Cleveland County herald., 1920-09-09

Bryce Cardigan IS DenlnQ IHdt IN. V. V. outfit, and it's logging road and not intended to build through to Grants Pass at all Cardigan and Ogilvy are at Water and B streets this very in- stant with gang of fifty men cutting in jump-crossing of my line, curse them! They'll have it in by six o'clock tomorrow morning if something isn't done-and once they get 1t in, the fats in the fire.
 Telephone the chief of police and down there, if necessary, and stop that work To blazes with that temporary franchisel You stop that work for two hours, and I'll do the rest. Telt the chief of police not to recognize that temporary franchise. He can be suspicious of it, can't he, and refuse to let the work go on until he finds out? And you can be hard to find for two hours, can you not? Delay, delay, man! That's all I want. Yes, ~es, understand. You get down about day light and roast the chief of police for interfering, but in the meantime! Thank you, Tombstone. thank you Good-by!"
 He stood at the telephone, the re- ceiver still held to his ear and his right forefinger holding down the hook while the line cleared When he spoke again, Shirley knew he was calling his mill office. He got a response immedi- ately. notwithstanding the latene&a of the hour
 Sexton? Pennington speaking. I've sent over the Black Minorca with rifle and sixty rounds of ammunition. What? You can hear him shooting already? Bully boy with a crockery eye! He'll clean the gang out and keep them from working until the police arrive. You've. telephoned Rondeau. have you? Good He'll have his men waiting at the log landing, and there1l be no delay Sex ton, we've got to block them. It means a loss of millions to me if we fail!"
 Shirley was standing in the doorway as he faced about from the telephone. Uncle Seth.a she said quietly, use any honorable method of defeating Bryce Cardigan but call off the Black Minorca. I shall hold you personally responsible for Bryce Cardigan's life, and if you fail me, I shall never for give you."
 Silly, silly girl" he soothed her. Don't you know I would not stoop to bush-whacking? There's some shoot ing going on, but it's wild shooting just to frighten Cardigan and his men off the job"
 You can't friohten him." she cried passionately. You know you can't. He'll kill the Black Minorca, or the Black Minorca will kill him. Go in- stantly and stop it."
 "All right, all right" he said rather humbly, and sprang down the front steps into the waiting car. 'Fll play the game fairly, Shirley, never fear"
 She stood in the doorway and watched the red tail-light, like malevolent eye, disappear down the street. And presently as she stood there, down the boulevard huge gray ear came slipping noselessly-so noiselessly, in fact, that Shirley recog- nized it by that very quality of silence. It was Bryce Cardigan's Napier.
 George !' she called. Come here"
 The car slid over to the gate and stopped at the sight of the slim white figure running down the garden walk.
 ''Is Mr. Cardigan hurt?" she demand ed in aE agony of suspense.
 George Sea Otter grunted comtemp- tuously. Nobody hurt 'cept the Black Minorca. I am taking him to your company hospital, miss. He tried to shoot my boss, so I shot him myself once through the leg Now my boss says: Take him to the Laguna Grande hospital. George Me, I would drop this greaser in the bay if I was the boss"
 She laughed hysterically "On your way back from the hospital stop and pick me up, George" she ordered.
 He touched his broad hat, and she returned to the house to dress.
 Meanwhile Colonel Pennington had reached the crossing once more, sim ultaneously with the arrival of Sam Perkins, the chief of police, accom- panied by two automobiles crammed with patrolmen. Perkins strltted up to Bryce Cardigan and Buck Ogilvy.
 What's the meaning of all this row, Mir. Cardigan?" he demanded.
 
 Something has slipped, Sam,. Bryce retorted pleasantly. You've been calling me Bryce for the past twenty years, and now you're mister ing me The meaning of this row, you asl?" Bryce continued. Well, I'm engaged in making a jump cross ing of Colonel Penningtons tracks, under temporary franchise granted me by the city council of Sequoia. Here's the franchise" And he thrust the document under the police chiefs nose.
 CTo BE CoNTINUED)