Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-12-21

vated 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
filled all the odd corners in the Ho-
phra House block.
In n Of those Offices, on the morn
ing following Smiths first dinner at
Hillcrest, a rather caustic colloquy
was In progress between the man
whose name appeared in gilt lettering
on the front windows and n Of his
unofficial assistants. Crawford Stan
ton, he Of the window name, was a
man of many personalities. To sum-
mer visitors with money to invest, he
was the genial promoter, and II there
were suggestions of iron hardness in
the sharp jaw and in the smoothly
shaven face and fllnty eyes, there was
also a pleasant reminder Of Eastern
business methods and alertness in the
promoters ann But Lanterby,
fitting uneasily in the confidential"
chair at the desk-end, knew another
and mor biting side Of Mr.. Stanton,
as a hired man will.
Good heavenl do you sit there and
tell me that the three Of them let that
hobo Of Williams push them Off the
map? And do you say all this hap
pened the day before yesterday: how
does it come that you are just now re-
porting it2'
The hard-faced henchman in the
fitting chair made such explanations
as he could.
"Boogerield 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 nan run
'em Off"
what do you know about this fel-
low Smith? Who is he, and where
did he come from?"
Lanterby told all that was known
of Smith, and had no difficulty in com.
pressing it into a single sentence. Stan
ton leaned back In his chair and the
lids Of the fiinty eyes narrowed
thoughtfully.
""There's a lot more to 1t than that"
he said inclsively at the end Of the
reflective pause. Then he added a
curt order: Make it your job to find
out"
Lanterby moved ~uneaslly in his in
secure seat, but before he could speak,
his employer went on again, changing
the topic abruptly. but still keeping
within the faultflnding boundaries.
what sort Of a screw has gone
loose in your deal with the railroad
men? Williams got two cars of 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 I slipped him, all right
enough, and promised to help out. But
he's scared of Maxwell"
Maxwell is a thick-headed ass !"
exploded the Pathfinder. "His entire
railroad outfit, from President Brew.
ster down, is lined up on the other side
Of the fight. But go on with your
dlckering. Jerk DOugherty into line.
Now go out and find Shaw. I want
him, and l want him right now"
The hard-faced man who looked as
II he might be a b~roken-down gambler.
unjointed his leg-hold upon the tilted
chair and went out and a few minutes
later another of Stanton's payroll men
drifted in. He was a young fellow
with sleepy eyes and cigarette stains
on his fingers, and he would have
passed for a railroad clerk out Of a
job, which was what he really was.
"Well?" snapped Stanton when the
incomer had taken the chair lately va
Gated by Lanterby.
81 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-timers on his
ditch project. He was trying to sell
sOme treasury stock. His One-hOrsC
company is about out of money,
Mickle, a clerk in KiDzie's bank, tells
me that the ditch company's balance IL
drawn down to a few thousand dollars,
with no more coming in"
did the colonel succeed In making
a raise in Red Butter"
"Nary," said the spy nonchalantly,
"Drake, the banker up there, was biz
one best bet; but I got a man 1 know
to give Drake a pointer, and he curled
up like a hedgehog when you poke ii
with a sharp stick"
"That's better. The colonel cam
back yesterday, didn't he?"
Yesterday afternoon. His wife and
daughter met him, and told him some
thing or other that made him drive UP
to the dam"