The Glenwood post., 1912-01-27
CHAPTER xxv.-(continued.)

Was that aIl?"
DE oil glnral he didn't seem ter
know what ter say: he done set dar
clar humegasted. He sho' did look
like dat black debble he'd hit him
mighty hard. Den he says slow like.
turnin' his boss round: Bartlett, yo'
am putin up a good bluff, but, by
Gawd. I'm goin' ter call yo' Yo' don't
get cent OBJ dat money less yo' put
up de proof. I'll meet yo' whar yo'
say. but ef can git hor OBJ some pa
pers dat's missin' I'll take dat grin on
yo' face De odder one laughed. an
de oil gtn'ral started TO- ter ride away.
den he pull up he's hoss. an look
back. 'Yo' sorter herd wild dat kind
OBJ cattle. Bartlett he say. sharp like.
maybe yo' know gambler roun'
yere called Hawley?' De black debble
nebber eben lose he's grin. DO yo'
mean Black Bart Hawley? OATS the
man. where is he?' 'Dealin' faro TO
Mike kenna In Topeka week ago
friend OBJ yours?' OATS none OBJ yo'
damned business. snorted de OIL
syn'ral. givin' his hoss de spur sho'.
Massa Jack. he nebber knowed he was
talkin' ter dat same Hawley, an dat
black debble Jest laughed as he rode
off"
When was all this, Neb?"
Bout de time yo' all went up on
de hill. | reckn. done come right
yere. and waited"
Keith walked across the room, Sc
lected a cigar. and came back. his
mind busy with the problem. HawIey
had In some manner, then. got into
communication with Waite, and was
threatening him. But Waite evidently
knew the man under another name
his given name-and the gambler had
sent MIN OF on false trail The lost
papers apparently contained the solu-
ton to all this mystery. Waite be-
lieved Hawley possessed them, but
did not suspect that Bartlett and Haw-
ley were the same person. What
would he most naturally do now?
Seek Hawley in Topeka probably;
seize the first opportunity of getting
there. Keith turned impatiently to
the clerk
Amy train running east?"
We'll. they generally start one out
every day." with glance toward the
clock. long bout this time Maybe
it's gone, and maybe 1t hasn't"
1t was already nearly dark outside
ss the two men hastened toward the
depot. They arrived there barely in
time to see the red lights on the last
car disappear. No inquiries made of
those lounsing about brought results
they had been interested in a lot of
drunken graders loaded on the nat
cars by force. and sent out under
suard-and not one could tell whether
any man answering Waite's descrip.
ton was in the single passenger
coach. Convinced. however. that the
General would waste no time in prose-
cutting his search, Keith believed him
already on his way east. and after dis
missing Neb. with instructions to
watch out closely for Hawley. he
made his own way back to the hotel.
1t seemed strange enough how COM
pletely he was blocked each time. just
Ms he thought the whole battling mys-
terry was about to be made clear. Haw-
ley was playing in rare luck. all the
cards running easily to his hand, thus.
at least. gaining time. and strengthen
ing his position. There could no long
or be any doubt that the gambler pos
sessed some knowledge which made
him q formidable adversary. From
Waite's statement 1t was the loss Of
the papers which left him helpless to
openly resist the claim being made
'Spon him on behalf Of the mysterious
'pAyhis. HIS oaly hope. therefore. lay