The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-04-09
CHAPTER x-continued.
-16-
'opyr,ght, All Rights Reserved


Riles." He drew the crumpled missive
from its envelope. Looks like laun-
dry ticket" he said, "but | 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 hrst ne
was inclined TO laugh, but the earnest
ness of Rifles impressed him through |
the makeshift English.
"What dye think of 1t, DadF sald
the younger man, at length. vi
course we don't know anything about
coal. but then"
ut must look good to Rifles or ne
wouldn't want to put any money In H.
commented Harris. after few min
utes' reflection. "Riles Is pretty eau
tious. He's got money In the Dahh
DRAWN three per cent; he's AFRAID 10
lend 1t out among the farmers. Ana
he amt easy talked into new scheme
either"
"D'ye suppose we could sell the
farm?" The idea of a big, profitabie
speculation suddenly appealed to Al
Ian with much greater force than M
prospect of three years on a...Jme-
stead. He knew that vast sums Of
money had been made and made
quickly. in the Far VISIT but he had
never before thopshft of himself or his
father sharing in this sudden, wealth.
Dye ssuppose we could sell the
&XT' he repeated. 1t began to seem
Z that the shortcut to wealth hinged on
the possibility Of selling the farm.
| 81 guess we could sell IT, oil right,
said Harris. Maybe not for that
much cash, but we can get cash on the
agreement, IL we nee IT," He was not
a man to act precipitately, or risk all
on a single throw unless he were very
very sure OF the result.
"Of course, maybe it's all right" ne
continued. But it's good thing TO
buy your buggy before you throw
away your cart If this things as good
as Rifles says, 1t will keep until we can
see II for ourselves. If 1t don't, some
thin else'll turn up"
"Yes." said Allan, "but If we hnc
it's all right when we get there. anc
we've only few measly hundred dol
lars along. well want to kick our
selves all the way home. Lots of fel
lows are making big money just be
cause they had some capital to worl
with, and why shouldn't we do 1t, too
Couldn't you fix 1t some way to get tn
money without coming back. If every
thing looks all right? That'd saw
time and expense, too"
There's something in that. There
time to see Bradshaw yet before tn
train comes. Well kind O. leave
standin' in his hands"
They made hurried call on Braf
shaw, and asked him to be on the lool
out for a buyer for the farm.
mind, I'm not actu'lly putin 1t u
for sale" Harris cautioned him, "bu
I want you keep your eye open IL
a buyer. Forty thousand dollars take
the whole thing as goin' concern, al
=. the more cash the better. Get a liz
: on the buyer if ycl can, and II l sen
you word to sell, you sell, and If
y don't send you word, don't do anythir
You understand"
The lawyer wrote something on
sheet of paper. This is power of
torney, which will enable me to col
pletH the documents without the deli
of sending them to you, If you shou
decide to SELL" he explained. Harr
signed the paper. and Allan witness
II.
With this understanding the jot
ney westward was undertaken, =
completed without event of imp'
lance.
Rifles met them on the station pl
form. He had met every train for
week. as II had been agreed that
would be better that the Harris:
should not visit Gardeners ranch ur
plans were more fully developed. ]
was still there, and Gardiner insist
that Jim should not meet Harris
present. He allowed Rifles to thi
that he feared trouble If former
ployer and employee should meet;
a matter of fact, he feared that II tn
coal mine proposition should reach
ears of Travers the young man wo
attempt to dissuade Harris from h
ing anything to do with 1t, or at lie
- would urge a fuller investigation Il
\ might be desirable. Besides, he me
to make of Travers an unwilling pa
to the affair.
Rifles, in overalls and shirt-slee'
i leaned against the iron rail at the b
of the station platform, his big ha
u stuffed in the bullying band Of
\ trousers, and his under-jaw busy v
an ample ration of tobacco.
watched the passengers alighting 4
the train with little interest; he
no particular expectation Of NEE
Harris on this occasion, and, If
truth be told, he had little desire
meet him. Rifles had no pangs of
science over his part In the
= against his old neighbor, but he
an uneasy feeling of cowardice. W
suddenly his eye fell on Harris and
big. strapping son, his first imp
III was to slip away in the crowd be
they should notice him. But II
only for moment; the next, Hf
II was calling. "'Lo. Hiram" and the
IL were shaking hands as old friends
In a far country.
III 'Didja get my letter." asked r
ignoring the commonplaces with W
It was their custom to introduce
important topic. "Didja sell