The Red Cloud chief., 1912-01-04
CHAPTER TX.

Nathaniel l.etton was talking when
the door opened: he ceased. and with
| his two companions gazed with con
trolled perturbation at burning Day
| light strding into the room. The free,
swinging movements of the trail.trav.
oler were unconsciously exaggerated In
that stride of his In truth. 1t seemed
to him that he felt the trail beneath
his feet.
"llowdy, gentlemen. howdy," he re-
marked. ignoring the unnatural calm
with which they greeted his entrance.
lie shook hands with them in turn.
stridng from one to another and grip.
ping their hands so heartily that Ma.
thanicl 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.
II was real slick. And the beauty of the
play never dawned on me til the very
end, II was pure and simple knock
down and drag out And the way they
fell for II was amGzin'."
Letton made dry sound In his
| throat. Dowsctt 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 |. thought" he proclaimed.
jubilantly And didn't We fool 'em!
| was teetotally surprised never
dreamed they would be that easy.
And now." he went on, not permit
ting the pause to grow awkward, we
all might as we'll 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 II with both his hands But
don't forget. boys. when you-all want
me to hornswoggle Wall Street anoth-
cr hutter. all you-all have to do Is
whisper the word. III 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 q heap on the big table, and
dipping again. he fished out the strag.
glers and added them to the pile He
consulted IA 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 ngurin' on my expense
or course that.alls taken from the
winnings before we-all get to fgurin
on the whack.up. Where's your fig
ures? II must a been mighty big
cleanup"
The three men looked their bepuz
element at one another The man was
a bigger tool than they had imagin
ed or else he was playing q game
which they could not divine.
Nathaniel Letton moistened his lips
and spoke up.
1t viii take some hours yet, Mr.
llarnish. before the full accounting car
be made. Mr. llowison Is at work upor
II now. We--ah--as you say, il ha!
been gratifying cleanup. Suppose
We have lunch together and talk Il
over, III have the clerks work through
the noon hour so that you will hav,
ample time to catch your train"
Dowsett and Guggenhammer mani
: tested relief that was almost OBJ
, vious, The situation was clearing I
was discohcerting, under the circum
stances, To be penr in the same room
' with this heavymuscled. Indianlik,
> man whom they had robbed. They re
. membered unpleasantly the many stor
I les of his strength and recklessness. |
5 Letton could only put him OF ion,
g enough fol them to escape into the DC
= Heed world outside the Office door, al
would be WELL and Daylight shove,
all the signs OF being put of.
s I'm real glad to hear that" he said
5 i don't want to miss that train an
}. you'all have done me proud, gentle