The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-30

policy-and Flemister's, too, for that matter-to make you believe they are not friends. You'll have to admit they are together great deal"
 'Ill admit it if you say so, but l didn't know it before. How did you know it?'
 "Hallock is over here every day or two. have seen him three or four times since that day when he and Flemister were walking down the new spur together and turned back at sight of me-" said Benson. "Of course don't know what other business Hal lock may have over here. but one thing do know-he has been across the river, digging into the inner conscious ness of my old prospector. And that isn't all After he had got the story of the timber stealing out of the old man he tried to bribe him not to tell it to any one else; tried the bribe first and a scare afterward-told him that something would happen to him if he didn't keep 8 still tongue in his head"
 Lidgerwood shook his head slowly. s'That looks pretty bad. Why should he want to silence the old man?''
 -'"That's just what I've been asking myself. But right on the heels of that another little mystery developed. Hal lock asked the old man if he would be willing to swear in court to the truth of his story. The old man said he wculd."
 "Well?'' said Lidgerwood.
 "A night or two later the old pros pector's shack burned down, and the next morning he found notice pinned to tree near one of his sluice boxes. It was polite invitation for him to put distance between him and the Timanyeni district. suppose you can put two and two together, as did.'' Again Lidgerwood said: ''It looks pretty bad for Hallock. No one but the thieves themselves could have any possible reason for driving tue old man out of the country. Did he go?" ] "Not much; he isn't built that way. That same day he went to work build ing him a new shack, and he swears that the next man who gets near enough to set it afire won't live to get away and brag about it. Two days and the old fellow ran him off with a gun"
 Keep in touch with your old man and tell him to count on us for protec- tion," said Lidgerwood before leaving
 Having an appointment with Leck- hard, of the main line, timed for an early hour the following morning, Lidgerwood gave his conductor in- structions to stop at Angels only long enough to get orders for the eastern division.
 When the division station was reached McCloskey met the service car in accordance with wire instructions sent from Timanyoni, bringing an arm- ful of mail. which Lidgerwood pur- posed to work through on the run to Copah.
 Nothing new. Mac?' he asked when the trainmaster came aboard. Nothing much, only the operators have notified me that there'll be trou- ble soon if we don't put Hannegan and Dickson back on the wires. The grievance committee intimated pretty broadly that they could swing the trainmen into line if they had to make a fight"
 "We put no man back who has been discharged for cause,'' said the super 1ntendent firmly. "Did you tell them that?"
 ''1 did. I have been saying that so often that it mighty nearly says itself now when hear my office door open"
 'Well. there is nothing to do but to go on saying it. We shall either make spoon or spoil a horn. How would you be fixed in the event of teleg- raphers' striker
 "I've been figuring on that. It may seem like tempting the good Lord to say it, but I believe we could hold about half of the men,"
 "That is decidedly encouraging" said the man, who needed to find en- couragement where he could. 1.-Two weeks ago if you had said one in ten l should have thought you were over estimating. We shall win out yet"
 But now McCloskey was shaking his head dubiously 'I don't know Andy Bradford has been giving me an idea of how the trainmen stand. and he says there is a good deal of strike talk. Williams adds word about the shop force. He says that Gridley's men are not saying anything, but they'll be likely to go out in body Inless Gridley wakes up at the last minute and takes a club to them"
 Lidgerwood's conductor was coming down the platform of the Crows Nest with his orders in his hand, and Me Closkey made ready to swing off. "l can reach you care of MT. Leckhard at Copah, suppose?" he asked.
 "Yes. l shall be back some time to- morrow. In the meantime there is nothing to do but to sit tight in the boat. Use my private code if you want to wire me. l don't more than