The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-04-20

rich man Miss Ordway. an | got it
Just by this"
lie tapped his forehead significantly
and smiled.
Truly do admire YOU" lied Poppy
with the naivete OF sixteen. brains
brains-why. they are ninctcnths Of
the battle OF success and n man with.
out them Is beaten at the beginning I"
Partner" she whispered TO sandry
as she passed him that night in the
eating room. i've been working.
Where can we talk a little by our.
~selves7"
Sandry. looking at her swiftly. saw
the excitement In her eyes. and took
FIRE instantly.
"Alono7 Why-let's see. Are you
afraid to come out TO the forked stick
by tho 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 init
mite mystery. Are We out OF earshot
here?"
Yes" said sandry. lowering his
voice TO hers
DO you happen 10 know whore Fra
49,, got all the holdings of the Uil
lingworth? How he got them"
why. no." said Sandry wond"rinGly.
II suppose h. bought them. as n
company would do"
Yes So tar SO good You know
that all this land was government land
that there are still claims Tying TAR
hack IN the mountains open TO filing
hut all this tine timber close malt
that has a chance OF being got at-haa
been takcn-and have you noticed that
all Of It. or nearly all. belongs 10 ei.
thCr one or the other OF these two
lumber companies?"
"By GEORGE" said Sandry. II hadn't
thought Of that"
And have YOU noticed that zone OF
these claims sc"m "a have been taken
In good faith? That mono NJ the ilers
have complied In spirit with the home.
stead law? have secured these hills
for seven miles every w~ay-cNCcpt
wes;-and at every fling there Is the
barest hold OF tenure-a windowicss
sh~ack--just enough TO nail the law by
its letter. Nowhere have seen a
cleared field. nor one sign OF tillage.
Mr.. Sandry. ! believe We have STUN
bled upon Il huge government swindle.
a case of land.fraud gigantic In It's pro.
portions"
Sandry was aghast. why what do
o mean? Miss Ordway. do you mean
that the companies are crooked"
Not 30 fast. believe Hampden
IL crooked. and that possibly Frazer
was. For the lattor-it IL too late
and not In our scheme to nail him.
But Hampton we'll hang high as Tia.
mainland that before he can ilch the
East Belt with its store OF wealth"
She was leaning very neal as she
whispered this. and In the burst ot
mental light which followed her words
Sandry put his hands on her shoul'
dCrs.
You are positively wonderful" he
brcathed the most wonderful woman
In the whole world How on earth did
you find these things out?"
"Hampdcn." said Poppy with a shrlR
OF her shoulders under Sundry's hands:
hes furnishing data with a ven
geance."
But why? For the love Of heaven.
why are you doing all this? ! cant
Just understand"
With n little. soft motion. charming
In the airy acceptance OF It's own dar
ing, the woman of the world put up
her hand and laid II with a caress over
the II on her shoulder.
Her face, tilted upward IN the dark.
ness, shone like a flower and he could
Just barely soc the curving line In her
lips. dark against its light.
In the mist and the chill the subtle
perfume, that always seemed to strike
ones senses only after she had passed.