Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-01-13

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 nine-tenths Of
the battle Of success and a man with
out them is beaten at the beginning !"
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
selvesg
Sandry. 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,
Il 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 mall
that has chance of being got at-has
been lakeland 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 filing there is the
barest hold of tenure-a windowless
shack-just enough to nail the law by
it's letter Nowhere have seen
cleared field, nor one sign of tillage.
Mr.. Sandry, believe we have STUN
bled upon a huge government swindle,
a case of land-fraud gigantic in it's pro-
portions"
Sandry was aghast. why, what do
you mean? Miss Ordway, do you mean
that the companies are crooked?"
Not SO fast | believe Hampden
is crooked. and that possibly Frazer
was. For the latter-it is too late
and not in our scheme to nail him.
But Hampden well hang high as Ha-
man-and that before he can fitch the
East Belt with its store of wealth"
She was leaning very near as she
whispered this, and in the burst of
mental light which followed her words
Sandry put his hands on her shout
ders.
You are positively wonderful" he
breathed, "the most wonderful woman
in the whole world. How on earth did
you find these things out?.
"Hampden," said Poppy with shrug
of her shoulders under Sandry's hands;
hes furnishing data with q ven
geance"
But why? For the love OF heaven,
why are you doing all this? can't
just understand"
With 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 it with a caress over
the one on her shoulder.
Her face. tilted upward in the dark
ness, shone like flower and he could
just barely see the curving line In her
lips. dark against it's light.
In the mist and the chill the subtle
perfume. that always seemed to strike
ones senses only after she had passed.