppress a desperate
man! Keatcham had one advantage
he had unlimited money. But Aunt
Rebecca helped us out there. Colonel.
l want you to know l didn't ask her
for more than the bare grub-stake; II
was she herself that planned our stock
DEAL"
"She is a dead game sport" the
colonel chuckled. Il believe you"
And hope you don't allow that I
was willing to have her mix herself
in our risks. She would come; she
said she wanted to see the fun"
Il believe you again." the colonel as
sured him, and he remembered the odd
sentence which his aunt had used the
first night of their journey. when she
expressed her hankering to match her
wits against those of a frst-class Grim
inal.
I'VE didn't reckon on your turning
up, or the complication with Archie. /
wish to God we'd taken the boys own
word! But, now you know all about
1t. will you keep your hands of? That's
all we ask"
well, the colonel examined his
finger nails. rubbing his hands softly,
the back of one over the palm of the
other-"well, you haven't quite told
me all. Don't, unless you are prepared
to have it used against you, as the po-
licemen say before the sweatbox
What did you do to Keatcham to get
him to go with you so like Mary's lit
tie lamb?"
Il learned of a little device that
looks like a tiny curry-comb and Is so
fiat and small you can bind II on a
mans arm just over an artery. Just
press on the spring and give the
least scratch, and the man falls down
In commissions. / showed him a rat
had had fetched me, and killed 1t like
a fash. He had his choice of walking
out quietly with mel had my hand
on his arm-or dropping down dead.
He went quietly enough"
That was the meaning OF his look
at me, was it?" Winter thought. He
said only: did Endicott Tracy know
about that?"
"Of course not" Mercer denied. "Do
you reckon | want to mix the boy Up
in this more than have? And Arnold
only knew | was trying some kind Of
bluff game"
Il will lay odds, though" the colo.
mel ventured, in his gentlest tone.
tone, that Mr.. Samurai, as Haley calls
him, knew more. But when did you
get rid of Atkins?"
'Mr. Keatcham discharged him at
Denver. | met Mr.. Keatcham here;
IL was arranged on the train. We had
IL planned out. II that plan had failed
had another"
Neat. Very neat. And then you
became the secretary"
Mercer flushed in an unexpected
fashion. Certainly mott" he said.
with emphasis. do you think / would
take his wages and not do the work
faithfully? No sub. | assumed to be
his secretary in the Office; that gave
me a chance to arrange everything.
But | did it to oblige him. never
touched a cent of his money. paid,
in fact, for our board out of our own
money. It would have burned my fin-
gers, subj"
"And the valet? Was he in your