The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-04-07
CHAPTER x-continued.
copyngh. All Rights Reserved

| WnaI u We MINK, DauE a letter from
Rifles" He drew the crumpled missive
from its envelope. Looks like laun-
dry ticket" he said, ''but 1 figured il
out, and he wants you to sell the farm
and buy a coal mine"
Harris read the letter through, not
without some difficulty. At first he
was inclined to laugh, but the earnest
ness of Rifles impressed him through
the makeshift English.
''What dye think of it, DadT" said
the younger man, at length. ''Of
course we don't know anything about
coal. but then"
1T must look good TO Rifles or he
wouldn't want 10 put any money in it, .
commented. Harris. after a few min
utes' reflection. "Riles is pretty eau
tiOus. He's got money in the bank
DRAWN three per cent he's afraid to
lend it out among the farmers. And
he amt easy talked into new scheme,
either"
"D'ye suppose we could sell the
farm" The idea of a big, profitable
speculation suddenly appealed TO Al
Ian with much greater force than the
prospect of three years on --Jme-
stead. He knew that vast sums of
money had been made, and made
quickly. in the Far West, but he had
never before thought of himself or his
father sharing in this sudden wealth.
Dye suppose we could sell the
farm2" he repeated. 1t began TO seem
that the shortcut TO wealth hinged on
the possibility of selling the farm.
81 guess we could sell 1t, all right"
said Harris. Maybe not for that
much cash, but we can get cash on the
agreement. if we neel it." He was not
man to act precipitately. or risk all
on single throw unless he were very,
very sure of the result.
'Of course. maybe it's all right" he
continued. But it's a good thing to
buy your buggy before you throw
away your cart. If this things as good
as Rifles says, it will keep until we can
see ii for ourselves. If it don't, some
thin else'll turn up"
Yes" said Allan, 'but If we find
It's all right when we get there. and
We've only a few measly hundred dol
lars along. Wen want TO kick our
selves all the way home. Lots of fell
lows are making big money just be-
cause they had some capital to work
with, and why shouldn't we do it. too?
Couldn't you fix it some way TO get the
money without coming back. if every
thing looks all right? That'd save
time and expense, too"
There's something in that. There's
time TO see Bradshaw yet before the
train comes. Well kind o. leave it
standin' in his hands"
They made a hurried call on Brad
shaw, and asked him to be on the look
out for buyer for the farm.
Mind, I'm not actu'lly putin it up
for sale" Harris cautioned him, "but
l want you >, keep your eye open for
buyer. Forty thousand dollars takes
the whole thing as a goin' concern, an
the more cash the better. Get a line
on the buyer if yCl can, and If I send
you word to sell, you sell. and If i
don't send you word, don't do anythin'
You understand"
The lawyer wrote something on a
sheet of paper. 'This is power of at
torney, which will enable me to COM
plete the documents without the delay
decide TO SELL" he explained. Harris
signed the paper. and Allan witnessed
II.
With this understanding the jour
ney westward was undertaken, I'd
completed without event of impor-
lance
Rifles met them on the station plat
form. He had met every train for a
week, as ii had been agreed that ii
would be better that the Harisses
should not visit Gardeners ranch until
plans were more fully developed. Jim
was still there, and Gardiner insisted
that Jim should not meet Harris at
present. He allowed Rifles to think
that he feared trouble if former en-
ployer and employee should meet; as
a matter of fact. he feared that if their
coal mine proposition should reach the
ears of Travers the young man would
attempt TO dissuade Harris from hav-
ing anything TO do with it, or at least
would urge a fuller investigation than
might be desirable. Besides. he meant
TO make of Travers an unwilling party
to the affair.
Rifles, I'm overalls and shirt-sleeves
leaned against the iron rail at the back
of the station platform. his big hands
stuffed in the bullying band of his
| trousers. and his under-jaw busy with
an ample ration of tobacco. He
watched the passengers alighting from
| the train with little interest; he had
no particular expectation of meeting
| Harris on this occasion, and, If the
truth be told. he had little desire to
meet him. Rifles had no pangs of con
science over his part in the plot
against his old neighbor. but he had
an uneasy feeling of cOwardice. Wher
suddenly his eye fell on Harris and his
big, strapping son, his first impulse
was to slip away in the crowd before
they should notice him. But IL was
only for a moment; the next, Harris
was calling, "'Lo, Hiram" and the two
were shaking hands as old friends me-
in a far country
'Didja get my letter." asked Rifles
ignoring the cOmmonplaces with which
IT was their custom to Introduce any
important topic. "Didja sell ths
farm?'
'1 got the letter. Hiram, nut didn'
sell the farm. Thought we'd just have
a lool- ovar this coal mine before p0in