The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-01-06

Westcott's knowledge Of the ciass
alone brought to him the mans pur
pose. Beaton's hand was In the pockes
Of his coat, and. as he turned. appar
emily to leave the room, the cloth
bulged. With one leap forward ths
miner was at his throat. There was .
report, a fash Of flame, the speeding
bullet striking the stove. and the next
instant Beaton, his hand still helpless
~ imprisoned within the coat pocket
was hurled back across q card table
the players scattering to get out Of the
way. All the pent-up dislike In West
colts heart found expression In ac
ton; the despicable trick wrought him
to sudden fury. yet even then there
came to him no thought Of killing the
Fellow, no memory even Of the loaded
gun at his hip. He wanted to choke
him, strike him with his hands.
You dirtyAcoward," he muttered
nercely. $50 you thought the pocket
trick was a new one out here, did youS
Come. give the gun upi Obi 30 there
Is some fight left In your Then let's
settle 1t here"
1t was a struggle between two big.
strohg men-the one desperate, un-
scrupulous. *rutal; the other angry
enough, but retaining self-controli
They crashed onto the floor westcott
still retaining the advantage Of posi-,
uon, and twice he struck, driving his
clenched fist home. Suddenly he be-
came aware that some one had jerke6
his revolver from It's holster and, al
most at the same instant a hard hr
gripped the neck-band Of his shirfteM
tore him loose from Beaton. cA
Here now-enough Of that, Jim"
said a voice sternly, and his hands
arose instinctively as he recognised
the CLEAN Of two drawn weapons
fronting HIM. "Help Beaton up. joe
Now, look yese, Mr.. Bully westcott,r
and the speaker shook his gun threat.
eningly. "As 1t happens, you have
jumped on friend O. ours, an we
naturally propose to take a hand In
this game-you know mel"
Westcott nodded. an unpleasant
smile on his lips.
II do, Lacy" he said coolly, "and
that If there Is any dirty work coins
on in this camp it is quite probable
you and your gang are in It, Now lis.
ten; you've got me covered, and that
is my gun which Moore has in his
hand. 1 cannot fight you alone and
unarmed; but can talk yet"
Il reckon yer can, If that's goin' ter
do yer eny good"
$50 the La Rosita Mining company
Is about to be revived, is It? Eastern
capital becoming interested. Eve
hQQ ri r1Irnoro oF tho% %. ~
What's the idea7 Struck anything?"
Lacy. 4 long, rangy fellow, with q
heavy mustache, and a scar over one
eye, partially concealed by his hat
brim, grinned at the others as theuph
at good joke.
mo, nutbin' particular as yet" he
answered; ''but you hev'. an I reckon
thet's just about as good. Tryin' ter
keep 1t dark, wasn't yer7 Never even
thought we'd caught on"
"Oh, yes, I did; you fiatter your
selves. I caught one Of your stool
pigeons up the gulch yesterday, and
more than ten days ago Moore and
Edison made a trip into my tunnel
while I happened to be away; they
forgot to hide their trail. I knew
what you were up to, and you can all
of you look for a fight"
"When your partner gets out here,
suppose" sneered Lacy.
Hell be here"
oh will her Well, he's q b of
q va e coming. You wired him a
month ago, and yer've written him
twice since. Oh, I've got the cases on
you all right, Westcott. I know you
haven't got cent left to go on with,
and nowhere to get any except
through him." He laughed. "Ain't
that right7 Well, then, yer chances
look mighty slim ter me just at pres
ent. ol'-timer. However. there's no
fight on yet; will yer behave yerself,
an let this man Beaton alone II I
hand yer back yer gum"
There is no choice left me-"
"Sure; that's sensible enough; give
1t to him, Moore"
He broke the chamber, shaking the
cartridges out into his palm; then
handed the emptied weapon over to
Westcott. His manner was purposely
insulting, but the latter stood with lips
firmly set. realizing his position.
Now, then, go on over thar an sit
down." continued Lacy. Maybe, II
yer wait long enough, that partner o.
yours might blow in. Come on, boys,
let's liquor. Big Jim Westcott has his
claws cut, and it's Beaton's turn to
spend a little"
Westcott sat quietly In the chair as
thdF filed out; then took the pipe from
his pocket and filled 1t slowly. He
realized his defeat, his helplessness,
but his mind was already busy with
the future.
(To be continued)