Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-06

CHAPTER XVI
Tom Sanders, working on after
noon tower at Jackpot Number
Three, the lean, tanned driller in
charge of operations vas wise with
an uncanny knowledge the newcom-
hours at a stretch he stood on the
platform and watched a greasy
| cable go slipping into the earth.
This spelt romance to Jed Burps-
| superintendent of operations, though
| he would never have admitted it.
He was sitting sand through his
fingers when Dave came. To Bob
Hart, present as Crawford's personal
representative, he expressed an
| opinion.
Right soon now or never. Sand
tastes. feels, looks, n smells like
oil. But you can't ever be sure. An
oil prospect is like a m She
will or she won't. you never can tell
which. Then, if she does. she's
liable to change her mind"
Dave shifted the pleasing, pungent
odor of the crude oil sands. His
friend had told him that Crawford's
fate hung in the balance. Unless
oil flowed very soon in paying guam
titles he was a ruined man.
After his shift was over, he rode
10 lOWn WIFI bOD.
Got to look for an engineer for
the night tower" Hart explained as
he drew up in front of the Gusher
saloon.
The place hummed with the tur-
| bulent life that drifts to every wild
frontier on the boom. Faro dealers
from the Klondike, poker dealers
from Nome, roulette %croupiers from
Leadville, were all here to reap the
rich harvest to be made from in
vestors, field workers, and operators.
Bob found his man at a faro table.
While the cards were being shuffled
he engaged him to come out next
evening to the Jackpot properties.
While Dave was standing close to
| the wall he caught sight of Steve
Russell.
The cowpuncher looked up and
waved his hand.
Bob joined them. After a mo-
ment's conversation Russell drew
them to a corner.
Say, you heard the news, Bob?"
"I can tell you that better after l
know what it is" returned Hart
with a grin.
1.-THE stage was held up at Cotton
wood Bend this morning and robbed
Of SIT, 900. The driver was killed"
Whose money was it?"
BRAD .Steelman's pay roll and a
shipment of gold for the bank"
Amy idea who did it?"
"Tha's what L wanta tell o
Two men were in the job. They're
whisperin' that EN- Crawford vas
one."
Crawford. Some of Steelman's
fine work in that rumor, I'll bet.
Tha's plumb foolish talk. What evil
dence does he claim" demanded
Hart.
EN- deposited ten thousand with
the First National to pay off a note
he owed the bank. Rode into town
right straight to the bank two hours
after the stage got in. Then. too.
seems one of the hold-ups called the
other one Crawford"
"A plant" said Dave promptly.
"They claim the second man was
Dave here"
SHmp! What time d. you say this
hold-up took place."
Must "a been about eleven"
Lets Dave out. He was fifteen
miles away, and we can prove it by
at least six witnesses"
Good. 1 reckon EN- can put in
an alibi, too"
"In bet he can" Hart promised
this with conviction.
Where is Crawford now?" asked
Dave. HE hasn't been arrested, has
hep"
Not yet. But he's bein' watched"
"We'd better go to his house and
talk with him." suggested Hart.
Maybe he can give as good an alibi
as you, Dave"
You and 1 will go straight there
decided Sanders.
Joyce opened the door to the
knock of the young men. At sight
of them her face lit.
"Oh, I'm SO glad you've comet"
she cried, tears in her voice. She
caught her hands together in a o n
vulsive little gesture.
Her father was sitting in a big
chair, one leg thrown carelessly over
the arm. He was smoking a cigar
c~omposedly.
"Come in, boys" he called. "Reck-
on you've heard that I'm a stage
rustler and a murderer"
Just now,' said Bob. They