The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-01-18
CHAPTER VII.
Best-lald Schemes.

Hardy had gone to the Duponts' for
supper when Vanderyyn returned to
the agency. He made a hasty toilet
and followed. Marie met him with
marked GOODNESS. This, however, melt
ed before he had finished his report to
Hardy. All agreed that the old chief
probably would take q fancy to Olnna,
and that, as Il result, there would be
q fair chance of pacifying the tribe.
When Hardy turned to the girl, he
found her and Vandervyn exchanging
g~lances and %murmurlng remarks. His
habltual gravity softened to n smile
Of wistful sadness. At the first oppor-
tunity he excused himself. Midnight
had passed before the light In the little
cltlfied parlor of the Dupont house was
~extlngulshed.
When, at sunrise, Hardy went for
breakfast, Marle's eyes were very
bright and her look was penslve. She
ate little, and her manne toward Har-
dy was cold and ungracl0us.
After the officer left, Dupont squlnt-
cd across the table ut her and began
to scratch his head.
"You and Mr.. Van burned n lot Of
coal oil last night. He didn't git far
enough along to ask you to hitch up
with him. did he?"
A red blush famed In the girls
cheeks. Without looking up, she mur-
INJURED q regretful "No."
"Guess he figures he'll walt and see
II Hardy is going to bust us up. Like
as not he'll skip back east II Hardy
gifts sore and chOkes off our hold on
the mlne."
"What do you mean2 He'd send
Reggie away. The stlN, solemn old
fogy--I hate him !"
EASY, easy, girl |" soothed Dupont.
mo s %plunglng when you're hitched
to the snubblng post. Just now he's
got us rOped. He'll have us all hog
tied IL we go to bucklng. We've got
to make him think we're gentled."
"What If we act toward him as we
feel?"
"You don't sayvy about that mine.
Me and Nogen discovered II and paid
honest for developing 1t, as you know.
Well, we let Mr.. Van In on 1t. Then
Nogen up and gifts killed. That makes
It half and half between me and Mr..
Van, according TO all that's fair and
square. But do you believe Hardy will
look at 1t that way? Not by a-con-
siderable. He'll talk about 1t being the
tribes, just because It's on the reser-
vation."
~ see" The girls eyes flashed, and
her nostrils dllated. "He will rob you
and Reggie of n fortune-yet you wish
Inc to be nice to hlm!"
"You bet l dol Can't you git the
point? He amt going to be blufred
into quitting. That means we got to
make friends with him or lose the
NINE"
"0hl So that Is IT."
"Yep. Worst OF II Is he's one of
them there fellows what stand so
straight they lean backwards. We
talked to him about how 1t would help
the tribe II he Joined us In opening the
mine. He was mighty onlsh. Guess
We'll have to give him Nogen's third to
get him into our camp"
"What a shame! The mine is yours
and R~eggle's. He hasn't done n thing
toward developing It,"
~ know. But he's the agent. He's
got us roped. He can rob us of our
mine II we don't make friends with
him. Now do you savvy?"
The girls thick black eyebrows met
In q frown of veXation. IF he Is n
man whose friendship must be bought,
| do not wish to be pleasant to him."
Its business, Marie. There amt
no two ways about 1t. Mr.. Vans hang
Ing fire, awaiting to see IL we lose
the mine. II we do, he can't afford to
marry no poor girl Off n reservation"
every well. l shall make myself
agreeable to Captain Hardy. But wait
until l am free to pay him out for It'll"
"Nom dun chen !" muttered Dupont
ut sight Of her Strengthened lips.
THAT'S the InJun In you. Don't let
him see you look that way till after
we git the mine clnched."