The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-09-13

this side Of Ottawa. Marie guessed
you're an army officer"
Captain Floyd Hardy, United States
cavalry" stated the newcomer as he
raised his glasses.
The blond young man Strengthened
out of his insolently careless pose, and
spoke In the one OF n gentleman
"Pleased to meet you, Captain Hardy.
You were In command OF the Philip
pine constabulary force that sup
pressed the recent insurrection In the
Sulu islands. You received favorable
mention from congress. ! am Reginald
Vandervyn OF the Vandervyns Of Stat
en- Island. Senator Clemmer Is my
uncle"
The captain responded to the intro
duction with a curt bow.
"See anything of the preece. Capf"
asked Dupont.
"Yes. They should be here in n few
minutes"
81 see Them" said the girl. "They're
coming down the slope this side Of the
Sioux Creek divide"
They're slow" growled Vandervyn.
"l1l ride back and head them cross
country. They have good horses. They
shall run out every buck In the bunch"
lie spun his pony about t sprint
down the road into the coulee. Hardy
uttered a stern order: "Hnlt"
Angered at the command and still
more ut the impulse that compelled
him to obey It, Vundervyn twisted
about In his saddle 20 face the officer
with Il challenging stare.
keep that talk for your interiors;"
he said. ~ am acting agent of this
reservation. What l say goes. I'll have
those bucks trailed till every one of
them is In the ~guardhouSe or feeding
the crows"
You are mistaken, Mr.. V~andervyn,"
replied Hardy, and he drew an official
envelope from m inside pocket. you
are only The chief clerk on this reser-
walton. have peer detailed to serve
MS acting agent"
Your cried Vandervyn. "Why, It
was all fixed for me to be appointed
agent. My uncle wired me that my
name would go through for the promo
ton without n hitch. So you pulled
the wires to cut me outf"
II pulled no wires, Mr.. Vnndervyn,"
Hardy coldly met the accusation. "On
my return from the islands, last month,
| asked for n detail To active service
In the open, preferably here in the
northwest. on account of my health"
"Do you mean To say you did not
ask for this place in particulars"
mo. The detail was given me be-
tnuse of the killing of the late agent
and the reported rcstlessness of the
tribe"
You'll find these ugly bucks differ
cnt from Moros."
"Perhaps," said Hardy. He looked
at the two big, lumpy sacks that were
dashed on the blackboard. "You had
started for the rnilroad?"
"Pere and Mr.. Van wished to ship
out the ore" explained the girl.
"Ore?" inquired Hardy.
"Weli, yes. It's n sort OF ore," ad-
mitted Dupont. "You see, me and"
"Ill make II clear to Captain Hardy
In two words. jake" broke In Van
dervyn. He looked at the new agent
with a frank, direct gaze. you see,
captain. some OF the Indians have been
getting ore, back In the mountains.
Jake trades them goods for 1t. The
barter has been n good thing for them.
and so far, l believe, Jake has lost
nothing"
Dupont narrowed his shrewd gray
eyes rs II calculating. "Well, no, that's
no lie. Cap. Take 1t In the long run, !
Amt lost nothing. 1t might figure out
I've broke even or mebbe some better"
Vundcrvyn winked at Hardy. "When
nm Indian trader admits he may have
done some better than to have come
out even, We can guess what that
means"
"Nom dun CHEN !" grumbled Dupont.
"Ain't the risk to count?"
at has been an unnecessary risk for
you 10 keep your daughter on the res
ervatlon after the killing OF Mr.. No
gen." reproved Hardy. II presume she
Is now going away, not to return until
the trouble has passed"
i'u uIe iultt ullSiuhtu, tuplulu
Hardy" said the girl. ~ am going for
the drive and to send off a mail order.
We can rely on the police. Anyway,
none of the tribe would hurt me-"
Dupont scratched his head and NUT
tered: "Well, mebbe so. You can't Ill
ways tell what they'll do"
"Why. Pere," exclaimed Marie. "you
know there's not the slightest danger
to me-"
"Well. mebbe MOTTO you" he ac-
guessed.
"Yet II will be advisable for you to
remain AWAY until / have the situation
well in hand" said Hardy.
The girls eyes flashed ut the slight
suggestion of d~ictation. "rll do as I
please, thank you." she rejoined.
'In this instance you may" agreed
Hardy. "since your father admits that
you are In nc danger. Otherwise !
would order you to remain away"
"You'd dare to order mel"