Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-22
THE TANNING OF RED BUTTE
WESTERN.
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
by Charles scrbner sons)

Somebody told me. when I first came
over here. that Gridley. our .master-me
chantc. was in with him: but Gridley says
that is mistake-that he thinks too
much OF his reputation to be Flemister'
partner
| Hank Gridley.' unused the president
Hank Gridley and his reputation. I,
would certainly be pity If that were to
get corroded in any way. There is q
| man who properly belongs to the stone
age-what you might call an elemental
| scoundrel"
| You surprise me-" exclaimed Lidger-
| wood Il didn't like him at first but
am convinced now that 1t was only I'M
reasoning prejudice. He appeals n me as
being anything but scoundrel
Well, perhaps the word is a bit too
savage. admitted Gridleys accuser
| "What | meant was that he has tapa-
bl'1ties that way. and not much moral
| restraint. He is the kind of man to wade
| through fire and blood to gain his object.
without the slightest thought of the con-
sequences to others. Ever hear the story
of his marriage? No? Remind me Of it
some time and III tell YOU. But We were
Silver has turned out pretty wel?"
Very we'll indeed. I believe. Flemister
seems to have money to burn
HE always has. his own or somebody
elses. 1t makes little difference to him.
The way he got the Wire-Silver would
green with envy. Know anything about
the history of the mine?"
Lidgerwood shook his head.
We'll. l do: just happen to. You know
how 1t lies-On the western slope Of Little
Butte ridge?
Yes
That is where it lies now. But the
original openings We're made on the east
ern slope Of the butte. They didn't pan
out very WELL and Flemister began to
a RI u-h ho oil
About that time man whose rame l
can never recall took up a claim on the
western slope of the ridge directly OPP
posite Flemister. This man struck it
him on the plea that the new discovery
was only a continuation of his own vein
straight through the hill. You can guess
what happened"
Fairly Well" said Iidgerwood. 'Flem-
lister lawed the other man out.
He did worse than that: he drove
straight into the hill, past his own lines,
and actually took the money out of the
other mans mine to use as a fighting
fund. l don't know how the courts sfted
it out. finally: I didn't follow it up very
closely. But Flemister put the other man
to the wall in the end-'put it all over
him.. as your man Bradford would say.
There was some domestic tragedy in
volved, too, in which Flemister played
the devil with the other mans family;
but don't know any OF the details
Yet YOU say Flemister is a born gen.
tleman. as we'll as a born buccaneer?"
We'll, yes; he behaves himself we'll
enough in decent company He isn't eK-
actly the kind of man you can turn down
short-he has education. good manners
and all that, you know; but il he were
hard up l shouldn't let him get within
roping distance of my pocketbook, or, if
/ had given him occasion to dislike me,
within easy pistol range
wherein he is neither better nor worse
than good many others who take the
sunburn of the Red desert" was Lidger-
woods comment. and just then the waiter
opened the door a second time to say
that luncheon was served.
Don't forget to remind me that I'm
to tell you Gridley's story. Howard said
the president. rising out of the depths of
his lOunGing chair and stripping off the
fancy it was anything but a romance
for poor Lizzie Gridley. Let's go and
see what the cook has done for us.
At luncheon Lidgerwood was made
known to the other members of the pri-
vate-car party. The white-haired old
man who had been doing in his chair
was Judge Holcombe, Van Lewis uncle
and the father Of the prettier of the two
young women who had been entertaining
Jefferis, the curly headed collegian JEFF
with anybody: but Miss Carolyn Doty.
the less pretty but more laxative OF the
two young women, confessed that she
was A cousin, twice removed. of Mrs.
Brewster.
Quite naturally, Lidgerwood sought to
pair the younger people when the table
gathering was complete. and was not en-
tirely certain of his prefiguring. Eleanor
Brewster ard Van Lew sat together and
were apparently absorbed in each other
to the exclusion of all things eXtraneous.
Jefferis had Miss Doty for a companion
and the affiiction OF her we'll balanced
tongue seemed to affect neither his ap-
petite nor his enjoyment Of what the
young woman had to say.
Miriam Holcombe had fallen to Lidger-
woods lot and at first he thought that
her silence was due to the fact that
young Jefferis had gotten upon the wrong
side of the table. But after she began to
talk he changed his mind.
Tell me about the wrecked train we
passed g. little while ago. Mr.. Lidger-
wood" she began, almost abruptly. Was
any one killed."
Go be continued tomorrow