Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-05-31
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, it 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. 1--WE sure trimmed them beautifully.
It was real slick. And the beauty of the
play never dawned on me till the very
end 1t was pure and simple knock
down and drag out. And the way they
fell for 1t was amazin'.'
Letton made a 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 I, thought" he proclaimed,
jubilantly And didn't we fool EN-!
| was teetotally surprised. / never
dreamed they would be that easy.
'And now," he went on, not permit
ting the pause to grow awkward, we
ali might as we'll have an accounting.
| I'm pullin' West this afternoon on
that blamed Twentieth Century" He
tugged at his grip, got it open. and dip
ped into it with both his hands. But
don't forget, boys, when you-all want
me to hornswoggle Wall Street anoth-
er futter, 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 a heap on the big table, and
dipping again, he flshed 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.
Of course that-all's taken from the
winnings before VEAL get to fgurin'
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.
TT will take some hours yet. Mr.
Harnish, before the full accounting can
be made Mr. Howison is at work upon
it now. We-ah-as you say it has
been a gratifying cleanup Suppose
we have lunch together and talk ii
over. I'll have the clerks work through
the noon hour SO that you will have
ample time to catch your train"
Dowsett and Guggenhammer mani
tested a relief that was almost OBJ
vious. The situation was clearing. II
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. Il
Letton could only put him off long
enough for them to escape into the pc
Iced world outside the Office door. al
would be we'll; and Daylight showed
all the signs Of being put off.
I'm real glad to hear that" he said
Il don't want to miss that train anG
you-all have done me proud, gentle