The Raymer enterprise., 1918-01-10

in this thing to win! You Jake caru
Of those options. Stilllngs; they're
worth q million dollars ~ somebody.
Lock 'em up somewhere md then for
get where they are. Now I'm going
to hunt up Mr. Crawford Stanton-be.
fore eat or sleep!"
Easy, John: hold ~ . minute I" tn
colonel broke in soothingly; and 81.
lings, more practical. closed the X
door silently and put his back ags lst
1t. This Is pretty sudden coulI Iky,
but there Is some sort Of q limit. tou
know" the big Mlssourian went on
whats your idea In going to Stan.
tonr
Il mean to give him twelve hours In
which to pack his trunk and get out
Of Brewster and the TImanyonI. II he
hasn't disappeared by tomorrow morn
ing"
Stilllngs was signaling in d1mh
show to Baldwin. He had qubetly
opened the door and was crookind hid
finger and making signs over his sl|oul.
der toward the corridor. Baldwin |saw
what was wanted, and immedi keay
shot his desk cover open and turneI on
the lights.
THAT last lot Of steel and ceI lent
vouchers was made out yesteitiay,
john" he said, slipping the rubber
band from file OF papers In the desk.
III you'll take time to sit down here
and run 'em over. and put your rhme
on 'em, III hold Martin long enoudh to
let him get the checks In tonikhts
mail. I'll be back after little"
Smith dragged up the presidents .
big swivel chair and planted himself
In 1t, and an instant later he was lost
to everything save the columns OF fig.
ures on the vouchers. StillIngs had
let himself out, and when the colonel
followed him. the lawyer cautiously
closed the door Of the private office,
and edged Baldwin into the corridor.
"We'ye mighty near got madman
to deal with In there. colonel,f he
whispered. when the two were ont of
earshot. Il was watching his eyes
when he said that about Stanton, and
they fairly blazed. He's going to kill
somebody, II We don't look out"
Baldwin was shaking his head du-
blously.
Hes acting like locoed thorough
bred that's gone outlaw" he said. do
you reckon he's sure-enough drazy,
Bobr
only In the murder nerve. This
deal with the options shows that he's
all to the good on the business side,
That was the Eroothest trick that's
been turned In any stage of this dodg.
Ing fight with the big fellows. It sim.
ply knocks Kinzle's rat-gnawing game
dead. II there were only somebody
who could calm Smith down a little
and bring him to reason-somebody
near enough to him to dig down under
his shell and get at the real man that
used to be there when he first took
hold with us"
"A woman" queried Baldwin, frown.
Ing disapproval In anticipation of what
Stillings might be going to suggest.
"A woman for choice, of course. !
was thinking Of this young woman
over ut the Hophra House; anybody
can see with half an eye that she has
q pretty good grip on him. SUPPOSE
We 90 across the street and give her
an invitation to come and do a little
missionary work on Smith. She looks
level-headed and sensible enough to
take 1t the way It's meant"
Stillings was lawyer and had no
scruples but the colonel had them in
Just proportion to his Southern birth
and breeding.
Il don't like to drag a woman into
1t. any way or shape, Bob," he pro-
tested; and he would have gone on to
say that he had good reason to be-
lieye that Miss Richlander's influence
over Smith might not be at all Of the
meliorating sort, but Stillings cut him
short.
There need be no dragging The
young woman doubtless knows the
business situation; she evidently
knows Smith a whole lot better than
we do. It's a chance. and we'd better
try 1t. He's good for half an hour OF
30 with those vouchers"
tTo BE coNTINUED.)