Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-31
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Paee.setter.


Smith mnde an early breakfast on
The morning following the auto drive
to the abandoned mine. hoping thereby
to avoid meeting both Miss Richlander
and Jibbey. The Hophra cafe was
practically empty when he went In
and took his accustomed place at one
OF the alcove tables, but he had barely
given his order when Starbuck ap-
peared and came to Join him.
you're looking a whole lot better
this morning. John" said the mine
owner quizzlcally. as he held up
finger for the waiter. "How's the
grouchf
Smiths answering grin had some
thing OF its former goOd-nature In II.
"Today's the day, Billy" he said. ''To-
morrow Mt midnight we must have the
water running in the bitches or lose
our franchise. It's chasing around in
the back part of my mind that Stanton
win make his grandstand play today.
I'm not NARROWING any grouches on the
edge of the battle. They are a handi-
cnp. anyway, and always"
That's good medicine talk" said the
older man, eying him keenly. And
then; you had us all guessing, yester-
day and the day before, John. You
sure was acting as II you'd gone plumb
locoed"
II was locoed," was the quiet ad-
mission.
''what cured your
"It's too long a story to tell over the
breakfast table. What do you hear
from Willlamsf"
"All quiet during the night; but the
weather reports are soaring him up
good bit this morning"
'Storms on the ranger
ayes. The river gained four feet
last night, and there is flood water and
drift coming down to beat the band.
Just the same, BARLEY says he is
going to make good"
Smith nodded. Barley is all right
the right man in the right place. Have
you seen the colonel since he left the
offices last evening?"
"Yes. I drove him and Corona out
TO the ranch In my new car. He said
he'd lost his roadster; somebody had
sneaked in and borrowed It."
~ suppose he told you about the
latest move-our move-in the stock.
selling gamer
"No, he didn't; but Stillings did. You
played It pretty fine, john only hope
to gracious we won't have to redeem
those options. It would bust our little
inside crowd wide open to have to buy
in all that stock at par"
Smith laughed. Sufficient unto tn,
day Billy. 1t was the only way t
block Stanton. It's neck or nothing
with him now, and he has only on,
more string that he can pull"
"The railroad right-of-way deal 2
"Yes; he has been holding that IL
reserve-that and one other thing"
"what was the other thingT" Star
buck was absently fishing for a sec
ond lump of sugar in the sugar bowl
HAS Il got anything to do with tn,
bunch of news that you won't tel
us-about yourself, JohnT
'Tt has. Two days ago, Stanton hat
me fairly, but friend Of mine steppe,
In. Last night, again, he stood to vii
out. But man fell into the river, an,
Stanton lost out once more"
Stnrbuck glanced up soberly. "You'r
talking in riddles now, John. don
sabe."
ut isn't necessary for you TO sab'
Results are what counts. Barring acc
dents, you Timanyoni High Lin
people can reasonably count on havin
me with you for the next few critlcs
days; and, may add, you neve
needed me more pointedly."
Sturbuck's smile was face-wide.
II hope l don't feel sorry" he r.
marked. "Some day, when you ca
take an hour or so off, I'm going {
get you 10 show me around in you
little mu-zeeum Of self-conceit, Johl
Maybe can learn how to gather M
up one"
Smith matched the mine owner
good-natured smile. For some unel
plainable reason the world, his particl
lar world, seemed to have lost II
mallgnance. He could even think {
Stanton without bitterness; and tn
weapon which had been weighing n
hip pocket for the past few days ha
been carefully buried In the bottom
the lower dressing-case drawer befol
he came down to breakfast
"You may laugh, Billy, but you