The spectator., 1921-01-25
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CHAPTER x-continued.
-16-

from it's envelope. Looks like lnun- dry ticket" he said, but I 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. O1 course we don't know anything about coal, but then"
 Tt must look good to Rifles or he commented Harris, after few min- utes' reflection. "Riles is pretty eau tious. He's got money in the bank drawin' three per cent; he's afraid to lend 1t out among the farmers. And he ain't easy talked into a 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 farm?' he repeated. It began to seem that the shortcut to wealth hinged on the possibility of selling the farm.
 "T guess We could sell it. all right" said Harris. Maybe not for that much cash, but we can get cash on the agreement, If 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 n good thing to buy your buggy before you throw away your cart. If this things as good as Riles says, 1t will keep until we can see 1t for ourselves. If it don't, some thin else,ll turn up."
 "Yes." said Allan. but if we find it's all right when we get there and we've only a few measly hundred dol lars along we'll want to kick our selves all the way home. Lots of fel. lows are making big money just be- cause they had some capital 10 work with. and why shouldn't we do 1t, too? Couldn't you fix it some way to get the money without coming back. if every thing looks all right? That'd save time and expense, too"
 -"Hhprp'S Spmat hip,, In bo time to see Bradshaw yet before the train comes. Wen kind O leave it standin' in his hands,"
 They made n 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, hut | want you to keep your eye open for buyer. Forty thousand dollars takes the whole thing as u goin concern, an the more cash the better. Get q line on the buyer if you can. and if send you word 10 sell. you sell, and if I don't'send you word, don't do anythin'. You underestimate"
 A The lawyer wrote something on a sheet of paper. This Is a power of at- .torney. which will enable me to com plete the documents without the delay of sending them to you. if 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. tance.
 Riles met them on the station plat form. He had met every train for week, as 1t had been agreed that 1t would be better that the Harisses should not visit Gardiners ranch until plans were more fully developed Jim was still there, and Gardiner insisted that Jim should not meet Harris at present. He allowed Riles to think that he feared trouble if former em- ployer and employee should meet; as n matter of fact he feared that if their coal mine proposition should reach the ears of Travers the young man would attempt to dissuade Harris from hav- ing anything to do with 1t, or at least would urge a 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 bulging band of his trousers. and his under-jaw busy with an ample ration of tobacco He watched the passengers alighting from the train with little interest: he had no particular expectation of meeting Harris on this occasion. and, If the truth be told he had little desire to meet him. Rifles had no bangs of con science over his part in the plot against his old neighbor. but he had an uneasy feeling of eowardice. When suddenly his eye fell on Harris and his big. strapping son, his first impulse was to slip away in the crowd before .ho,. .hnpl1 nnfSsa him Dnt xraS