Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-17

penultureS now. suppose get Rose
dale to build the Eastern in?"
"All the same to me- declared
Hogan.
Keep the news out OF the papers,
cautioned Desmond.
They've got it already" grinnet
Hogan as he left
Shortly thereafter, Burke and Des
mond walked downstairs together
Marshall and Masters, having reached
Mountain Springs on another train
saw the two leaving the building ant
hailed them. Desmond scowled. He
disliked being seen with the now
notorious Raiders: Get those fel
lows in room and keep them out oi
sight" he muttered to Burke. "And
you meet at Rosedale's house to.
night"
"Who's Rosedale?" demanded
Burke.
Vice president of the Eastern" re-
piled Desmond gruffly.
Roy, after his exciting brush with
Burke, has gone home with Helen
and Webb for dinner. In the even.
ing papers they found an odd item:
tom Jenkins burro, Two Bits IS
responsible for the greatest copper
discovery of recent years. Peacock
Hill is twenty miles from the X. &
w. and twenty-eight miles from the
Eastern. Negotiations have been
made for the construction Of branch
line. The Hit appears to be a solid
body of ore and the latest reports in
dicate that it is assaying better than
40 per cent"
The strange story OF tn stubborn
burro and the disgruntled prospector
caused laugh as Helen read the re.
mainder of the news item to her COM
panions. Then Roy re-read the men,
ton OF the projected branch line
Webb and he were trying to figure
out just what that angle OF the news
might mean, when Helen recalled
having seen Hogan at headquarters:
Don't you remember?" she said,
turning to Roy. "Ill bet that's the
man that went in to see Desmond
this afternoon just as we were leav-
ing"
"He was from Copper City," said
Webb. 81 know that because I've
seen him there"
80 have IT, declared Roy. "I'll
just telephone Desmond and find out
when we are going to begin construc-
ton"
He called Desmond up at the office,
only to find that he had gone by ap-
pointment to Rosedale's home.
"Roscdale," echoed Roy, hanging
up the receiver as he turned again to
Helen. "Why,' he asked slowly,
Should Desmond have an appoint
ment with the vice president Of CTR
enemy, the Eastern"
Suppose we walk down toward
Rosedale's," suggested Helen. 1--WE
may pick up some information
AS soon as they finished dinner the
three started for Rosedale's residence,
and after some discussion resolved on
reconnoiterinG the house to learn if
possible what was going on. In a
very few moments Webb discovered
that Desmond, Burke and Rosedale
were in close conference together
within. THAT" declared Roy. means
crooked work" He looked at his
companions. What shall we dor"
Watch them," laughed Helen, "and
see what they do"
Vigilance was not relaxed for a mo-
ment while the conspirators inside
were planning their scheme. The
watchers saw Rosedale debating to
secretary what proved to be an agree
ment between the Eastern railroad
and the Peacock Copper company
for the construction of a branch to
the Hill. When the paper had been
run off on the typewriter in duplicate,
Rosedale and Desmond read it over
and Rosedale signed the original
copy, and gave it to Desmond. Des-
mond in turn handed the contract
to Burke with instructions to deliver
it in the morning to Hogan. The
duplicate copy, Rosedale likewise
signed and this he threw into his
desk.
The plot being now well under way,
the conspirators parted. Hardly had
they done so when Helen and Roy
made their way into the room, found
and read the signed agreement and
knew that their suspicious had been
correct. Desmond had fraudulently
and treacherously sold out the road
that was supplying his bread and but
ter. And Rosedale in conniving with
him had shown himself hardly better
than Desmond himself. Roy and
Helen now returned with Webb to
his home.
But Helen believed she could still
eircumvent the betrayal of Roy's in
terests. She reread the agreement
carefully; We'll fight fire with fire."
she declared at length. And when
Hogan gets this contract it will be
with Roy Wilson and our road in
stead OF with Rosedale and the East
ern."
(END OF ELEVENTH EPISODE
Telling II to wifey.