The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-01-06

pithbe. WIN railroad IN prospect
which would turn small profit into
a big one, should quite probably
have shut the mine down to wait until
could hear the whistle OF the locomo-
tive.
This conclusion led promptly and
logically to another Surprising. at the
moment when had decided upon the
shutdown. some doddering old gentle
man had come along and offered to
buy the miner Add, as corolIary.
the superstition that the water problem
YVES daily growing more insistent, with
the ultimate threat OF food. AS an or
binary, garden-variety mining shark,
what would have done7
| That answer came pat, also. I
should have taken the old gentleman's
money, trusting to the rising food to
make him sick Of his bargain In due
course OF time and thus willing to sell
out for anything he could get.
II believe have 1t doped out" I
told Daddy ct the end Of the cogitating
pause; and then passed the infer
ences along TO him. The immediate
effect was to evoke q couple OF his
quaint substitutes for profanity.
Observation-Disclosures r. he ex-
claimed; -I'n be ding-swizxIed IL I
don't believe you've struck the true
lead, stannie, my soni II you have,
here's what folders: Charley Butler
toms here to do tho dickerin for that
same old high-bindin' Cinnabar outfit
that did your gran'paw up. They sold
for half a million r so and now they're
willin' 70 buy back for thirty or forty
or fifty thousand. BY Jezebell Just
knew that slick-tongued rooster was
tryin' to work some skin game r.
yet he Is going to marry your
daughter" / put In grimly.
Al this the old man turned gloomy
serious In the batting of an eye, draw
Ing his mouth down at the corner and
sucking hard at the pipe which had
long since burned out.
That's been a-pInchin' me like a
tight boot, stannie.n he admitted "If
you'd asst me afore he come, I'd "a
told you she hadn't q morsel o, use
for that con-dummed blowhard. But
just you look at the way things are
stackin' up nowl He's snoopin' round
her mighty near all the whole time
and she hain't never once give me the
wink to send him a-ldtin,, like I'm
itchin' tor
He told me to look. had been look
Ing until my eyes ached. The indi-
cations were all one way. tons OF
them; with only one little impulsive
Kiss to put In the other pan Of the
scale ! didn't tell Daddy about the
kiss; but did tell him that Jeanne
had told me not to sell the Cinnabar.
-Soi" he commented, liyenInR IN a
little. THAT brings on more talk.
Reckon you can make out to hang onto
the old cows tail for spell longer?"
l took time TO consider my answer.
"Tye been wondering II, all things
given their due footing, It were worth
while to hang on, Daddy. AS matters
stand now, Fullerton is stuck unless
] sell out to him. II should take my
foot In my hand and walk out, he'd
be left up in the air. But, on the 9TH
err hand, there's Jeanie. II she's go
Ing TO marry Fullerton. why, that's
horse OF another color. I'm not enough
Of a dog-in-the-nanger TO bite her nose
on to spite Bullerton's face
"Um," was the grunted response,
Then, with = side swipe that l wasn't
looking for: Charley Bullertons been
hintin' round that you're tied up with
girl back East. Is that sof~-er is II
on'y another one o. his frilly lies3"
laughed.
Il wish knew, Daddy I'd sure tell
you II would anybody. We were
really engaged-the back.East girl and
L; but don't think we are now, and
/ don't think she thinks so. Anyway,
she called II all on when we found out
-or thought we found out--that my
grandfather hadn't left me anything
In his win. She's like Jeanne says she
Is, you know: she's got to marry
money!
Jus So" he said, with a rather
grim CLINT In the mild blue eyes. "All
the same, II you had the old Clnnabar
In slap-up workin' order, reckon you'd
have to 80 back yonder and marry
her. wouldn't yeT'
'Td be In honor bound to otter to,
anyway
"That don't sound much like you was
carin' q whole lot for her. he OBJ
jected gravely.
| despairel In advance OF making
him understand the lack Of sentiment
I'm the case, or the viewpoint from
which any such condition could be con-
sidered as a human possibility. He
was much too supplemented So
got rid Of the Lisette obstacle, or got
around II, as best could
"She has been free for several weeks.
now; in all probability she IS wearing
some other fellows ring by this time.
But about the Cinnabar: assuming
that my string Of guesses is hltched
up TO the true state OF affairs, what
would you advise me to dor Shall
/ hang on-with no prospect. that |