The Ordway new era., 1922-11-10


on the dubious cigar.
I'D say came finally. that there
isn't any such animal"
But there is. She has" Then he
stopped, as though to cover the slip.
Fairchild leaned forward.
"She?"
Mr.. Barnham gave the appearance
OF very tiustered man.
MY tongue got away from me; l
shouldn't have said 1T really
shouldn't have said it. If she ever
finds it out, It will mean trouble for
me. But truly" and he beamed. you
are such a tough customer TO deal with
and so suspiclous-no offense meant,
Of course-that really was forced to
il. feel sure she will forgive me"
"Whom do you mean by 'she'?'
Mr.. Barnham smiled in a knowing
manner
You and both know" came his
cryptic answer. "She is your one great,
good friend She thinks a great deal
OF you, and you have done several
things to cause that admiration. Now.
Mr.. Fairchlld, coming to the point,
suppose she should point a way out
of your troubles? In the first place,
you and your partner are in very
great difficulties"
Are we?' Fairchild said It sarcas-
tically.
Indeed you are, and there Is no
| need Of attempting to conceal the fact.
/ Your friend whose name must remain
u secret, does not love you-don't ever
think that-but-"
Then he hesitated as though to
watch the effect on Fairchlld's face.
There was none; Robert had masked
il. In time the words went on: But
she does think enough Of you to want
TO make you happy. She has recently !
done a thing which gives her a great |
deal of power in one direction. In an
other, she has connections who pos
sess vast money powers and who are
looking for an opening here in the
West Now" he made church
steeple out OF his fingers and leaned
back in his chair staring vacuously at
the ceiling, IF you VIII say the word
and do a thing which viii relieve her
of a great deal of embarrassment, 1
am sure that she can so arrange
things that life Will be very easy for
you henceforth."
I'm becoming interested"
In the first place, she is engaged to
be married TO n very fine young man.
You, of course, may say differently,
and l do not know-I am only taking
her word for 1t. Buff 1 understand
1t, your presence in Ohadi has caused
few disagreements between them
and-well, you know how wlllful and
headstrong girls will be. believe she
has committed Observation-Disclosures
tions with you
That's a liel" Falrchilds temper
got away from him and his fist banged .
on the table. That's a lie and you |
know It"
Pardon me-er-pardon mel l
made use of a word that can have
many meanings, and 1 am sure that in
using 1t, l didn't place the same con-
struction that you did In hearing 1t.
But let that pass. l apologize. What
1 should have said was that, If you
will pardon me, she used you, as
| young women will do, as foil against
/ her fance in a time of petty quarrel
| ing between them. Is that plalnerY"
1t was too plain to Fairchild. It
| hurt. But he nodded his head and
the other man went on.
Now the thing has progressed to a
| place where you may be-well-what
one might call the thorn in the side
Of their happiness. You are the
other man. as 1t were, to cause quar-
rels and that sort of thing And she
I Hat he
you, and, through her friendship and
desire to see peace all around. be-
lieves she can arrange matters to
suit all concerned. To be plain and
blunt, Mr.. Fairchild, you are not in
an enviable position. l said that /
had information for you, and I'm 60
ing TO give it. You are trying to work
a mine. That demands capital. You
haven't got 1t and there is no way for
you to procure 1t. Your partner now
Is accused of four crimes and will go
to trial on them in the fall. 1t Is al
most certain that he will be convicted
on at least one of the charges. That
would mean that the deeds to the
mine must remain in Jurisdiction of
the court in lieu of cash bond while
the case goes to the Supreme court.
Otherwise, you must yield over your
partner to 20 to jail. In either event,
the result would not be satisfactory
For yourself, dare say that a person
whose father is supposed to have COM
mitted a murder-not that l say he
did 1t. understand-hardly could es-
tablish sufficient standing to borrow
the money to proceed on an undertake
ing which requires capital. There
fore,'I should say that you were in
somewhat of predicament Now"
a long wait and then. "nlease take