Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-11

Ter thought when all the law aad moral right were
his side; but he was certain That this meant
more than other first could have meant
to Young attorney for to lose it spelled disaster to
Rector & Company, and-there Connie Rector.
Connie very lovable young person. who had
admitted unaCcountable but wholly satisfactory
prediction for BuCkler over his several rivals The
only bur among his chestnuts, therefore, the
equally unaccountabe unreadiness of John Rector,
her father to give his consent to their betrOthal.
Not that he had refused it. He seemed to be waiting
for something and Buckler had been the point of
conplacently making up his mind that it just
matter OF his making good which he considered
matter of course, when the Bane case had come UP.
The of Rector & Company versus Villas Bane
had come into Bucklers hands by accident. An
cident had happened to Alexander Fifield the old
lawyer who had handled the Rectors business for
quarter of century, and incapacitated him for the
time being. Bucker was the only available at
the moment and Fified had recommended him to
John Rector There would have been element of
humor in the situation, therefore, if Bart Finney
hadn't Disappeared for with Bart as Witness the
case looked easy to Buckler That was why he sus-
pected that Bart's present absence might not be
simple Of lost strayed.
TODAY was the eleventh. The young lawyer sat at
the window of his office B y ills drugstore
and watched curious eyes turn up toward him
the street, while Sheriff Reach told him the latest
tale of failure in the long man hunt.
Bucker tail fellow of the bones and wire
type. His face was little heavy, but of studious
cast, with rather fine brown eyes which usually
so good humored and kind to deceive people about
their possessors stamina He the sort of fellow
that surprises one the kind that works plans
takes a joyous risk with equal forttude and with
the same smile in his eyes
There had been a little affair on the river some
three years ago, when they had got wet together
and Buckler's long legs had done tall swim
ming for two. Neither of them mad talked much
about it; but that one of the reasons why Sam
Reach sorry he could not find Bart Finney now.
Above the roofs OF the two and threc-StOry gro
ceries and hardware and notion opposite the
office rose the long graygreen slopes of the noun
tain, Old Drom. Away back twentv-six miles by
road. eighteen by railroad, up and round the noun
tain, lay the disputed territory which the
legal fight was being made. The steel way, largely
owned by Villas Bane, only year DID, and its
building had brought the Rector-B ane fight to a
head Valuable timber and water rights in
volved, and the struggle was bitter almost to the
point of violence
Buckers eyes followed the long cash in the green
woods that mapped the railroads right of way like a
big lattened letter S. To him it suddenly like
emblem of the failure he facing Sam, he
said, with little dry smile, S stands for simple
doesn't it? That's me: I'm the dupe in this case
Reach used to him. IS stands for Samuel
too, I'm thnkin', he remarked, raising his shaggy
brows and turning his gray eyes the mountainside
also
Has Bane got us beat Sam" asked Buckler
again. his lips settling into grave lines with the last
word.
Looks lot like it. unless miracle happens"
swered Reach.
III make fight, of course" Buckler said; but