The Ordway new era., 1916-06-16

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bisuAture 20 thts right of way eentract
the check, old boy. u yours
"But iputtered Cassidy. with dit
nculty. rive sold this place this min
ute, Mr. Seagrue, to this man Rhine
lander here for ten thousand dollars
DO you mean to say" demanded
Seagrue. impressively, that you don't
consider your property worth fifteen
thousand dollars!"
s"Sure. do" agreed Mike. his eyes
blinking with astonishment.
Then" exclaimed Seagrue. solemn.
ly, this man has fraudulently imposed
on you"
Cassidy. bewildered. looked to his
friendly adviser for q suggestion
"Phwat the divvle m I to do?"
"Do!" thundered Seagrue. seeing
now that he had his victim coming
Tear up your fraudulent contract
here and now and sign an honest one.'
The sturdy pioneer. with a show OF
Indignation. tore up his copy of Rhine
lander's contract, signed a more equi-
table one for the obliging Seagrue and
put another and untainted check for
fifteen thousand dollars into his
pocket
Seagrue beckJfied to his posse OF
men and. headed by Cassidy, they
told Rhinelander and his companions
to get or the premises before they
were put of.
Rhinelander. familiar with the bull
lying tactics of his enemies, saw the
situation he faced. But he stood his
ground before Seagrue and Cassidy.
listening patiently to what the victim
ized old man had to say, but absolute
ly firm in his resolve to stand on his
rights.
MY right OF way is legal" he said
to both men. And I'll bring the law
here right now to enforce it."
Fastening to the telegraph office in
side one Of his outfit cars, he tele-
graphed to Helen:
Seaorue 10 using force to protest my
right Of way. Have attorney meet me
at the depot at II o'clock. Arrange for
4 special to bring deputies up here.
RHINELANDER.
The move was not lost on Seagrue.
When he saw Rhinelander board the
car containing the telegraph outfit, he
summoned his own operator and dis
patched him to spot between Rhine
lander's car and the main line with
instructions to tap in" and take what
ever messages passed. Rhinelander
thus sat in his own car watching the
operator tick on his message to Helen,
and her reply came promptly:
Attorney will meet you on arrival.
Special will be ready to leave any time
after eleven. HELEN.
But Seagrues operator Industrious
ly copied both message and answer
and turned them in to his employer.
Storm, in the meantime, was max
ing the most OF his opportunity, and
with his men on Cassidy's place was
preparing to push possession as far as
possible.
Run the steel cables around the
house. George, and We Will swing it in
later"
After giving this order. Rhinelander
had hastened to the station to meet
the local train when it came in. So
swift. however. had been Seagrue's
dispositions that his redoubtable
scouts. Bill and Lug. were already at
the station with instructions from
Seagrue to delay the special until
nightfall; by which time he reckoned
he could make his possession secure
on the Cassidy place.
These worthless had already reached
the special and boarded it. On the
platform, Rhinelander met Helen and
the attorney she had summoned, and
with him. Rhinelander hastened up
town to get armed deputies-Bill and
Lug now trailing behind to keep track
of every move.
At Cassidy's. Storm was urging his
men to speed on with their track lay
ing. Seagrue's gang was almost
abreast of them and setting pace.
too, that it was difficult to cope with
-Seagrue, himself, directing the oper-
ations. The house, SO long the peace
full abode of old man Cassidy, now be-
came the very storm center of an
extraordinary disturbance. Seagrue
racked his brain for an idea that
would hamper the advance of Storm
and his energetic crew. And when the
inspiration struck him, he put it in
stantly into effect.
They're beating u.s." he said to his
foreman; that's fiat. But can stop
them. Bring up the wrecker."
The word was passed and the pom
derous wrecking car, its huge crane
thrust threateningly forward, was
pushed alongside Cassidy's house and
surrounded by swarming gang Of
men. Seagrue's order to throw out
the whips was instantly executed and
almost within a minute. 1t seemed. aft
er the huge machine had been brought
into play the house was enveloped in q
network Of steel. There was sharp