Evening journal., 1922-04-26

AT noon. He go out TO dinner
and he leave open the door. II ee
is something you want. walk in"
Thanks" A strange esgernes
was in Houston's eyes. Il think II
be able TO get up tomorrow Maybe
can walk over there"
CHAPTER "
"Bon-good," came from Ba'-
tiste. as they turned into the little
village OF Tabernacle the next day
''Bon-the agent is leaving"
~You walk as though going into
the station TO loaf Ba'tiste will
come behind--and keep watch"
Barry obeyed. A moment more
and he was within the converted
box car Houston turned hastily to-
ward the file hook and began TO turn
the pages OF the original copy which
hung there.
Suddenly he bent forward and ex-
amined notation in strange
hand:
"Missent Houston. Resent Black
burn"
1t explained much TO Barry Hous-
told him why he had received tele-
gram which meant nothing to him.
yet caused suspicion enough for a
two-thousand mile trip.
J. c. Blackburn,
Deal Building. Chicago. Ill
our friend reports Boston deal put
over @. X. Everything safe Suggest
start preparations for operations in
timn compete Boston for the big
thing Have Boston where we want
him and viii keep him there.
THAYER
Hastily Houston crawled over the
railing. and motioning to Batiste, led
his away from the station.
The giant traced out the words.
Boston? You came from Boston % /
Yes. II must mean that Thayer's
been running my mill down. % help
along some competitor You'll no
tice that he says he has me where
he wants me-"
"oui-yes. But has he7 What
was the deal?"
Il don't know. Suddenly Houston
crowned with presentiment. "Thay
er's been going with Medaine a good
deal. hasn't he?"
"Oui-yes. When Ba'teese can
think OF no way to keep from f."
Tt couldn't be that he's made
some arrangement with her-about
her forest lands7'
but Bateese would have hear OF
eet." came the repetition. mo. eet
is something else. Ba'teese will try
TO learn who eet IS this Blackburn" (
Thew parted. Ba'tiste to lounge /
hack into the tiny town, Houston to
take the winding road which led
back TO the cabin.
He glanced ahead and noticed the
trim figure OF Medaine R0binette
swinging along the road, old Lost
Wing trailing In her rear. astride a
calico pony and leading the saddle
horse which she evidently had be-
rome tired of riding. She had not
seen him. and Barry hurried toward
Ter. tanning HIS cap into a pocket
hat his hand might be free to greet
Ter He waved airily as they came
loser and called. But II she heard
Tim. she gave no indication. In
tead. she turned-swiftly. Houston I
mounted her horse.
A moment later, she trotted past :
him. and again he greeted her. TO {
he answered by n nod and a slight '
OF the lips. But the eyes
had been averted. Barry could see !
that the thinnest veneer OF polite n
ness had shielded something else as c
cfr II 81
distaste. OF dislike, almost loathing,
II was thus that old friends had :
passed him by in Boston; Il was
thus that men who had been glad
10 borrow money from him in other
days had looked the other way when
the clouds had come. A strange chill
went over him.
''Thayer's told herl"
He spoke the sentence like a man
repeating the words OF an execution.
His features suddenly had grown
haggard He stumbled slightly as
he made tho next rise IN the road
and went on slowly silently, toward
the cabin.
There Ba'tiste found him, slumped
on the bench. staring out at the
NEiNf anu ADHt NAHhN VI 4hbuHt L anu
chen. yet seeing none OF l..
you worry. huh? Ba'teese help.
There are men at the boarding
house
The Blackburn crowd ?"
so. Seven carpenters. and others.
They work for Blackburn. They
are here TO build a mill"
ION Medaine's land then" But
Ba'iiste shook his head.
no. Eet Is on the five acres own
by Jerry Martin. Eet Is no good
rocks and rocks--and rocks. They
build ect there.
Houston shook his head.
II can't see 1t. have the only
timber around here with the excep-
lion OF Medaine's land. and you say
that she doesn't come into that until
next year. I've never made cruise
~ the territory arornd here"
What you know about lumber7"
'',>ot more than any Office man ]
could learn in A year and half" {
"rhcn we shall learn. Tomorrow
Ne shall go. Perhaps Ba'teese can
tell you much. Bient We shall take A
Medaine. oui? Yes2" 5
III don't think she'd go" +
twhy not7" c