Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-07-08

darrlS met MS son on the PLATFORM.
What dye think, Dad? A letter from
Rlles." He drew the crumpled missive
from Its envelope. Looks like lauh-
dry ticket" he said, but l figured 1t
out, and he wants you to sell the farm
and buy 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 1t, Dad?" 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 to put any money In It,"
commented Harris. after 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 1t out among the farmers. And
he ain't easy talked into n new scheme
either"
"D'ye suppose we could sell the
farm? The idea Of big, profitable
speculation suddenly appealed to Al
Ian with much greater force than the
prospect Of three years on home
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.
II guess we could sell It, all right"
said Harris. maybe not for that
much cash, but we can get cash on the
agreement, II we need 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 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 It for ourselves. II 1t don't, some-
thin else'll turn up"
"Yes." said Allan, but II we find
IT'S all right when we get there, and
we've only few measly hundred dol
lars along. we'll 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 1t, too?
Couldn't you fix It some way to get the
money without coming back. II 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 1t
standin' in his hands,"
They made 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 1t up
for SALE" Harris cautioned him, .'but
want you to keep your eve open for
y buyer Forty thousand dollars takes
the whole thing as goin' concern an
the more cash the better. Get line
on the buyer II you can, and If send
you word to sell. you sell. and IL
don't send you word. don't do anythin'.
You understand"
The lawyer wrote something on
sheet Of paper "This Is bower of ut.
torney, which will enable me to com.
plete the documents without the delay
of sending them to you. II you should
decide to SELL" he explained. Harris
signed the paper, and Allan witnessed
1t,
With this understanding the jour
ney westward was undertaken, and
completed without event of impor-
lance.
Rifles met them on the station plat
form. He had met every train for a
week, as 1t had been agreed that 1t
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 ut
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 II their
coal mine proposition should reach the
ears Of Travers the young man would
to dissuade Harris from hav-
ing anything to do with 1t, or at least
would urge fuller Investigation than
might be desirable. Besides, he meant
to make Of Travers an unwilling party
to the affair.
Riles, In 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
and his under-jaw busy with
an ample ration of tobacco. He
the passengers alighting from
the train with little interest; he had
no particular expectation Of meeting
Harris on this occasion. and. II 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. When
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 1t was
only for a moment; the next, Harris
was calling, "'Lo. Hiram," and the two