River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-02-25


wei, that geezer you was dickerin'
with is a big buck Indian. Am t
! right?"
Smoke nodded and continued to nod
to each question.
He's got one cheek half gone, where
bald face grizzly swatted him. Am
right? He's dog trader-right. eh?
His name is Scar Face Jim. That's so,
amt it? Dye get my drift?'
"You mean we've been bidding"-
Against each other? Sure thing.
That squaw's his wife. an they keep
house on the hill back of the hospital.
could "a got them eggs for two a
throw If you hadn't butted in"
And so could l." Smoke laughed, "if
you'd kept out But it doesn't amount
to anything. We know that we've got
the corner. That's the big thing"
Shorty spent the next hour wrestling
with stub of pencil on the margin
of three-year-old newspaper.
There she stands" he said at last.
"Lemme give you the totals. You an
me has right now in our possession ex-
actly> 973 eggs. They costs us exactly
$2,760. If we stick up Wild Water for
SO an egg we stand to win, clean net
an all to the good, just exactly So
DO"
At II that night Smoke was routed
from sound sleep by Shorty.
Il just seen Slavovitch. He says to
me: Shorty, want to speak to you
about them eggs. I've kept it quiet.
Nobody knows l sold 'em to you. But
If you're speculatin' can put you wise
to a good thing An he did, too,
Smoke
well, maybe it sounds incredible,
but that good thing was Wild Water
Charley. He's lookin' to buy eggs. He
| goes around to Slavovitch an offers
| him S. an egg, an before he quits he's
offerin' 49, An Slavovitch amt got no
eggs. Last thing Wild Water says to
Slavovitch is that he'll beat the head
| often him if he ever finds out Slave
witch has eggs cached away some
where's. Slavovitch had to tell IN he'd
sold the eggs. but that the buyer was
secret
"Slavovitch says to let him say the
word to Wild Water. who's got the
eggs. Shorty he says to me, Wild
Water'll come a-runnin'. You can hold
him up for S. Eight dollars your
gre ndmother,' l says. He'll fall for
| $40 before I'm done with him. Any
way, told Slavovitch I'd think it over
and let him know in the mornin'. OF
course We'll let IN pass the word on to
Wild Water Am L right?"
''You certainly are. Shorty. First
thing in the morning tip off Slavovitch.
Have him tell Wild Water that you
and are partners in the deal"
In the morning Smoke CHANGED upon
Lucille Arral again at the dry goods
counter Of the A. c. store.
Its working!" he jubilated Its
working! Wild Waters been around
to Slavovitch, trying to buy or bully
eggs out of him. And by this time
Slavovitch has told him that Shorty
and own the corner"
Lucille Arral's eyes sparkled with de-
light. I'm going to breakfast right
now" she cried. "And I'll ask the
waiter for eggs and be so plaintive
when there aren't any as to melt
heart of stone. And you know Wild
Waters heart is anything but stone.
He'll buy the corner If it costs him one
of his mines. Hold out for a stiff fig
| are. Nothing less than $40 will satisfy
me. and if you sell for anything less,
smoke, I'll never forgive you"
That noon, up In their cabin. Shorty
placed on the table a pot OF beans.
pot of coffee, a smoking platter Of
moose meat and bacon, plate of
stewed dried peaches and called.
'AGrub's readyv'
Smoke opened the door for a breath
of frosty air and saw something that
made him close the door hurriedly and
dash to the stove. The frying pan, still
hot from the moose meat and bacon.
he put back on the front lid Into the
frying pan be put a generous dab Of
butter, then reached for an egg. which
he broke and dropped spluttering into
the pan. AS he reached for a second
egg Shorty gained his side and clutched
his arm In an excited grip.
"Hey. what you doin'?' he demanded.
Crying eggs" Smoke Informed him,
breaking the second one and throwing
off Shorty's OBTAINING hand. Get out
Of the way, Shorty. Wild Waters COM
ing up the hill, and he'll be here in five
minutes"
Shorty sat down at the table. By the
time the expected knock came at the
door Smoke was facing him across the
table, and before each was plate con-
tanning three hot fried eggs.
Come inr' Smoke called.
Wild Water Charley, a strapping
young giant, entered and shook hands.
"Set down an have bite, Wild Wa
ter" Shorty invited Smoke, fry him
some eggs I'll bet he amt scoffed an
egg in a coon's age"
Smoke broke three more eggs into
the hot pan and in several minutes
placed them before his guest, who look
od of fharn with So Stran pe and strain