The Raymer enterprise., 1918-01-10
CHAPTER xvl-tcen.inued.)

still more color to the charges OF his
detractors In the business field. Those
whose affairs brought them In contact
with him found man suddenly grown
years older and harder. boody and
harshly dictatorial, not 10 say quar-.
relsome; a man who seemed to have
parted. In the short space Of single
night. with all OF the humanizing afra-
bilities which he had shown to such a
marked degree In the recognizing aud
rciinancing Of the irrigation project.
We've got our young Napoleon OF
finance on the tobogsan slide, at last"
was the way In which Mr.. Crawford
stanton phrased Ii for the bejeweled
lady at their luncheon In the Hophra
cafe. "klnzle Is about to throw him
over. and oil this talk about botch-
work on the dam Is getting his goat.
They're telling II around town this
morning that you can't get near him
without rlsking fight. Old Man Back.
us went up to his Office In behalf Of
a bunch OF the scared stockholders
and Smith abused him first and then
threw him out bodily-hurt him pretty
savagely, they say"
The large lady's accurately penclled
eyebrows went up In mild surprise.
bad temperf" she Queried.
bad temper, or an acute attack Of
sFutflatffy ~ taI- Oh
suppose he hasn't, by any chance,
quarreled with Miss Rlchlander over
nlght?-or has he?"
The fat lady shook her diamonds.
Il should say not. They were at lunch.
con together In the ladies' ordinary as
came down few minutes ago"
Thus the partner Of Crawford Stan
tons joys and sorrows. But an invis-
lble onlooker In the small dining room
hbove-stnirs might have drawn other
conclusions. Smith and the daughter
VI the Lawrenceville magnate had
small table to themselves. and IL the
talk were not precisely quarrelsome,
i leaEed that way at times.
Il have never seen you quite so bru.
tai and impossible as you are today,
Montague. You don't seem like the
same man. Are you going to reconsider
and take me out to the Baldwin ranch
this afterno0nT'
And let you parade me there as
your latest aequsitIon?-never In this
worldi"
More brutality. Positively you are
getting me into frame Of mind In
which Tucker Jibbey will seem like
blessed relief. Whatever do you sup
pose has become Of Tucker"
"How should known
"If he had come In last night, and
you had met hlm-as asked you to
In any such heavenly temper as you
are indulging now. might think you
had murdered him."
II was doubtless by sheer accident
that Smith. reaching at the moment
for the salad oil. overturned his water
glass. But the small accident by no
means accounted for the sudden gray
Ing OF his face under the TimanyonI
wind tan-for that or for the shaking
hands with which he seconded the wait.
er's anxious efforts to repair the dam
age. When they were alone again, the
momentary trepIdatlon had given n'ace
to n renewed hardness that lent
biting rasp to his voice.
"Klnzle, the suspicious old banker
that I've been tellins you about. Is de-
termlned to run ne down" he said.
changing the subject abruptly. I've
got 1t pretty straight that he is plan
ming to send ore OF his clerks TO the
Topaz district to try and find your IA
then In the hope that he will tell what
he knows about me-"
Does this Mr. Klnzle know where
father Is to be foundf"
"He doesn't; that's the only hitch"
Miss Verda's smile across the little
table was levcleyed.
II could be lots Of help to you. Mon.
tague In this fight you are making, II
you'd only let me-" she suggested.
"Ill fight for my own hand" was the
grating rejoinder. II can assure you,
right now. that Klnzie's messenger viii
never reach your father-alive."
"Oohi" shuddered the beauty, with
little lift of the rounded shoulders.
How utterly and hopelessIy primitive.
Let me show you much simpler alter.
native. | have map Of the mining
district. you know Father left II with
me--ln case ! should want to commu-
nIcate with him."
Smith looked up with smile which
was a mere barring OF the teeth.
"Y0u wouldn't get In mans way
with any fine.spun theories OF the ulti.
mate right and wrong. would your You
wouldn't say that the only great man
II the man who loves his fellow men,
and all thatr
Again the handsome shoulders were
lifted. this time In cool scorn.
"Are you quoting the little ranch per-
sonr she inquired. Then she answered
his query: "The only great men worth
speaking Of are the men who win. For
the lack Of something better to do, I'm
willing to help you win. Montague.
Nest naturally. ! am the one who
would know where my fnther IL to be
found. And ! have changed my mind
about wanting to drive to the Bald
Htna,. Wen c1muromiee On the plsy-