Meade County news., 1916-10-26

tors meeting that was called, and
wasn't held. three weeks ago."
1t was a crude little expedlent, but
1t sufficed. Cortwright tramped to the
phone and cursed and swore at 1t un-
til he had his man at the other end Of
the wire. The man was the lawyer,
as it'arpeared, and Cartwright abused
him sritefully.
You've balled it-balled It beauti-
fullyi" he shouted. Come over here
to Brouillard's office and bring Sher-
merhorn and the stock and the notes
and Jackson and the secretary's books
and Massingale and your internal self!
Get move, and get it quick! We
stand to lose the whole loaf bees nse
you had to butt in and sweep up
crumbs first!"
When the procession arrived, as 1t
did in an incredibly short time, Brouil-
lard laid down the law.
we don't need these" he said curt
ly, indicating the two deputies who
came to bring David Massingale. And
when they were gone: Nov, 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 a docu-
ment, signed by all of you, acknowl-
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 Leshington, In charge of the
yards. understand what was wanted.
Nov 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 over the stock
transfers, examined the cancelled notes.
and read and witnessed the signatures
on the receipt in full.
Cortwright nodded to the lawyer,
and when Williams began to write
again the king of the promoters
turned upon Brouillard with a savage
sneer.
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."
"WeIl call it an even break when it
is one," retorted Brouillard; and after
he had gathered up the papers he took
the New York check from his pocket
book, indorsed it, and handed 1t 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 Leshington, had rung
the call, and was chuckling 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 it was borne in upon him that
there was trouble of some sort at the
door-there were curses, a blow, a 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'
for!" he ragged, singing out Cartwright
when the dazzle of the electrics per-
mitted him to see. You'll rob an old
and set the sheriff on him, will you-?''
Massingale's pistol was dropping to
the firing level when Brouillard flung
away the telephone earpiece and got
between. Afterward there was q
crash like collision Of worlds, a
whirling, dancing medley of colored
lights fading away to gray and then to
darkness, and the engineer went down
with the avenger Of wrongs tightly
locked in his arms.
|
After the period Of darkness had
passed and Brouillard opened his eyes
again upon the world Of things as they
are, he had a confused idea that he
had oversight shamefully and that the
indulgence had given him bad head
ache.
The next thought was that the head
ache was responsible for set of singu
lar hallucinations. His blanket buni
in the sleeping shack seemed to have
transformed itself into a white bee
with pillows and snowy sheets, ant
the bed was drawn up beside an opeI
window through which he could lool
out, or seem to look out, upon a vas
sea dimpling in the breeze and reflect
ing the sunshine so brightly that !
made his headache darting agony.
When he turned his face to escap
! tho h1ipdipO oIoro NJ tha SIN on th