The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1916-03-31
CHAPTER XIV
Quicksands

service headquarters had been moved
from the log-built offices on the gov
eminent reservation to the commodi-
Gus and airy suite on the sixth floor of
the Niquoia building Brouillard re-
ceived the summons which he had
been expecting ever since the night
of rioting and lawlessness which had
marked the close of the railroad cele-
bration.
Mr.. Cartwright would like to see
you in his rooms at the Metropole,"
was the message the office boy brought,
and Brouillard closed his desk with a
snap and followed the boy to Bongras'.
The shrewd-eyed tyrant of Mirapo-
lis was in his shirt sleeves, busily die
tating to two stenographers alternate
ly, when the engineer entered the third
room of the series; but the work was
suspended and the stenographers were
sent away as soon as Brouillard was
announced.
Well" was the millionaire's greet
ing, you waited to be sent for, didn't
your
Why not?' said Brouillard shortly.
81 have my work to do and you have
yours"
And the two jobs are at opposite
ends of the string, you'd say. Never
mind; we can't afford to throw each
other down. and just now you can
tell me a few things that l want to
know. How is young Massingale get
ting along?"
las well as could be expected. Car
ruthers-the doctor-says he is out of
danger"
HIN. 1t has been handed in to me
two or three times lately that the old
man is out cunning for Van Bruce or
for me. Any truth in that?"
Il think not. Massingale is Ken
tuckian. and I fancy he is quite capa-
BILE of potting either one or both of
you for the attack on his son. But so
far he has done nothing-has hardly
left Steve's bedside
Mr.. ]. Wesley Cartwright flung him
self back in his luxurious swing chair
and clasped his pudgy hands over the
top of his head where the reddish-gray
hair was thinning reluctantly.
I've been putting it off to see which
way the cat was going to jump" he ad
mitted. IF young Massingale is out of
danger, 1t is time to get action. What
was the quarrel about between him
and Van Brucef"
1T occurs to me that your son would
be better source Of information"
said Brouillard, evading.
Van Bruce has told me all he re-
members-which isn't much, owing to
his own beastly condition at the time.
He says young Massingale was TIN eat
ening something-somethin in con
nection with the Coronida grant-and
that he got the insane idea into his
head that the only way to stop the
threat was by killing Massingale"
The sandy-gray eyes of the million
aire promoter were shifting while he
spoke. but Brouillard fixed and held
them before he said: why should
Massingale threaten your son. Mr.,
Cortwright?"
Il don't know" denied the promoter
and he said 1t without fiinching hairs
breadth.
Then can tell you." was the equal
ly steady rejoinder Some time ago
you lent David Massingale. through the
bank, a pretty large sum of money for
development expenses on the Little
Susan taking a mortgage on every
thing in sight to cover the loan. But
when the railroad was an assured fact
he learned that the Red Butte smelt-
ers wouldn't take his ore. giving some
technical reason which he knew to be
a mere excuse"
Mr.. Cartwright nodded. so far you
might be reading 1t out of book
In consequence. David Massingale
finds himself in fair way to become
a broken man by the simplest OF com
mercial processes. The bank holds his
notes. which will presently have to be
paid. II he can't pay. the bank comes
back on you as his indorser. and you
fall back on your mortgage and take
the mine. Isn't that about the size of
IT."
ut 10 exactly the size OF Il. l do
want the Little Susan and I've got
good friend or two In the Red Butte
smelters who will helm me get It,"