Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-04-12

AFTER the otiicer let, dupont ssa,an
ed across the table at her and began
to scratch his head.
"You and Mr.. Van burned q lot Of
coal oil last night. He didn't git far
enough along to ask you to hitch up
with him, did he7"
A red blush famed In the gisi's
cheeks. Without looking up, she muir
INJURED a regretful "No."
"Guess he figures he'll wait and sec
IL Hardy is going to bust US up. L,ke
as not he'll skip back east IL Hardy
gifts sore and chokes OF our bold On
the mine."
"what do you meant He'd send
Reggie away. The stih, solemn OLD
fogy-I hate him!"
EASY, easy, girlI' soothed Dupont.
'No use plunging when you're hitched
to the snubbing post. Just now he's
got US roped. He'll have us all hog
tied If we 60 to buckiaS. We've lot
to make him think we're gensled."
"What IL we act toward him as We
feelY'
"You don't savvy about that mine.
Me and Nogen discovered It and paid
honest for developing 1t, as you know.
Well, we let Mr.. Van in OIL It. Then
Nogen up and gifts killed. That makes
1t half and half between lae and Mr..
Van, according to all that's fair and
square. But do you believe Hardy will
look at 1t that way7 Not by a-con-
siderable. He'll talk about It being the
tribes. Just because It's ga the reser.
vation."
II sect" The girls eyes flashed, and
her nostrils dilated. "He will rob you
and Reggie of a fortune-yet you wish
me to be nice to him!"
"You bet I do! Can't you git the
point? He amt going to be blufted
into quitting. That means we got to
make friends with him or lose the
nine"
"Ohl So that is it7''
"Yep. Worst Of it IL he's one Of
them there fellows what stand 80
straight they lean backwards. We
talked to him about how IL would help
the tribe If he Joined us in opening the
mine. He was mighty offish. Guess
we'll have to give him Nogen's third to
get him into our camp"
"What shame! The mine is yours
and Reggie's. He hasn't done thing
toward developing it,
II know. But he's the agent. He's
got us roped. He can rob us of our
mine If we don't make friends with
him. Now do you savvy?"
The girls thick black eyebrows met
In frown Of vexation. IF he is
man whose friendship must be bought.
I do not wish to be pleasant to him."
"1t's business, Marie. There amt
no two ways about it. Mr.. Vans hang.
ing fire. awaiting to see IL we lose
the mine. If we do, he can't afford to
marry no poor girl of . reservation"
every well. shall make myself
agreeable to Captain Hardy. But wait
until I am free to pay him out for It'll"
"Nom dun chienl" muttered Dupont
at sight Of her Strengthened lips.
'That's the 1njun in you. Don't let
him see you look that way till after
we git the mine cinched."
Il am not fool, mon pere."
Dupont shook his grizzled heed du.
biously.
But at midday, when Hardy came
over for the noon dinner, Marie 70.
ceived his courteous greeting with Q
graciousness that soon lightened the
pensive severity Of his look. Before
the end Of the meal they were chatting
in a manner that brought q twinkle
into Dupont's cunning eyes.
The girl proposed a ride up the val.
ley. Hardy was greatly pleased. He
had already grasped the simple details
of the agency business, and now, pend.
ing the absence Of Vandervyn and RED.
bear, had nothing to do except instruct
the police in his ideas Of cleanlines,
and discipline.
Marie never looked more charming
than when on q horse. She took her
new friend for a long ride around one
Of the mountains. Every cliff and
rock and piney slope was familiar to