The Ordway new era., 1917-06-08
Amer the oacer left Dspoat ssuas0.

After the omcer LETT. Oupoot oqul0os
cd across the table at her and beEaA
to scratch his head.
"You and Mr.. Van burned lot Of
coal oil last night. He didn't GIT far
enough along TO ask you to hitch up
with him. did he?"
red blush famed In the girls
cheeks. Without looking up. she MN.
INJURED regretful "No."
.Guess he figures he'll wait and see
II Hardy is going to bust US up. Like
as not he'll skip back east IL Hardy
gifts sore and chokes on our hold on
the mine"
.what do you mean7 He'd send
Reggie away. The stiff. solemn old
fogy-I hate him!"
Easy. easy, girl!" soothed Dupont.
"No use plunging when you're hitched
to the snubbing post. Just now he's
got us roped. He'll have us all hog
tied IL we go TO bucking. We've got
to make him think we're gentied."
sWhat II we act toward him as We
feel1''
You don't savvy about that mine.
Me and Nogen discovered II and paid
honest for developing 1t, rs you know.
Well, we let Mr.. Van In on IL. 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."
II see,' The girls eyes flashed. and
her nostrils diiated. He will rob you
and Reggie Of fortune-yet you wish
me to be nice to him!'
"you bet do, Can't you git the
point? He amt going to be blufYed
into quitting. That means we got to
make friends with him or lose the
mine"
oh! So that Is IT."
yep. Worst OF 1t Is he's one Of
them there fellows what stand SO
straight they lean backwards. We
talked to him about how II would help
the tribe II he Joined US In opening the
mine. He was mighty ofiish. Guess
we'll have to give him Nogen's third to
get him into our camp"
"What shame! The mine Is yours
and Reggies. He hasn't done a thing
toward developing it."
Il 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 a frown OF yexation. III he is
man whose friendship must be bought,
l 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 II we lose
the mine. II we do, he can't afford to
marry no poor girl OF reservation"
Very well. l shall make myself
agreeable to Captain Hardy But wait
until l am free to pay him out for It'll"
Nom dun chien," muttered Dupont
at 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 cinched."
Il am not fool, mon pere."
Dupont shook his grizzled head du-
biously.
But at midday. when Hardy came
over for the noon dinner. Marie re-
ceived his courteous greeting with a
graciousness that soon lightened the
pensive severity OF his look. Before
the end Of the meal they were chatting
in manner that brought a twinkle
into Dupont's cunning eyes.
The girl proposed a ride up the val.
ley. Hardy was greatly pleased. He
had already grasped the simple details
OF the agency business, and now, pend.
Ing the absence OF vandervyn and Red.
bear. had nothing to do except instruct
the police in his ideas Of cleanliness
and discipline.
Marie never looked more charming
than when on horse. She took her
new friend for a long ride around one
OF the mountains. Every cliff and
rock and plney slope was familiar to