Cheyenne Wells record., 1921-11-24

4
.,,i. sa,d Dale, swell, we'll avoid
trouble as long as We decenty can!
and when we can no longer get arouno
In ven call in as much OF the law
an we can get, and meet 1t halfway
Eh, Hayesf"
"sure." nodded the mining expert.
DoIe was on his way to the now
siding the following morning, when be
mot Henderson Goff. Again Dale was
forcibly reminded Of stories ne mao
heard and read Of Mississippi river
stea mboat gamblers Of the long ago.
Gofr stepped out of the trail. smiled
and smoke with apparent good humor.
Dale passed him without a word.
Then the shyster coal man caiied
out. Ready to sell yeti"
The Moreland Coal company's man.
acer halted and faced about Win .
puckerlng Of his brows.
"For a fair price, yes"
"Just what would you call faiS
prIce7"
"Oh. somewhere between two and
three hundred thousand" promptly.
Gofr shifted, and the corners OF his
mouth came down.
"You don't want much. You WONT
get 1t from me" 100
"I don't want 1t from you."
Dale turned and went on. He WAS
sorry that he had stopped to talk with
the fellow.
That afternoon he again met Con
in the trail. The bare slght Of the
shyster made him very angry now, ana
his right hand fell upon the butt OF
the big revolver on his hip. Con was
about to sidestep In the laursls, when
Dale caught him roughly by the arm.
"See here" he said sharply, you've
about cut your little swath. We've
had enough of you. You can't get this
coal at any price, and the sooner you
get yourself out Of this country the
better and safer 1t will be for you.
To be plain, I'm pretty apt to thrash
you the very next time see you. Now
move on"
Goff went off laughing wickedly.
"Oh, all right, Dale: go ahead ana
build the little road for mel" he said.
Late that night every sleeper In the
valley of the Doe was awakened by
great, rumbling explosion, which was
followed almost Immediately by an
other great. rumbling explosion. Be
fore the reverberations had died
away, Bill Dale had dressed himself
and was standing on the vine-hung
front porch, and he was only a few
seconds ahead of John Moreland.
Then there came the tearing sound
of heavy explosion miles to the east.
ward.
DO We know what It is7" inquired
the mOuntaineer.
They've stolen our dynamite from
the tobacco-barn, and blown up the Of
flee and supplies building and the com.
mssary building; also they've blown
up the big trestle near the siding"
Dale answered.
"'At's my guess, too" said More.
land.
Within the next half hour Dale and
Hayes. Major Bradley, and tho men
folk Of the Morelands and the Little
fords had gathered around the wreck
Of the two big, unfinished frame build
ings. Dale blamed himself much for
having left dynamite unguarded In the
tobacco-barn- nobody else blamed
him for 1t.
Its time to let the law in," he said
when he had viewed the jumbled mass
Of broken planks and timbers by the
light Of lanterns. He turned to stall
wart Luke Moreland.
you get on my horse and ride to
Cartersville' for the sheriff: Tell him
he can get the best posse IN the world
right here, If he needs one. It's the
proper thing. Isn't 1t, major?"
"Yes," said Major Bradley. ats the
proper thing You've got real grlev.
ance now. But l fancy Goff had moth
ing to do with this; he is shrewd
enough to know that thing like this
would cook his goose. Goff has been
playing a bluff game all along. you
know. Some Balls or some Torreys.
perhaps mixture Of both, have done
this without COTS knowing anything
about 1t. I'd have Sheriff Flowers ar
rest several of the Balls and several
Of the Torreys, and try to scare them
into turning states evidence to save
themselves"
The major finished In a low tone,
because Of the probability for caves
droppers. and In this he was wise.
"We'll do that" Dale decided.
He faced Hayes. his right-band man,
and began to give orders like vet.
eran general manager. The B,en were
to take their rifles with them to work
In the morning, but they were to IRE
no shot unless 1t was In defense Of
life or property. In the morning every
available wagon In the valley was to
be sent to the little sawmill that was
in operation ten miles toward the low
land for more building material.
By Heck Joined them then. He
guessed just what had happened,
plucked at Dale's sleeve and whis-