The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-08-31
A NOVEL A WEEK.
Next Week
'Langford of the Three Bars"
BY Kate and Virgil BOyles.

/ portunity for changing the sub
ject.
Ruth paid little attention to
what he was saying. She was
puzzling about Clay's connection
with Jimmy's affairs, and search
ing for some reason for Clay's
evident attitude. She was not
sorry when he and Osborne rose
and turned toward the smoking
room, for she wanted to question
Aynsley.
THE old man came along when
! was away and cut down the
yard gang" he explained. "He's
smart about handling men eco
nomically, and thought I was pay
ing too much in wages"
But why did he pick out those
three? Didn't they work well?"
so far as | could see, they
were pretty smart; but I'm not So
good judge. Anyway, he didn't
explain"
"Then you asked him about
it?"
yes" Aynsley answered. "Still
I couldn't go too far. didn't
want him to think I resented his
Interference. After all, he
bought me the mill"
In the luxuriously appointed
smoking room of the hotel Clay
leaned forward in the deep leath-
err chair into which he had drop
ped and looked keenly at Osborne.
Tell me how you are interest
ed in this fellow Farquhar," he
demanded.
~ don't know that I am much
interested" Osborne replied. HE
was of some service to us during
our voyage from Japan, and SEEM
ed smart young fellow. He
merely struck me that l might
give him a lift up in return for
one or two small favors."
Let him drop! He's one of the
fellows who were working at the
wreck"
"Ah! That makes a difference,
of course. l suppose you have
been on their trail, but you have
told me nothing about 1t yet"
i've gone as far as seems ad-
visable. Had the fellows fired
from several jobs and made 1t
difficult for them to get another"
"You meant to break them?"
"Sure A man without money Is
pretty harmless; but wages are
high here, and if they'd been left
alone, they might have saved
enough to give them a start. Now
don't imagine the poor devils
have ten dollars between them"
whats your plan? If we could
buy the wreck We could blow it
up
1--WE can blow it up, anyway.
That is, If we can get there be-
fore the Farquhar crowd. We
have steam against their sail. and
I've made it difficult for them to
fit out their boat. I'll get off in
the yacht as soon as the ice
breaks up"
They talked over the matter
until it got late; and the next
morning the party broke up, the
Osbornes returning home and
Aynsley going back to his mill.
Clay, however, stayed in Van
couver and visited a doctor who
was beginning to make his mark.
He had been troubled rather oft
en- of late by sensations that puz-
zled him. The doctor examined
him with careful interest and told
him he had a serious derange-
ment of the heart which might
have been inherited, but had been
developed by his having taxed his
strength too severely.
Clay listened with a hardening
face.
whats the cure?" he asked.
There is none," said the doc
tor quietly. ~ general slacken-
ing of tension will help. l rec
ommend a three months change
with complete rest, but there will
always be some risk of seizure.
Your aim must be to make 1t as
small a risk as possible"
And IL l go on as I've been
doing?"
The doctor gave him a keen
glance. He was a judge of char
acter, and saw this was a deter
mined, fearless man.
"You may live three or four
years, though I'm doubtful. On
the other hand. the first sharp at
tack you provoke may finish
you"
Clay showed no sign of dismay.
He looked thoughtful rather than
startled, for something had oc-
Cured to him.
Would you recommend a voy-
age to a cold. bracing climate, say
in the spring."
I'D urge it now. The sooner
the better"