The Dolores star., 1921-03-18

| Der company. He's been there two
months now, and ! am Informed by
his employer that old Mac hasn't TAX
| en- drink in all that time. And
what's more. he isn't going to take
! one again"
How tio you know
Because I make 1t my business TO
find out. Mac was the finest woods
boss this county ever knew hence you
do not assume that would lose the
old scoundrel without making fight
for him. do you? Why. Buck. he's
been on the Cardigan pay roll thirty
years. and I only fired him in order
to reform him. Well. last week I sent
one OF Macs old friends down TO
Willis purposely TO call on him and
invite him out for time hut Mac
wouldn't drink with him. No, sir. he
| couldn't be tempted. on the contrary.
he told the tempter that had prom
ised to give him back his Job II he re-
manned on the water wagon for one
year; he was resolved to win back his
Job and his self-respect"
Il know what your plan Is" OCilvy
interrupted. Listen. now. 10 fathers
words OF wisdom. Didn't you hear me
tell that girl and her villainous avun-
cular relative last night that had an
other ace up my kimono?"
Bryce nodded.
THAT was not brag, old dear had
the ace. and this morning | played it
wherefore In my heart there Is that
peace that pssseth understanding
particularly since l have just had
telegram informing me that my ace
took the odd trick.
You will recall that from the very
instant we decided to cut in that Jump
crossing, we commenced to plan
against Interference by Pennington; In
consequence we kept, or tried TO keen,
our decision secret. However. there
existed at all times the possibility that
Pennington might discover our benevo-
lent Intentions and block us with his
only weapon--a restraining order Is
sued by the judge of the United States
district court.
Nov, one of the most delightful
things ! know about n court Is that 1t
is open to all men seeking justice-or
injustice disguised as Justice. Also
there is wise old saw to the effect
that battles are won by the fellow who
gets there first with the most men. The
situation from the start was absurdly
simple. If Pennington got to the dis
rict court first. we were LOST
You mean You got there frst?' ex-
c,aimed Bryce.
i did-by the very simple method
of preparing to get there first In case
anything slipped. Something did slip
last night, However. was ready:
so all I had TO do was press the hut
ION. for IS Omar Khayyam remarked
What Lnall 1t avail a man II he buy
eth a paddock for his stable after his
favorite stallion hath been lifted: Sew
eral days ngo. my boy, ! wrote long
letter to our attorney In San Francisco
explaining every detail of orr predica-
ment: the instant received that tenn
porary franchise from the city council.
I mailed a certified copy or II ~ our
attorney also. Then, In anticipation
of our discovery by Pennington. in
strucred the attorney to prepare the
ing order against Seth Pennington ct
nj, and stand by to rush to the Judge
with it the instant he heard from me I.
well. about the time old Penning-
ton started for San Francisco this
morning. ! had our attorney out of bed
and on the long-distance telephone; at
nine O'Clock this morning he appeared
| in the United States district court : at
| nine-fifteen the judge signed n restrain
| ing order forbidding our enemies to
| interfere with us in the exercise of n
| right legally granted us by the city of
| Sequoia, and at nine-thrty n deputy
| United States marshal started in an
automobile for Sequoia, via the over
land route. He will arrive late tomor-
row night. and on Sunday we will get
| that locomotive out of our way and in
stall our crossing"
"And Pennington"
"Ah, the poor Pennington! Mon
pauvre Seth ~ Buck sighed comical-
ly. "He will be just twen,y-four hours
late"
"You old he-fox!" Bryce murmured
you wicked. wicked man.
Buck Ogilvy lifted his lapel and
shifted luxuriously at his white carna-
ton, the while thin little smile
| played around the corners of his hui
morous mouth. "Ah." he murmured
presently, 'life's pretty sweet, isn't
it?"