The Bossier banner., 1922-06-01

E0HQ comes, are YOU wen uA0
enough. be dead by that time."
Hiram. told you you had no Inn
agfnation Wait moment. Now,
nnppose that some strange eccentric
chap owns one of these coal limits.
He lives up in the mountains, q kind
OF hermit, but we fall in with him and
offer him $4,000 for his limit, worth.
say. $500 1000. or more If you feel like
It. He says. All right, but mind !
want the money in bills. and you'll
have to bring 1t out to me here. Now
can you think of anythinga"
Harris don't know nothin' about
COAL" protested Riles. 1He wouldn't
bite at anythin' like that"
'sYour faith has been neglected as
well as your Imagination. You've got
to paint 1t to him SOS to get him in
terested. That's all. Our business is
to get Harris, with the money in his
wallet. started up into those noun
tains. It's mighty lonely up there,
with timber wolves, grizzly bears,
precipices, snow slides, and trails that
lead to nowhere, and If Harris is un-
fortunate-well, he's unfortunate"
The plan gradually penetrated Riles'
slow-working mind At first it numbed
him little, and his face was strange
color as he turned to his companion,
and said, In low voice, "Ain't 1t
risky? What il the police catch on2"
'They won't. They're all right for
cleaning up a rough house, but don't
cut any figure in fine art work fike
we'l put over. tell you, Rifles, it's
absolutely safe. The main thing is to
see that he has the money Ia bills;
anything else would be risky and lead
to trouble. Then this fellow that's
supposed to own the mine must be
kept in the background. We"
"But who does own the miner"
Gardiner made gesture Of exas-
peration. "You don't get me, Hiram.
Nobody owns the mine. That part of
It's all myth-a fairy tale manufae-
tured because we need 1t. But Harris
mustn't find that out-not, at any
rate, until it's too late. Then if any
thing ever does leak out, suspicion will
be directed toward some mysterious
mine owner. and the police will be
wearing out shoe leather hunting the
cracks in the foot hills while you and
| are taking in the sights of Honolulu
or South America. Wen quietly make
an appointment for Harris to meet the
mine owner somewhere up in the hills.
Wen direct him where to go, and
leave 1t at that. OF course, we won't
go with him; we'll have other busi-
ness about that time"
Rifles looked at Gardiner with frank
admiration. It seemed SO simple now,
aud in his growing enthusiasm he felt
that he would have little difiiculty in
persuading Harris to raise all the cash
possible and bring 1t with him. And
1t seemed 50 safe. Az Gardiner said.
the mountains were full Of danger.
and If something should happen to
Harris-weil, he would be unforr,i-
nate; hut lots of other people had been
unfortunate, too.
Gardiner turned his team down a
side road. f0rded the river, climbed
steep. slippery bank, and drew up be-
side cluster Of ranch buildings shell
tered with cotton woods and spruces.
As the team. in their long, steady tr0t,
swung up beside the stables, an alert
young fellow came quickly out and
h,isied himself with the unhitching.
Guess you ought 10 know our Wis
itor. Jim, shouldn't you?" said Gardi-
ner. "Anofher Manitoban chasing the
free land"
Travers at once recognized Rifles and
extended his hand. "Well, Mr.. Rifles.
we weren't looking for you here. al
tllough suppose shouldn't be sur
prised, for there was some talk Of
your coming west before l left Plain
vile. How's everybody Harrises
well, hopey'
"Guess they're well enough, but get
tin kind o scattered for a family
group. Beulah lit out when yon did
but guess can't give you no tnfor-
nation about that"
The smile did not depart from Tray
ers' face. but if-Riles had known him
rs well as he should he would have
seen the sudden smoldering light In
the eve. But the young man answered
quietly, II saw Tseulah the day left
riainyille. and | understood she was
going west on visit. She isn't back
YETI"
Innocent. amt chuhf said Rifles.
in manner intended to be playful.
"It's all right; don't blame you. Reu-
lah's good girl II a bit highfaIutin.
an few years roughin' Il on the
homesteadll take that out OF her."
But Jim had dropped the harness
and stood squarely facing Riles. The
smile still fingered on his lips. hut
even the hsavy-witfed farmer saw that
he had been playing with fire Rifles
was much the larger man Of the two,
but he was no one to court combat
unless the odds were overwhelmingly
in his favor. He carried a scar across
his eye as constant reminder Of his
folly In having once before invited