The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-11
Cou,lnued Prem Yesterday
cfIAPrER ~


CHAPTER XVI
1Davc Meets Two Friends and Foe
In the early morning Dave turned
10 rest his eramped limbs. lie was
hn a day coach. and bis sieep thru
she nixht had been broken. The
hiKht coming from the window woke
hlm. lie looked on, on the onales,
rcnt dawn OF the desert, and his
blood qulckened at sikht OF the en-.
hantcd mesa. To him came that
Joyous thrill Of one who comes
bona to his own after years of
txlie.
AT the junction he took the stage
M Malapi. Already no could see
that he was going into a new world.
one altogether different from that
he had last seen here, These men
were rot catticmen. They talked
the Vocabulary of oil. They had
the shrewd. keen look OF the drnler
and the wiydtatter. They were full
OF nervous energy that oozei out In
constant conversation.
Jackpot Number Three lost a
STRING o tools yesterday. while
they're fishln.' steelman n be DRIFT
In hellamlle. You got 10 sit up alt
night to beat that Coal on Johnny. !"
one wrinkled little man said.
A big man in boots laced over
corduroy trousers nodded. Hes
smooth as a pump riungcr. and he
sure has luck. HE can buy Up a
dry hole any old time and It'll be
gusher In week. Hen bust
Em Crawford high and dry before
he finishes with him. En- had
ought TO a. stuck TO cattle. That's
one game he knows from hoof TO
hide
sure. Ems cot no business In
oil. Say. tro you know when they're
. xxpectin' shiloh Number Two in7"
shes into the sand now. but
stiil dry as a cork leg That's liable
20 put crinp In Ems bank roll.
don't you reckon
Yep. Old Man Hard Luck's
campin' on his trail sure enough.
The banks n be shakin' their heads
a, his paper soon
The stage had stopped TO take on
a mailsack Now IL started again.
and the rest Of the talk was lost 10
Dave. But he had heard enough TO
guess that the old feud between
Crawford and Steelman had taken
on a rev phase. one in which his
friend was likely TO get the worst
Of Il.
Al Maiapi Dave descended from
the stage into town he hardly
knew. IL had the same wide main
street. but the business section ex.
tended five blocks instead OF ono.
Everywhere oil dominated the place.
Hotels. restaurants and hardware
stores jostied saloons and gambling.
houses. Tents bad been set up In
vacant lots beside frame buildings.
and tn them stores. roominE houses
and lunch-counters were doisx busi.
ness Everybody was n . hurry.
The street was filled ~tth rea -ns
had to sleep with one ere - st
they miss the news Of soms ns~ 90.
peosery.
The town was having growing.
pains. One contractor was putting
down sidewaIks In the name stree,
where another lad sewer pipe and
third put In telephone poles. \
branch line OF transcontinental
railroad was moving across the des-
ert to tap the new OF field. Houses
rose overnight Mule teams JinxIed
IN and out frelghtlng supplies 20
Mabpi and from there TO the fields.
On all sides were rustic. energy.
and optimism. signs OF the new
West In the making.
Up the street a team Of half.
broken broncos came on the Ealiop.
weaving among the traffic with a
certainty that showed a skilled pair
OF hands at the reins. From the
blackboard stepped lightly a straight
backed. well-muscled young fellow.
He let our a moment later a sur
prlsed shout of welcome and fell
upon Sanders with two brown fists
Dave, Where In Mexico YOU
been. old aIkali7 We been lookin'
for you everywhere
TN Denver, Bob"
Sanders spoke quietly. His eySs
went straight into those Of Bob
Hart 20 see what was written there
p&re found only a glad and joyous
welcome. neither embarrassment
nor any sign Of shame.
"But why didn't you write and
let US know" Bob grew mildly
profane In his warmth. He was az
easy as tho his friend had come
back from a week I'm the hills on a
deer hunt. We didn't know when
the governor was goin' to act. or
we'd "a been right at the gate. me
or En- Crawford one. Why Mt you
answer our letters. you darned old
scalawag? Dawggone, but I'm glad
to zee you"
Dawes heart warmed 10 this fine
loyalty. He knew that both Hart
and Crawford had worked In season
and out OF season for a parole or a
pardon But it's one thing to ap-
pear before a pardon board for a
convict In whom you are interested
and quite another to welcome him
70 your heart when he stands before
you.