Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-02-01

the Kinzie building offices; and 1t was
here that Starbuck found him.
"What7" said the new secretary,
looking up from his work when Star
bucks why figure doomed In the door
way, 81 thought you were Once more
a family man, and had cut out the
night prowllng."
Starbuck jackknifed himself COM
fOrtably in n chair.
81 was. But the little girls run
away again; gone with her sister
Maxwells wife, you know-to Denver
to get her teeth fixed; and Tn foot
loose. Been butting in g little on
your game, this evening, just to be
doing. How's tricks with you, now?"
"We're strictly in the fight" de-
clared Smith enthusiastically. ave
closed the deal today for the last half
mile of the main ditch right OF way,
which puts us up on the mesa slope
above the Escalante grant. If they
knock us out now, they'll have to do
it with dynamite"
Eyes," said the ex-cowman, thought
fully; with dynamite" Then: SLOW
is Williams getting along?" 2
'Fine! The water is crawling up on
him a little every night, but with no
accidents, he'll be able to hold the
flood rise when it comes. The only
thing that worries me now is the time
limit"
1.-THE time limit?" echoed Starbuck.
"What's that?"
tits the handicap we inherit from
the original company. Certain state
rights to the water were conveyed in
the old charter, on condition that the
project should be completed, or at least
be far enough along to turn water into
the bitches, by a given date. This time
limit, which carries Over from Tlman-
yoni Ditch to Timanyonl High Line,
expires next week. We're petitiOning
for an extension, but If we don't get
it we shall still be able to back the
water up so that 1t will flow into the
lower level Of bitches by next Thurs
day; that is, barring accidents"
Eyes; with no accidents" unused
S%tarbuck. "Can't get shut Of the IT,
no way nor shape, Ear we? So that's
why the Stanton people have been
fighting so wolfshly for delay, is It?
John, this is a wicked, wicked world"
Then he switched abruptly. "Where
did you corral all those good looks you
took to the opera house last night,
JohnT'
Smiths laugh was strictly perfume
tory.
"That was Miss Vera Richlander, an
old friend Of mine from back home.
She is out here with her father, and
the father has gone up into the Topaz
country to buy him a gold brick"
mot in the Topaz" Starbuck struck
in Loyalty. 1--WE don't make the bricks
up there-nOt the phony kind. But
let that go and tell mi something else.
A while back, when you were giving
me a little song and dance about the
colonel's daughter, you mentioned an
other w~oman-though not by name, If
you happen to recOllect. / was Just
wondering If this Miss Rich-people, or
whatever her name is, might be the
other one"
Again the new secretary laughed
this time without embarrassment.
you've called the turn, Billy. She is
the other one"
HIN; chasing you upT"
"Oh, no; 1t was just n of the
near-miracles. She didn't know /
was here, and 1 had no hint that she
was coming"
"All right; it's your roast; not mine.
But I'm going to pull n chestnut out
Of the fire for you, even If 1 do get
my fingers burned. This Miss Rich
folks has had only one day here in
Brewster, but she's used it in getting
mighty chummy with the Stantons.
Does that figure as news to your"
"It does" said Smith simply; and he
added: II don't understand It,"
Funny" remarked the ex-cowman.
"Tt didn't ball me up for more than a
minute or two. Stanton fixed it some
way-because ne needed to. Tell me
something, John: could this Miss Rich
garden help Stanton out in any OF his
little schemes, If she took a notion1'
Smith turned away and stared at the
blackened square of outer darkness
lying beyond the office window.
"She could, Billy-but she won't" he
answered.
"YOu can dig up your last dollar and
bet on that, a your"
"Yes, I think I can"
HIN; that's just what I was most
afraid Of"
"DOn't be an ass, Billy"
"Tm trying mighty hard not to be,
John, but sometimes the ears will grow
on the best Of us-ln spite of the devil.
What I mean is this: / saw you two
when you came out Of the Hophra
dining room together last night, and ]
saw the look in that girls eyes. Do
you know what I said to myself right
then, JOhn7 / said: 'Oh, you little girl
ont at the HIllcregt ranch-ROOd-by,