Gilpin observer., 1916-05-25

3Ac quoSo0 " uAmpoA1s IOT 'Bn0 B your
woman" And an odd sensation
prickled his skin. tingled at the roots
of his hair. Some way. somehow,
these were Siletz' people-these sifent,
shiftless. well-taught creatures, who
made no use of their talents, yet who
did hard. unnecessary labor at the call
of the blood. f,t, ra
That night, with the raft and even
the two engines under guard and all
the length of track patrolled, he came
In tired. worn to thin edge with
sleeplessness. tense and taut as sing.
ing wire. to meet Miss Ordway.
She slipped her hand into his arm
with little. familiar gesture and
turned him about.
Come along and relax" she said.
you're almost hysterical."
Il believe ! am" said Sandry wea-
rily, though as he stepped out into the
night. soft already with the breath of
spring as Is the way with the coast
country, where the seasons shoulder
each other suddenly for place. he
looked uneasily for Siletz.
Let's go up to the old rollway' It's
deserted and have things to tell
you-oh. many things!"
She laughed. her little ripping
laugh that was SO soft and rich and 1t
soothed the mans strained nerves like
a narcotic.
Miss Ordway sat down. or rather
climbed up. on log that lay beside
the rollway and drew her gray broad
cloth aside.
Sandry settled himself beside her
and took off his hat The soft. changed
breath of the night air was grateful
to him.
"Whe-ew! I'll be thankful when this
strain is over, that raft headed out to
sea and my contract fulfilled never
knew business was SO strenuous"
Miss Ordway looked at him through
the dusk with admiring eyes.
But look how you're succeeding!
Why. it's great!"
"Yes-but for how much of It can
l thank myself? Hampden has me In
bad hole about my great East Belt
the best timber in the region and the
base. practically. of the Dillingworth's
future-and but for these Indians 1
would be now-well, l hate to think
where I'd have been"
"S'h!" said Miss Ordway; mot so
fast about that bad hole. Instead, Mr..
Walter Sandry. we've got your friend
Hampden in the deepest hole he was
ever in in all his life. In fact, when
we say the word, he'll turn over the
East Belt with both hands,"
Sandry held out a hand and Miss
Ordway took 1t, not after her usual
manner of hail-fellow, but with
gentle. proprietary motion. She tapped
the breast of her princess gown.
Il have right here copies of filings
on sixteen claims, all duly put through
by cash entry by as many different
men-and know that Hampden owns
all these numbers, that he furnished
the money for building the cabins. for
fling fees, for advertising, for final
proofs at the land Office and for the
government price of the land. In re-
turn for all this these bogus entry.
men-your drifting gentry of the
spiked boots and the turkey in most
cases-received four hundred dollars
each for the breaking of their faith
with the government. No wonder
Hampden is rich!"
For a long moment Sandry sat in
. silence SO deep that he ceased to
breathe. He was grasping the magni
tude OF the mans daring-the gigantic
risk he ran with his safety in the un
certain hands of sixteen men.
And also he was beginning to com
prehend. wonderingly. the daring OF
this woman. her finesse. her clever
ness and her success.
WONDERFUL" he said at last; "it is
past belief! And how. for the love Of
heaven, did you ever wind up that
commissioner to put his own head In
the moose by giving you those proofs?"
Miss Ordway looked away down the
fast darkening slough, and there was
that In her narrowed. smiling eyes
which. had Sandry seen. would have
shocked him from her.
He didn't give" she said oddly; "I
took"
And something in the speech 81.
fenced the man.
Sometimes" went on this clever
woman. "one will take providing
there is great enough incentive. 1
had a great incentive"
She ceased. waiting. and against his
will Sandry supplied the question.
"What?"
YOU" said Miss Ordway in a whis.
per.
With her pretty. inimitable gesture
OF daring she put up hand. laid It
against his cheek and drew his face
toward her.
Boy" she said In curiously
choked tone, as II emotion dominated
her. "oh, boy! With your youth and
your eagerness. your inherent strength
and your losing battle! Did you not
know that Won were az fro IN na3"