The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-08-25


own son-in-law!"
$50 is Starbuck, for that matter;
and he's in for twenty thousand said
Shaw. "And, by the way, Bill IS
man who will bear watching. He's
handling glove with Smith, and he's onto
all of our little crooks and turns. |
heard him telling Smith today that ne
owed it to the company to carry
gun"
Stanton's smile showed his teeth.
81 wish he would; carry one ana XIII
somebody with it. Then we'd know
what to do with him"
The spy was rolling cigarette ana
his half-cloSed eyes had murderous
CLINT in them.
''Me, for instance?" he inquired Gym
ically.
ANYBODY" said Stanton absentiy.
He was going over the list of stock
holders again and had scarcely heard
what Shaw had said.
"That brings US down to business,
Mr.. Stanton" said the exrailroad clerk
slowly. I'm not getting money enough
out Of this to cover the risk-my risk.
The man at the desk looked up
quickly.
whats that you say? BY heavens,
Shaw, I've spoken once, and III do
it just this one time more: you sing
small if you want to keep out of jail )!
Shaw had lighted his cigarette and
was edging toward the door.
"Not this trip, Mr.. Stanton" he said
cOoIly. IF you've got me, I've got
you. | can find two men who Will &c
into court and swear that you paid
Pete Simms money to have Smith sand
bagged, that day out at SimmS' place
ut the dam! l may have to go to jail
as you say; but I'll bet you five to one
that you'll beat me to it! And with
that he snapped the catch on the locked
door and went away.
Some three hours after this rather
hostile clash with the least truStWor
/ thy but by far the most able OF hl'
| henchmen, Crawford Stanton left hi
wife chatting comfortably with Miss
! HIGHLANDER in the hotel parlorS ant
went reluctantly to keep an appoint
mcnt which he had been dreading evel
since the early afternoon hour WheT
a wire had come from Copah directing
him to meet the Nevada Flyer" upol
its arrival at Brewster. The public
| knew the name signed to the Telegram
as that of millionaire statesman; bu
Stanton knew it best as the name O.
q hard and not prescriptions master
The train was whistling for the sta
ton when Stanton descended from hi
cab and hurried down the long plat
form: A whitejacketed porter wa
waiting to admit him to the presenc
when the train came to stand, and a
he climbed into the vestibule of tn
luxurious private car, Stanton got wha
comfort he could out of the though
that the interview would necessarily b
limited by the ten minutes engine
changing stop of the fast train.
Stanton, ten minutes later, made
flying leap from the moving train. A
the cab rank he found the motor ca
which he had hired for the drive dow
from the hotel. Climbing in, he gave
brittle order to the chauffeur. Simu
taneously man wearing the softes
of hats lounged away from his post @
observation under q nearby electri
pole and ran across the railroad plaZ
to unhitch and mount wiry little COY
pony. Once in the saddle, however
the mounted man did not hurry hi
horse. Having overheard Stanton
order giving, there was no need to kee
the motor cab in sight as 1t sputtere
through the streets and out upon tn
backgrounding mesa, its ill-smeinn
course ending at a lonely roadhouse
the mesa hills on the Topaz trail.
When the hired vehicle came to
stand in front of the lighted BARRON
of the rOadhouse, Stanton gave wal
ing order to the driver and went L
OF the dog-faced barkeeper he aske
an abrupt question, and at the man
Jerk of a thumb toward the rear, II
promoter passed on and entered q
private room at the back.
The private room had but one occ
pant-the man Lanterby, who was 81
ting behind round card table al
vainly endeavoring to make one or q
pair of empty whisky classes spin IN
complete circuit about a black Dott
standing on the table.
The hired car was still waiting WIN
Stanton went out through the barroo
and gave the driver his return ordel
And, because the night was dark n
: Their of the two at the car saw the HI
, in the soft hat straighten himself
from his crouching place under I
: backroom window and vanish slien'
. in the gloom.
- CHAPTER XIV.