Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-09-01
By
HBedfordJOne
Illustrations By
Irwin Myers


only a caretaker, though. I'd better
give all my attention TO this oil, and
let other things alone"
He retraced his steps to the bayou
bank and turned back toward the
house. AS he did so, Hammond ap-
peared coming toward him, knife in
hand.
I'm going to cut me a pole and land
a couple O. fish for supper" an
nounced the chauffeur, grinning. Got
things cleaned up fine, cap'n! You
won't know the old shack"
Good enough" said Gramont.
"Here, step over this way l want to
show you something"
He led Hammond to the rivulet and
pointed out the thin film of oil on the
surface.
There's our golden fortune, SER
geantl Oil actually coming out of the
ground! 1t doesn't happen very often.
but it does happen and this is one of
the times. I'll not bother to look
around any farther"
IlOTN De- Sdlu IldllliliOIlu, StdIluS
at the rivulet. "Want to hit back for
town.
mo; we couldn't get hack untii
some time tonight. and the ro9d>
aren't very good for night work. I'm
going to get some leases around here
perhaps I can do it right away, and
Wen start back in the morning. Go
ahead and get your fish,"
R~egaining the house, he saw that
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 it 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 so 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 next to the
Ledanois placer inquired Gramont.
Il sold that off my land a couple of
years ago." replied the other. "a man
from New Orleans wanted 1t for a
summer place-a business mar there,
Isidore Gumberts."
Gumberts-"Memphis Ivy Gum
berts! The name flashed to Ora
mont's mind, and brought the recollec-
ton Of a conversation with Hammond.
Why, Gumberts was the famous crook
of whom Hammond had spoken.
II saw the sheriff a while ago, head
ing up the road" observed the Creole.
Did you meet him?"
Gramont shook his head. "No, but
l 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, l hear;
they're inventors, and 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.
"Td like a lease option from you,"
he went on. 81 don't want to buy your
land at all what l want Is a right to
drill for oil on it, in case any shows
up on Miss Ledanois' 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
signed memorandum will be entirely
sufficient"
The farmer regarded oil as a joke,
and said SO. The hundred dollars,
however. and the prospective eighth
interest, were sufficient to induce him
to part with the option without any
delay. He was only too glad to get
the thing done with at once, and to
pocket Gramont's money.
Gramont drove away, and was just
coming to the Ledanois drive when he
suddenly threw on the brakes and
halted the car, listening. From some
where ahead of him-the Gumberts
place, he thought instantly-echoed a
shot, and several faint shouts. Then
silence again.
Gramont paused. indecisive. The
sheriff was making an arrest, he
thought. A hundred possibilities fit
ted through his brain. suggested ny
the sinister combination of Memphis
Izzy, known even to Hammond as a
prince among crooks, with this Sc
cluded place leased by Inventors. y
Rootlegging? Counterfeiting?
AS he paused, thus. he suddenly
started; he was certain that he had
caught the tones of Hammond. as
though in a sudden uplifted oath OF