The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1909-01-20

ding off to bed" he said. "T nat lady's
maid is member of the secret SER
vice"
oh" said Pierpont, "one of your
colleagues?"
You might present us, you know
said; the journey is monotonous."
Barris had drawn n telegram from
his pocket, and as he sat turning 1t
over and over between his fingers he
smiled. After moment or two he
handed it to Pierpont, who read 1t
with slightly raised eyebrows.
Its rot suppose it's cipher" he
said see it's signed by Gen. Drum
mond-"
"Drummond. chief of the govern
ment secret SERVICE" said Barris.
Something Interestingly" 1 inquired.
lighting cigarette.
Something so interesting" replied
Barris, that I'm going to look into it
myself"
And break up our shooting trio"
mo. Do you want to hear about it?
Do you. Billy Pierpont?"
Yes replied that immaculate
young man.
Barris rubbed the amber mouth
piece of his pipe on his handkerchief.
cleared the stem with bit of wire,
pulled once or twice, and leaned back
in his chair.
"Pierpont," he said, do you re-
member that evening at the United
States club when Gen. Miles, Gen.
Drummond and l were examining that
gold nugget that Capt. Mahad had?
You examined 1t also, l believe"
81 did" said Pierpont.
WAS 1t gold?" asked Barris, drum
ming on the window.
1T was replied Pierpont.
81 saw 1t, too said /; "of course it
was gold"
Prof. La Grange saw 1t Also said
Barris; he said it was gold"
After a silence Pierpont asked what
tests had been made.
The usual tests" replied Barris.
"The United States mint is satisfied
that it is gold, so is every jeweler who
has seen it. But it is not gold-and
yeti is gold"
Pierpont and exchanged glances.
Now" said |, for Barris' usual
coup de theatre; what was the mug
get?"
practically II was pure gold; but"
said Barris, enjoying the situation in
tensely. really it was not gold. Pier.
pont. what is gold?"
Colds an element, a metal"
Wrong, Billy Pierpont," said Bar.
ris, coolly.
Gold was an element when I went
to school," said |.
1T has not been an element for two
weeks" said Barris; land, except Gen.
Drummond. Prof. La Grange and my.
self, you two youngsters are the only
people except one in the world who
know it-or have known it,
DO you mean to say that gold is a
composite metal?" said Pierpont,
slowly.
II do. La Grange has made it. He
produced a scale of pure gold day be
fore yesterday. That nugget was man.
! ufactured gold"
Could Barris be Joking? Was this a
colossal hoax? l looked at Pierpont.
He muttered something about that set.
| ting the silver question, and turned
his head to Barris, but there was that
| in Barris' face which forbade jesting
and Pierpont and sat silently ponder
ing.
Don't ask me how it's made" said
Barris, quietly; Il don't know. But
| | do know that somewhere in the re-
gion of the Cardinal Woods there is a
gang of people who do know how gold
| is made, and who make 1t. You under
stand the danger this is to every civil
| lized nation. It's got to be stopped
of course. Drummond and / have de-
cided that | am the man TO Stop it.
Wherever and whoever these people
are-these enthusiastically must be
caught, every one of them-caught or
| shot"
"Or shot," repeated Pierpont, who
was owner of the Cross-Cut gold mine
and found his income too small; Prof
La Grange will of course be prudent
science need not know things that
would upset the world"
Little Willy" said Barris, laughing.
your income is safe"
Il suppose" said I. some flaw in
the nugget gave Prof La Grange the
| tip"
Exactly. He cut the flaw out be-
fore sending the nugget to be tested.
He worked on the flaw and separated
gold into it's three elements"
He is great man." said Pierpont,
but he will be the greatest man in
the world il he can keep his discovery
to himself"
"Who?" said Barris.
Prof. La Grange"
| Prof. La Grange was shot through
the heart two hours ago." replied Bar.
ris, slowly.
| fTn RE- cONTINUrEnN