Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-12
OopyEigh& b. Chss. scribnG's Sons
CHAPTER VIII.
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Brewster had grown Into city.charter
vize and Importance with the opening
" the gold mines In the Gloria district,
and the Transformation Of the sur
rounding park grasslands into cult-
waited ranches. A summer hotel on the
shore Of Lake Topaz-reached only BY
stage from Brewster-had added its
influence; and since the hotel brought
people with well-lined pocketbooks.
there was a field for the enthusiastic
real-estate promoters whose Offices
filed all the odd corners in the Ho-
phra House block.
In one Of those ofices, on the morn
ing following Smiths first dinner at
Hillcrest, q rather causHc colloQuy
was in progress between the man
whose name appeared in gilt lettering
on the front windows and one Of his
unofficial assistants. Crawford Stan
ton, he Of the window name, was .
man Of many personalities. To sum-
mer visitors with money to invest he
was the genial promoter, and If there
were suggestions Of iron hardness in
the sharp jaw and in the smoothly
shaven face and hinty eyes, there was
also q pleasant reminder Of Eastern
business methods and alertness In the
promoters manner. But Lanterby,
fitting uneasily In the CONFIDENTIAL
chair at the desk-end, knew another
and more biting side Of Mr.. Stanton.
as hired man win.
"Good heaveni do you sit there and
tell me that the three Of them let that
hobo Of Williams push them of the
map7 And do You say all this hap
pened the day before yesterday: how
does 1t come that you are just now re-
porting 1T"
The hard-faced henchman in the
fitting chair made such explanations
as he could.
"Boogerheld and his two partners We
been hidin' out somewhere; I allow
they was plumb ashamed to come in
and tell how they'd let one man run
'em Oh"
'swhat Do you know about this fell
low Smith, Who Is he, and where
did he como hom7'
Lanterby told all that was known
of Smith, and had no difficulty in COM
pressing It into single sentence. STAN
ton leaned back in his chair and the
lids Of the ninty eyes narrowed
thoughtfully.
'.There's q lot more to it than that, !"
he said incisively at the end Of the
reflective pause Then he added q
curt order: '1fake It your job to nnd
out"
Lanterby moved uneasily in his In.
secure seat, but before he could speak.
his employer went on again, changing
the topic abruptly. but still keeping
within the faultfnding boundaries.
'What sort Of q screw has gone
loose in your deal with the railroad
men? Williams got two cars q ce-
ment and one Of steel the day before
Yesterday three hours after the stuff
came In from the East"
Again Lanterby tried to explain.
'Dougherty, the yardmaster. took
the bank roll slipped him, all right
enough, and promised to help out. But
he's scared Of Maxwell"
Maxwell is a thick.headed ass 7"
exploded the Pathfinder. Ellis entire
railroad outfit, from President Brew
ster down, IS lined up on the other side
OF the light. But 80 On Nth ycG.
dickering. Jerk Dougherty into line.
Now 60 out and ind Shaw. I want
him, and want him right now"
The hard-faced man who looked as
IL he might be q broken-down gambler,
unjointed his leg-hold upon the tilted
chair and went out; and few minutes
later another Of Stanton's payroll men
drifted in. He was atyoung fellow
with sleepy eyes and cigarette stains
on his fingers, and he would have
passed for q railroad clerk out Of a
lob, which was what he really was.
'Well?' snapped Stanton when the
incomer had taken the chair lately va
Gated by Lanterby.
Il Swallowed the colonel, as you told
me to-" said the young man. HE went
up to Red Butte to see If he couldn't
rope In some Of the old-ttmers on his
ditch project. He was trying to sell
some treasury stock. His one-horse
company Il about out Of money.
Mickle, Z clerk in Kinzes bank. tells
me that the ditch company's balance Is
drawn down to few thousand dollars
with no more coming In"
did the colonel succeed In making
a raise In Red Butter
sNary,n said the spy nonchalantly.
!.sDrake, the banker up there, was his
one best bet /; but l got man I know
to give Drake Z pointer, and he curled
up like hedgehog when you poke 1t
with sharp stick"
.That's better. The colonel came
back yesterday. didn't her,
yesterday afternoon. His wife md
daughter met him, and told him some
thing or other that made him drive up
to the dam" ;
"You followed?" queried Stanton.
"Yes, and when got there the
colonel was shut up In Williams Of
nee with a; fellow named Smith. When
got Z place to listen In they were
getting ready to quit, and the colonel
was saying: That settles 1t, Smith;
you've got to come over into'-I didn't
catch the name Of the place and help
u.s. S & *. y
Again the gentleman with the sharp
jaw took time for narrOw-eyed refec-
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