Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1916-01-13

into the other valley-is mine. I'm a
rich man. Miss Ordway. an / got it
just by this"
He tapped his forehead significantly
and smiled.
Truly | do admire you" lied Poppy
with the naivete of sixteen. Brains
brains-why, they are ninetenths OF
the battle of success and man with
out them is beaten at the eg,nning
Partner" she whispered to Sandry
as she passed him that night in the
eating room. I've been working
Where can we talk little by our
selves?"
6andry, looking at her swiftly. saw
the excitement in her eyes, and took
fire instantly.
Alone? Why-let's see, Are you
afraid to come out to the forked stick
by the road?"
In the darkness Miss Ordway
laughed-a little low ripple of mirth
soft and subtle.
"A tryst!" she said. in that small.
intimate whisper that suggested inf
mite mystery. Are we out OF earshot
here?"
Yes" said Sandry. lowering his
voice to hers.
DO you happen to know where Fra
ger got all the holdings of the Dill
lingworth? How he got them?"
Why. no." said Sandry wonderingly.
81 suppose he bought them, as any
company would do"
Yes So far so good You know
that all this land was government land
that there are still claims lying far
back in the mountains open to filing
But all this fine timber close in-al'
that has a chance of being got ATLAS
been taken-and have you noticed that
all of it, or nearly all, belongs to ell
Their one or the other of these two
lumber companies?'
by George!" said Sandry, 81 hadn't
thought of that"
And have you noticed that none OF
these claims seem to have been taken
| in good faith? That none of the filers
have complied in spirit with the home
stead law? ! have secured these hills
| for seven miles every way-eXcept
west-and at every fling there is the
barest hold of tenure-a windowless
shack-just enough to nail the law by
it's letter. Nowhere have | seen q
cleared field, nor one sign of tillage
Mr.. Sandry, believe we have stun
bled upon a huge government swindle
case of land-fraud gigantic in its pro
portions"
Sandry was aghast. why, what dc
you mean? Miss Ordway. do you near
that the companies are crooked?"
Not so fast. believe Hampder
is crooked. and that possibly Frazer
was. For the latter-it is too latt
and not in our scheme to nail him
But Hampden we'll hang high as Ha
man-and that before he can fitch tn
East Belt with its store of wealth"
She was leaning very near as sh
whispered this, and in the burst o
mental light which followed her word
Sandry put his hands on her shou
ders.
You are positively wonderful" h
breathed. "the most wonderful woma
in the whole world. How on earth di
you find these things out?"
"Hampden." said Poppy with shru
of her shoulders under Sandry's hands
hes furnishing data with a ver
geance."
But why? For the love of HEAVIER
; why are you doing all this? ! can
just understand"
With little, soft motion, charmin
in the airy acceptance of its own dal
ing, the woman of the world put u
her hand and laid 1t with a caress owe
the one on her shoulder.
Her face, tilted upward in the darl
ness, shone like flower and he coul
just barely see the curving line in he
lips, dark against its light.
In the mist and the chill the subtl
perfume, that always seemed to strik
ones senses only after she had passed