Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-11-17

the second run when they'd come SO
near Citing you the first time"
"You are jacques Dupont, the Indian
trader?n
'sphat's me-only they make it Jake
this side of Ottawa. Marie guessed
you're an army officer
Captain Floyd Hardy, United States
|cavalry," stated the newcomer as he
raised his glasses,
The blond young man Strengthened
lout of his insolently careless pose, and
|spoke in the tone of gentleman;
I"Pleased to meet you, Captain Hardy.
on were in command of the Philip
pine constabulary force that SUPP
lSuiu islands. You received favorable
mention from congress. am Reginald
Eandervyn of the Vaadcrvyns of Stat
Gn Island. Senator Cienlner is my
uncle,'
The captain responded to the intro
duction with a curt bow.
"See anything of the piece, Cap"
asked Dupont.
EYES. They should be here in a few
minutes"
Il see them," said the girl. They're
coming down the slope this side of the
Sioux Creek divide"
They're Slow" growled Vandervy1l.
I'll ride back and head them cross
country. They have good horses They
shall run out every buck in the bunch"
He spun his pony about to sprint
down the road into the coulee Hardy
uttered stern order: 'Halt!'
Angered at the command and still
more at the impulse that compelled
him to obey it, Vandervyn twisted
about in his saddle to face the officer
with a challenging stare.
skeep that talk for your interiors"
he said. Il am acting agent of this
reservation. What say goes. I'll have
those bucks trailed till every one OF
them is in the guardhouse or feeding
the crows"
sfou are mistaken, Mr.. Vandervyn,"
replied Hardy, and he drew an official
envelope from an inside pocket. "You
are only the chief clerk on this reser.
walton. / have been detailed to serve
as acting agent"
'You?" cried Vandervyn. "Why, it
was ali fixed for me to be appointed
agent. My uncle wired me that my
name would go through for the promo
ton without hitch. So you pulled
the wires to cut me out 2"
II pulled no wires Mr.. Vandervyn."
Hardy coldly met the accusation. "On
my return from the islands, last month,
| asked for a detail to active service
in the open, preferably here in the
northwest, on account of my health"
do you mean to say you did not
ask for this place in particular"
mo. The detail was given me be-
cause of the killing of the late agent
and the reported restlessness of the
tribe"
You'll find these ugly bucks differ,
ent from Moros."
Perhaps" said Hardy. He looked
at the two big, lumpy SACKS that were
dashed on the blackboard. "You had
started for the railroad?"
"Pere and Mr.. Van wished to ship
out the ore" explained the girl.
"Ore?" inquired Hardy.
well, yes, it's sort of ore,' adj
mitted Dupont. "You see, me and"
Z It'll make it clear to Captain Hardy |
In two words, jake" broke in Van |
dervyn. He looked at the new agent |
with frank, direct gaze. you see,
captain, some of tbs Indians have been |
getting ore, back in the mountains. |
Jake trades them goods for it. The
barter has been a good thing for them,
and so far, I believe, Jake has lost
nothing"
Dupont narrowed his shreWd gray |
eyes as IL calculating. 'Well, no, that's
no lie, Cap. Take it in the long run, |
amt lost nothing. 1t might figure out |
I've broke even or mebbe some better"
Vandervyn Winked at Hardy. when