The Red Cloud chief., 1917-08-23

here that Starbuck found him.
"what?" said the new secretary,
M from his work when Star
bucks wiry figure doomed In the door
way, 81 thought you were once more
a family man, and had cut out the
night prowling."
Starbuck jackknifed himself COM
fortably In a chair.
81 was. But the little girls run
away again; gone with her sister
MaxwelPs wife, you know--to Denver
to get her teeth fixed; and I'm foot
loose. Been butting in a little on
your game, this evening, just to be
doing. How's tricks with you. nowT"
"We're strictly in the fight" de
clared Smith enthusiastically. I'VE
closed the deal today for the last half
mile Of the main ditch right OF way.
which puts us up on the mesa slope
above the Escalante grant. II they
knock us out now, they'll have to do
1t with dynamite"
ayes" said the ex-cOwman, Thought
fully; with dynamite" Then: How
Is williams getting alOngT
"Fine! The water is crawling up on
him a little every night, but with no
| accidents, he'll be able to hold the
food rise when 1t comes. The only
thing that worries me now IL the time
limit"
"The time limitr' echoed S%tarbuck.
"What's that2"
"It's the handicap we inherit from
the original company. Certain state
rights to the water were conveyed In
the old charter, on condition that the
project should be completed. or ut least
be far enough along to turn water INTO
the bitches, by a given date. This time
limit, which carries over from Timan-
yoni Ditch to TimanyOni High Line,
expires next week. We're petitioning
for an extension, but II we don't get
It we shall still be able to back the
water I'D so that 1t will flow into the
lower level Of bitches by next Thurs
day; that is, barring accidents"
ayes; with no accidents" unused
Starbuck. Cant get shut Of the IT,
no way mol shape, can wef So that's
? why the Stanton people have been
!, fighting SO wolashly for delay. Is It'll
|, John, this is a wicked, wicked world"
, Then he switched abruptly. "Where
: did you corral all those good looks you
, took to the opera house last night
JohnT
{ Smiths laugh was strictly perfume
tory.
"That was Miss Vera Richlander, ar
q old friend Of mine from back home
She Is out here with her father. ant
q the father has gone up into the Topaz
country to buy him a gold brick"
q mot In the Topaz" Starbuck strucl
@ in loyalty. "We don't make the brick
4 I'D there-not the phOny kind. Blu
It let that go and tell me something else
e A while back, when you were givini
p me a little song and dance about tn
~colOnel's daughter, you mentioned ar
q other woman--though not by name, !
II you happen to recollect. I was jus
n wondering II this Miss Rich-people, O
whatever her name Is, might be tn
a other one"
Il. Again the new secretary laughed
st this time without embarrassment
Of you've called the turn, Billy. She
ic the other one"
IN "H'm; chasing you up4'
w "Oh. no; 1t was just one Of II
,r. near-miracles. She didn't know
lis was here, and I had no hint that 81
rs was coming"
en- "All right it's your roast not min
ed But I'm going to pull one chestnut o.
of the fire for you, even II / do &
ny nv fingers burned. This Miss Rlc
in folks has had only n day here
Brewster, but she's used 1t In gettil
n mighty chummy with the Stanton
,m Does that figure as news to your"
II. ut does" said Smith simply; and
in. added: II don't understand It,"
led Sunny" remarked the ex-cowma
ms ut didn't ball me up for more than
the minute or two. Stanton fixed 1t sol
the way-because he needed to. Tell I
something, John: could this Miss RID
Gu garden help Stanton out In any of
sit little schemes, II she took a notion
md Smith turned away and stared at I
the blackened square of outer darkn'
n a living beyond the office window.
tile "She could, Billy-but she won't"
answered.
"You can dig up your last dollar o
hen bet on that. can your
,om eyes, I think I can"
ers. "H'm; that's just what l was m
mel afraid Of"
nan "Don't be an ass. Billy"
up "Tm trying mighty hard not to
the John, but sometimes the ears will q
ntly on the bsst of us-in spite of the de
What I mean Is this: l saw you
when you came out Of the Hop
dining room together last night, an
saw the look In that girls eyes.
YOU know what I said to myself RI
Miss then, John2 l said: oh, you little
ho- 80 M tho HiIIcresf ranch-pOOd