Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-02-09


SO your contract. II you've got one.
doesn't amount to hill of beans"
''That point may make nice little
question for the courts to decide" he
snapped. But don't want to go TO
law about this thing. and neither do
you. AS a matter OF fact, you haven't
any money to throw away in legal
scrap. You make me deed to fifty
one per cent of the Cinnabar property,
just as It stands. and then you may &C
back East and enjoy yourself playing
marbles, or pitch and toss, or red dog
whatever your pet diversion may
happen to be. Fifty-one per cent and
you give. me clear field stick
around, mean. That goes as 1t lies"
HUH" I scoffed. "A while back
you were talking about pulling the law
on me. You can't make anything like
that stand in the courts and you know
it mighty well"
Maybe not; but can make it stand
with you-which is much more to the
purpose. You said a minute ago that
l couldn't turn wheel without your
consent. You can't turn wheel at
all-without money!
His rubbing the poverty gibe into me
made me madden than ever and 1
thought 1t was about time to tell him
where he got OF.
Then, by Jove, the wheels needn't
turn!" / cOuntered. "And that let's
you out. If you want to go to law
about that contracts in. That's
all I've got to say"
"Oh, hold ont" he protested, with:
mock concern. Then he showed me
plainly what he'd been doing in the
interval between his first and this Sec
ond appearance in the Red Desert
region. ''I've had time to look you up,
you know. You're engaged to a girl
back East and you can't marry her
because You haven't money enough.
Half 9 loaf is better than no bread;
and I'm Offering you very nearly tile
half loaf. Take a day or. so to think
1t over. I'm in no hurry" And with
that he went back to the cabin across
the dump and left me warming the
anvil.
l guess 1t will ray itself that the
next few days stacked up about as
wretched an interval as had ever
been called upon to put over.
Fullerton had a masterful. sort Of
grip that seemed to give him a stran-
glc-hold upon everything he tackled.
At table and in the evenings before
the fire he monopoiized the talk and
the rest Of us sat around like slough
ton-bottles and let him do it.
1t didn't help matters out much
when Daddy Hiram, chasing me up on
one Of the days when l was lodging
Fullerton, gave me the sealed enve-
7lope which my grandfather had left
with him. As will be remembered, it
was on the night Of Bullerton's arrival
at the Cinnabar that had told Daddy
and his daughter who was, and the
subject hadn't been again referred to
by any of us. But now Daddy, having
overtaken me on one Of the trails
above the mine, sat beside me on
fiat rock and we had it out together.
'You knew who was from the first.
Daddy?" asked.
"Not right plumb at first, no." he
qualified: You see, didn't know who
I was looking for. Always reckoned
somebody'd be along, 7 course, but I
hadn't had any idea who r when."
'I'm afraid I've been pretty sorry.
disappointment t9 you," muttered. II
have no money and 1 don't know
enough to be any good at the mining
game. And that reminds me: my
grandfather paid you regular salary
for the caretaking, didn't he?"
"Uh-huh."
'sThat has been discontinued since
his death?" al.
II reckon So"
u. have little income Of my own:
not much, but enough for the way.
we're living here. It must be under
stood that I share It with you and
Jeanne, so long as / stay with you."
"Ain't no need o. your doin' that.
Stannie. I got little stake hid out
for q pinch"
In all this you will, notice, there
was.no word said about Bullerton. We 4
sat In silence for while, Daddy chew.
ing q spear Of grass. After 1 time he
called attention to the. envelope which
! still held unopened ID my hands.
Don't ye want to know what your
gran'paw saysr' he asked mildly. q
At this slit the end Of the envelope.