The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-10-20


show O something"
He led Hammond TO the rivulet AM
pointed out the thin film of oil on tn
surface.
There's our golden fortune, ser
geantl Oil actually coming out of tn
groundi II doesn't happen very often
but 1t does happen aud this Is n o
the times. I'll not bother to loo|
around any farther"
"Glory be" said Hammond, starin,
at the rivulet. want to hit back TO
town.
mo; we couldn't get back unit
some time tonight, and the roads
aren't very good for night work. In
going to get some leases around here
perhaps can do 1t right away, anC
Wen start back In the morning. CT
ahead and get your fish,"
Regaining the house. he saw thai
Hammond had indeed cleaned up In
great style, and had the main room
looking clean as a pin, with a fire pop
ping on the hearth. He did not pause
here, but went to the car. got in, and
started it. He drove back to the road
and followed this toward town for a
few rods, turning In at a large and
very decent-looking farmhouse that
he had observed while passing Il on
the way out.
He found the owner, an intelligent
appearing Creole, driving in some
cows for milking, and was a little
startled to realize that the afternoon
was SC late. When he addressed the
farmer In French, he received a COR
dial reply. and discovered that this
man owned the land across the road
from the Ledanois place-that his
farm, In fact, covered several hundred
acres.
"Who owns the land lex to the
Ledanois placer" inquired Gramont.
81 sold that of my land a couple of
years ago." replied the other. "a man
from New Orleans wanted 1t for a
summer place-a business man there,
Isidore GumbefTs.,
Gumberts-"Memphis Ivy Gum
bertsi The name flashed to Ora
mont's mind, and brought the recollec-
tion of a conversation with Hammond.
Why, Gumberts was the famous crook
of whom Hammond had spoken.
81 saw the sheriff a while ago. head
ing up the road" observed the Creole.
did you meet hfln?"
Gramont shook his head. mo. but
! saw several men at the Gumberts
place. Perhaps he was there"
Not there, l guess" and the farm
er laughed. 'Those fellows have rent
ed the place from Gumberts. | hear;
they're inventors, n quiet enough
men,. You're a stranger here?"
Gramont introduced himself as a
friend of Miss Ledanois, and stated
frankly that he was looking for oil
and hoped TO drill on her land.
I'D like a lease option from you"
he went on. ~ don't want to buy your
land nj all; what l want is a right to
drill for oil on 1t, in case any shows
up on Miss Ledanols' land. It's all a
gamble, you know. I'll give you a
hundred dollars for the lease. and the
usual eighth interest in any oil that's
found. I've no lease blanks with me.
but if you'll give me the option, a
memorandum will be entirely
The farmer regarded oil as a joke,
and said so. The hundred dollars.
however. and the prospective eighth
interest, were sufficient to induce him
% part with the option without any
lelay. He was only too glad to get
he thing done with at once, and to
Gramont's money.
Gramont drove away. and was just
to the Ledanois drive when he 4
suddenly threw on the brakes and
lalted the car. listening. From some
where ahead of him-the Gumberts
,lace, he thought instantly-echoed a
hot, and several faint shouts. Then
Hence again.
Gramont paused, indecisive. The
herif was making an arrest, he
bought. A hundred possibilities fit
ed through his brain. suggested by
sinister combination of Memphis
zzy. known even to Hammond as a
rince among crooks, with this Sc
'NhNN pace lttrtu ny luNtuluiS-
,ootiegglng? Counterfeiting?
AS he paused. thus. he suddenly
he was certain that he had
lught the tones of Hammond, rs
rough in a sudden uplifted oath Of
niger. GramOnt threw In his clutch
nd sent the car jumping forward-he
.membered that he had left Ham
ond beside the rivulet, close to the
umberts property. What had hap
med?
He came, after a moment of impa-
snce, TO an open gate whose drive
d TO the Gumberts place. Before him,
he turned in. unfolded a startling
enc. Three men, the same three
lom he had seen from the bushes,
IRE standing in front of the low
ed; two of them held rifles, the
ird. one of the Inventors" in over
S, was winding a bandage about a
eeding hand. Tie two rifles were
,sely leveled at Hammond, who
In the enter of the group with
arms in the air.
CTO BE cONTINUED)