Gilpin observer., 1912-02-22
CHAPTER TX.

Nathaniel Letton was talking when
the door opened; he ceased. and with
his two companions gazed with con-
trolled perturbation at Burning Day
light striding into the room. The free.
swinging movements of the trail-trav-
eler were unconsciously exaggerated in
that stride of his. In truth, 1t seemed
to him that he felt the trail beneath
his feet
"Howdy, gentlemen. howdy," he re-
marked. ignoring the unnatural calm
with which they greeted his entrance.
He shook hands with them In turn.
striding from one to another and grip
ping their hands so heartily that Ma
thaniel Letton could not forbear to
vince. Daylight flung himself into a
massive chair and sprawled lazily. with
an appearance of fatigue. The leather
grip he had brought into the room he
dropped carelessly beside him on the
floor.
I've sure been going some," he sigh
ed. I'VE sure trimmed them beautifully.
1t was real slick And the beauty of the
play never dawned on me till the very
end. It was pure and simple knock
down and drag out. And the way they
fell for 1t was amazin'."
Letton made dry sound in his
throat Dowsett sat quietly and wait
ed, while Leon Guggenhammer strug-
gled into articulation.
You certainly have raised CAIN" he
said
Daylights black eyes flashed in a
pleasant way.
Didn't l. thought" he proclaimed.
jubilantly "And didn't we fool 'em!
was teetotally surprised. l never
dreamed they would be that easy.
"And now" he went on, not permit
ting the pause to grow awkward. we
all might as well have an accounting.
I'm pullin' West this afternoon on
that blamed Twentieth Century" He
tugged at his grip. got 1t open. and dip
ped into 1t with both his hands. But
me to hornswoggle Wall Street anoth.
er flutter, all you-all have to do is
whisper the word. I'll sure be right
there with the goods"
His hands emerged. clutching a
great mass of stubs. check-books, and
brokers' receipts. These he depos-
tied in heap on the big table. and
dipping again. he fished out the strag-
glers and added them to the pile. He
consulted slip of paper. drawn from
his coat pocket and read aloud:
Ten million twenty-seven thousand
and forty-two dollars and sixty-eight
cents is my figurin on my expense
or course that-all's taken from the
winnings before we-all get to figurin'
on the whack-up. Where's your fig
ures? 1t must a been a mighty big
cleanup"
The three men looked their bepuz-
element at one another. The man was
a bigger fool than they had imagin-
ed, or else he was playing a game
which they could not divine.
Nathaniel Letton moistened his lips
and spoke up
1T will take some hours yet. Mr.
Harnish. before the full accounting can
be made, Mr.. Howison is at work upon
1t now. We-ah-as you say, It has
been a gratifying cleanup. Suppose
We nave iuhCu to6etheT anu tdlk IL
over. I'll have the clerks work through
the noon hour so that you will have
ample time to catch your train"
Dowsett and Guggenhnmmer mani.
tested relief that was almost OBJ.
vious. The situation was clearing. It
was disconcerting. under the circum.
stances. to be pent in the same room
with this heavy-muscled. Indian-like
man whom they had robbed. They re-
membered unpleasantly the many stor.
les Of his strength and recklessness. II
Letton could only put him Off long
enough for them to escape into the po-
liced world outside the office door. all
would be we'll; and Daylight showed
all the signs Of being put of.
I'm real glad to hear that" he said.
II don't want to miss that train, and
you-all have done me proud, gentle.