Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-07-20

CnOuSuC
This is amazing" he said b%rusquely
after a moment Its vital. 1t affects
all my plans. must know everything
at once"
I'm sorry l paid so little attention."
Never mind. Try it again and be
diplomatic. II O'Neil won't tell YOU,
question Appleton. You can wind him
around Your fingers easily enough, |
am sure"
The girl eyed him with a quick
change of expression.
Isn't 1t enough to know that the
trust has nothing to do With the S. r.
and NJ"
mo-" he declared impatiently. II
must know the whole inside of this
secret undcrstanding-this b,ackmail or
whatever it is"
Then I'm sorry"
Come. Don't be silly. You can do
me q great service"
"Iou said you no longer disliked
Mr.. O'Neil and that he couldn't harm
you"
Well, Well! Must l explain the
why's and wherefores OF every move I
make?"
1T would be spying if l went back.
The matter is confidential. l know
that"
will you do as l ask" he de-
handed.
Natalie answered him firmly: No. I
told you what | did tell only so that
you might correct'-
You rebel, eh?" Gordon spoke out
%furiously.
He strobe angrily from the room,
leaving Natalie staring out upon the
bleak fall scene her shoulders very
straight, her breast heaving. Gloria
did not venture to address her.
Fortunately for the peace of all con-
cerned. Gordon left for Seattle on the
next steamer. Neither of the women
believed that Natalie's fragmentary
revelation was the cause OF his depart
ure; but, one in touch with outside
affairs, he lost no time in running
down the clews he had gathered, and
it was not long before he had learned
enough to piece the truth together.
Then he once more brought his mimeo-
graph into use.
The first winter snow found O'Neil's
track laid to the bridge site and the
structure itself we'll begun. He had
moved his office out to the front and
now saw little Of Eliza. who Was
busted in writing her book. She had
finished her magazine articles, and they
had been accepted, but she had given
him no hint as to their character.
One afternoon Happy Tom burst in
upon his chief. having fastened out
from Omar on a construction train.
Drawing a Seattle paper from his
pocket, he began excitedly:
We'll, the fats in the fire, Murray.
Somebody has belched up the whole
North Pass story"
O'Neil seized the newspaper and
scanned it hurriedly. He looked up.
scowling.
"Who gave this out?" he inquired in
a harsh voice.
Slater shrugged. Its in the Cortez
Courier, too, so 1 s'pose it came from
Gordon. Blessings come from one
source, and Gordon's the fountain of
all evil. I'm getting so 1 blame him
for everything unpleasant"
Where did he learn the inside of
Ills deal? By heaven, there's a leak
somewhere"
Maybe he uncovered it back there
in the States"
knows anything about it except you
boys"
Then he seized the telephone at
his elbow and called DR.. Gray, while
Tom listened with his shining forehead
puckered anxiously. O'Neil hung up
with a black face.
"Appletonw he said. .
Tom looked, il possible, a shade
gloomier than usual. II wouldn't be
too sure it was Dan if I was YOU" he
ventured doubtfully.
"Where is he?" O'Neil ground out
the words between his teeth.
surveying the town site addition.
IL LIZ iCI any LIiIlS SIP IL WAS by mis-.
take"-
Mistake! I won't employ people
who make mistakes Of that kind. This
story may bring the Canadian govern
ment down on Hills and forfeit his
North Pass charter, to a nothing of
our authorities. That would finish u.s.
He rose, went to the door and ordered
the recently arrived engine uncouplcd.
Flinging himself into his fur coat, he
growled:
I'D much rather have a crook I'M
der me than a fool. Appleton told us
he talked too much"
CHAPTER XVII.
O'Neil Verifies Suspicious.
"HE locomotive had been switch
ed out by this time, and O'Nei
hurried to board it. On his way
to Omar he had time thorough
ly to weigh the results of this unex
pected complication. His present de
sire was merely to verify his suspicion