The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-09-15

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wasn't held, three weeks ago."
1t was a crude little expedient, but
It sufficed. Cartwright tramped to the
phone and cursed and swore at it IN
til he had his man at the other end of
the wire. The man was the lawyer,
as 1t appeared, and Cartwright abused
him spitefully.
You've balled it-balled it beauti-
fully!" he shouted. Come over here
to Brouillard's Office and bring Sher-
merhorn and the stock and the notes
and Jackson and the secretarys books
and Massingale and your internal self!
Get q move, and get it quick! We
stand to lose the whole loaf because
you had to butt in and sweep up the
crumbs first!"
. When the procession arrived, as 1t
did in an incredibly short time, Brouil-
lard laid down the law.
1--WE don't need these" he said curt
ly, indicating the two deputies who
came to bring David Massingale. And
when they were gone: Now, gentle
men, get to work and do business, and
the less time you waste the better
chance there will be for your bank
salvage. Three requirements make:
you will turn over the stock, putting
Mr.. Massingale in possession of his
mine, without incumbrance; you will
cancel and surrender his notes to the
bank; and you will give him q docu-
ment, signed by all of you, jacknowl-
edging the payment in full of all
claims, past or pending. While you
are Strengthening things out, I'll ring
up the yards and rally your guard"
Cartwright turned on the lawyer.
you hear what Brouillard says; fix
| it. and do 1t suddenly"
1t was DONE almost before Brouillard
had made Lexington, in charge of the
yards. understand what was wanted.
Now a note to your man at the
mine to make him let go without put
ting us to the trouble of throwing him
over the Dump" said the engineer
when he had looked oyer the stock
transfers, examined the Cancelled notes,
and read and witnessed the signatures
on the receipt in full.
Cartwright nodded to the lawyer,
and when Williams began to write
again the king of the promoters
turned upon Brouillard with a savage
sheer.
Once more you've had your price,"
he snarled bitterly. you and the old
man have bilked us out of what we
spent on the mine. But we'll call it
an even break if you'll hurry that gang
of huskies."
We'll call it an even break when IL |
is one" retorted Brouillard; and after |
he had gathered up the papers he took |
the New York check from his pocket |
book, Endorsed it, and handed it to
Cartwright. THAT is what was spent
out of the hundred thousand dollars
you had Mr.. Massingale charged with.
as nearly as we can ascertain. Take
it and take care of it; It's real money"
He had turned again to the tele-
phone to hurry Lexington, had rung
the call, and was rdhuckling grimly
over the collapse of the four men at
the end Of the mapping table as they
fingered the slip Of money paper. Sud-
denly 1t was borne in upon him that
there was trouble of some sort at the
door-there were curses, a blow, mad
rush; then 1t was Stephen Mas
singale who had fought his way past
the door-guarding sentry and stood
blinking at the group at the far end
Of the mapping board.
You're the houn' dog I'm. lookin'
fort" he ragged, singing out Cartwright :,
when the dazzle of the electrics per-
nitted him to see. you'll rob an old
nan first, and then call him a thief
ind set the sheriff on him, will you-?"
Massingale's pistol was dropping to
he firing level when Brouillard flung
way the telephone earpiece and got 9
between. Afterward there was a l
crash like a collision of worlds,
yhirling, dancing medley of colored b
lights fading away to gray and then to
arkness, and the engineer went down "
With the avenger of wrongs tightly
ocked in his arms. tt
After the period of darkness had p
assed and Brouillard opened his eyes n
gain upon the world of things as they
re, he had a confused idea that he N
ad oversight shamefully and that the d.
Indulgence had given him bad head II
che. ri
The next thought was that the head W
che was responsible for set OF singu-
r Authorizations. His blanket bunk tn
the sleeping shack seemed to have hs
ansformed itself into white bed M
it'll pillows and snowy sheets, and in
le bed was drawn up beside an open us
indow through which he could look 1t
It, or seem to look out, upon a vast H,
"a dimpling in the breeze and reflect it
& the sunshine so brightly that 1t tr,
ade his headache darting agony.
When he turned his face to escape tel
Q binding glare of the sun on the he
a the Authorizations became sooth- An
ely comforting, not to say ecstatic tel
was sitting on the edge of
9 bed; cool hand was laid on his 'sN
and when he could again ag;
9 straight he found himself looking