The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-09-18

draw up the will.
Enright' Beyond doubt his were
the brains dominating the affair. The
whole foul thing lay before Westcotts
imagination in its diabolical ingenuity
-Enright's legal mind had left no
loophole. He intended to play the
game absolutely safe, so far, at least
as he was personally concerned.
The money was TO go legally to John
without the shadow of a suspicion
resting upon it; and then-well, he
knew how 10 do the rest already he
had firm grip on a large portion.
Yes, all this was reasonably clear :;
what remained obscure was the fate
Of Frederick Cavendish.
Westcott came back from his mus
ings to this one important question.
The answer puzzled him. If the man
was dead why should Beaton remain at
Haskell and insist on Miss La Rue's
Joining him? And If the man was
neighborhood, what was their present
object? Had they decided they were
risking too much in permitting him to
live? Had something occurred to
make them feet It safer to have him
out of the way permanently? What
connection did Bill Lacy have with the
gang?
Westcott rose to his feet and began
following the trail up the canon. He
was not serving Cavendish nor Miss
Donovan by sitting there. He walked
rapidly, but the sun was nearly down
by the time he reached the mouth of
his own drift.
While waiting word from the East
which would enable him to develop
the claim, WeStcott had thought it best
to discontinue work, and hide, as best
he could from others the fact that he
had again discovered the lost lead of
rich ore. To that end, after taking out
enough for his immediate require
ments in the form of nuggets gath
cred from a single pocket, which he
had later negotiated quietly at a town
down the railroad, he had blocked up
the new tunnel and discontinued opera
tons. He had fondly believed his Sc
cret secure, until Lacy's careless words
had aroused suspicion that the latter
might have seen his kilograms to Cav
endish. His only assistant, Mexican,
who had been with him for some time,
remained on guard at the clubhouse
and, so far as he knew, no serious eff
fort had been made to explore the drift
by any Of Lacy's satellites. Now, as
he came up the darkening gulch and
crunched his way across the rock pile
before the tunnel entrance, he saw the
cheerful blaze of fire in the Mexi-
cans quarters and stopped to ques-
ton him.
"Senor-you ~
''Yes, JOSE" and Westcott dropped
on a bench. Anything wrong? You
seem nervous"
mo, senior. l expected you not to-
night; there was man there by the
big tree at sunset"
zone of the La Rosita gang likely.
Don't fight them, Jose. Let them poke
around inside if they want to- they
won't find anything but rock. Got
bite there for meT'
Isl. senior, aplenty.'
"All right, then; I'm hungry and
have q bit of work ahead. Put it on
the table here and sit down yourself,
Jose"
The Mexican did as ordered, glacing
across at the other between each
mouthfuI of food, as though not exact
ly at ease. Westcott ate heartily
without pausing to talk.
"You hear yet Senior Cavendish?"
Jose asked at last.
NO" Westcott hesitated an in
slant, but decided not to explain fur
Their. "He must be away, l think"
what you do if you no hear at all?"
well go on with the digging our
selves. Jose. It'll pay wages until |
can interest capital somewhere to
come in on shares"
Westcott stared into the fireplace;
then the gravity of his face relaxed
into smile.
Things are growing interesting,
jose" he said cheerfully. IF l only
knew just which way the cat was
about to jump I'd be somewhat hap
pier. There seemed to be more light
than usual across the gulch as | came
up-what's going ony'
.0Tl,oxr have inf on more men senior
"a night shift. Last night l. went in
our drift clear to the end, and put my
ear to the rock. 1t was far away, but
hear"
mo. MO, Jose; that's impossible.
WHY. their tunnel is over hundred
yards away; not even the sound OF
dynamite, would penetrate that dis
lance through solid rock. You heard
your heart beat
mo, senor." and Jose was upon his
feet gestiGulating. ut was the pick
strike, strike, strike; then stop an
begin. strike, strike. strike again.
hear, know
.'Then they must be running
lateral, hoping to cut across our vein
somewhere within their lines"
And will that give them the right,
senor?"
Westcott sat, his head resting1on one
hand. staring thoughtfully into the dy-
ing fire. Here was threatening COM
bination of, forces.
s..r ,ot p,,ra Tocoo ha answered