The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-01
(Continued.)

Qlrectlon or neaVy SmOke clOO0 that had followed sharp blast to the north of them, Steve felt the weight of Ali sons questioning glance.
 "We,' he echoed. Where do I fig ure in it?''
 The younger mans upward glance was seemingly surprised.
 ''You? Why, you're a stockholder. Itsmeans as much to you as it does to MT. Ainnesley and MT. Elliott"
 Allison interrupted him.
 ''Of course!" he exclaimed. "Surely! I see! What I mean was how in the world can I make them understand that such a fool idea is all wrong? So far as this constructive work is con- cerned, I'm not an active member. I T had that understood with Elliott when I went into this thingv'
 "Of course" Steve in turn broke in. 'I understand that. But they know you; they know that Morrison would be nothing more than a street of well kept lawns and COW pastures if you hadn't seen its possibilities. And so I've already told some of them, MT. AL lison. I've gone even further and giv- en a lot of them my word that you'll guarantee yourself that this is the big gest thing for the good of this section that has yet happened"
 The speaker smiled frankly into the bigger mans eyes.
 And that was all they needed, was it?" Allison queried, at length. "That fixed it, did itY
 "Absolutelyw Steve's cheeriness should have been infectious. "Abso- lutely, MT. Allison. A lot of people have come to look on your word as law in this country, you know-a lot of them!'
 "Hum-m," replied Allison. 'Hum-m."
 Both of them were quiet for time. Steve's next remark brought Allison's head up sharply.
 'I meant to bring some of my esti- mates and plans down with me when came," he told him. You spoke of wanting to run over the whole prop osition with me, you'll remember, the first day you arrived"
 Allison nodded shortly. '1 remember"
 "I'll bring them next ttip," Steve finished. T came so near to losing them last night that I'm taking no chances until they're in duplicate. We can run over them later?'
 Allison wheeled and gazed meditat- ingly toward the group who were slow ly moving their way. His daughter, Barbara, with Wickersham at her side, was in the lead.
 Any time," he agreed. There's no particular hurry"
 And then moment later, just when she was beginning to wonder wheth- CT he was purposely avoiding her, Bar. bara was surprised at the calm ease with which Steve took her away from her tall escort. She had noticed that Wickersham and Steve had not touch ed hands when they first met, an hour or two before. nor even hinted at such a salute. But now, as earlier in the day when her dash toward the stables had left him standing rigid fin the mid dle of the lawn, she failed to see the expression that settled upon Wicker shams long face. It was Dexter Ali son this time who noticed it, and hours later, when he and Wickersham sat and faced each other in the downstairs room in the house on the hill which served as Allison's office, he remem- bered and recognized it.
 "Yeu wanted to talk with me" Wickersham inquired as he entered the room that evening.
 Somehow Wickersham's intending pc likeness had always irritated Allison. That night his smoothly infectionless question nettled him.
 Your internal fool, Harrigan, bun gled last nightr' he blurted out. "He messed things up beautifully. He not only failed, but he failed to get away without being seen. That's what comes Of intrusting job like that to a drunk en sot."
 Wickersham seated himself-sat and caressed cigarette. Coolly he waited and blinked his eyelids.
 man?"
 "Ours, then" Allison corrected sharp ly-"ours." Then he seemed to recol- lect himself and his voice became less abrupt. Listen. This afternoon bad talk with O'Mara-that is, started to have talk with him. but-but he beat me to it. And in just about three min utes he told me that he'd caught Har- rigan on the job-not mentioning any names, I don't mean-but he didn't need to. And be told me more than that. He as good as gave me to un- derstand that he'd Klo~ wfere to place the blame if there was any more interference with his men,"
 Wickersham crossed long leg ana blew thin blue streamer of smoke.
 "Yes?' he intoned bodilessly.
 It brought a blaze to Allison's eyes, that nerveless monosyllable.
 That doesn't interest you. eh?" he snapped. Doesn't interest you at all! Well, it does me. Three moHrhs ago l bought into this affair because was as sure as any man coGld he that I'd collect 100 per cent on thy money next spring. Elliott and Ainnesley: Pan! Nice gentle old ladies when it comes to a game like this. They're anacnro-