Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-03-30

venture up to profit and loss would
sell for song rather than to venture
again; and in this they were probably
we'll within the truth.
But at the moment when they were
ready to complete the circle Of i'm.
posture, death-the death of Grand.
father Jasper-had stepped in to COM
plicate matters. Somebody-possibly
Cousin Percy-had correspondent with
whoever was representing the robber
syndicate, and by this means the plot
tiers had learned that they would now
have to reckon with an heir. How
Fullerton came to be employed by
them almost at the instant of his re.
turn from South America we did not
know; but we could easily understand
that with the new complication which
had risen by reason Of Grandfather
Jasper's death, it was highly neces.
sary for some emissary of the syndi-
cate to get on the ground quickly, pre-.
pared to forestall by purchase, guile,
or, in the last resort by force, any at
tempt Of the Dudley heirs to pry into
things they were not to be permitted
to know.
The pushing of the fight for posses
sion to the final and property destroy
ing extremity was another matter that
Beasley was able to explain.
Eye see, 1t was case O. fish r cut
bait, and do 1t quick" the marshal ex-
planned. "If he could run you folks
out, pronto, and get possession afore
: anybody come along to ask a lot O.
pinted questions, he stood about one
chance In q dozen to lie out Of it
some way. If you-all got killed in the
scrimlnage, he'd scatter his men in the
woods and try to make me b'lieve that
you'd got done up trying to run him
off," ~ ssg4
would you have believed him7"
asked. grinning across the table at
Beasley.
ut d a-been question Of vee-racity,
as the court says; with maybe you
and Hi Twombly too dead to testify"
ing like man half-starved, put in
his word. -a
II reckon you can't get at them
galoots higher up, Stannie. but II you
don't shove Charley Fullerton just
about as far as the law II allow, I'm
goin' to call ye gutter"
At that moment Jeanne had Just
brought in another heaping plate Of
the luscious corn cakes. and l was
looking at her when / replied.
well see about the showing bit
later, Daddy. The first thing to do
is to put the old Cinnabar in shape to
shell us out some money. I'm broke,
you know"
When l made this admission, Beas-
ley, the last man in the world from
whom help could come, should have
said, looked me squarely in the eyes.
"Stannie Broughton-if that's your
name-you amt SO dad-blamed crazy
as you look and act" he remarked.
Moneys what talks. Are you aiinin'
to swing onto this thing with your own
hands for keeps. mean; not to sell
1t out to the first set O. mimi sharps
that comes along?"
"Sure !-you said It; I'm going to
keep it and work itafter get out
of the jail where you're going to
land me for pinching that inspection
car and getting It smashed. Why
else did start out blindfolded to hunt
for girl, horse and a dog7"
He let the latter half Of my reply
go without comment; charging it up
to some last lingering remains Of the
craziness, perhaps.
swell, let's see about where you'd
crack your whip first" he invited.
"That part Of it Is easy" laughed.
"What don't know about the prac-
teal end Of the mining job would load
q wagon. I'll pitch out and hunt me
up a real, for-sure. miner, Of course"
"Nothin' 80 awfully crazy about
that" he granted. Then :, whats the
matter with Hi Twombly, here; for
your boss miner?"
"Not a thing in the wide world
except that he can't be because he is
going to be my partner ID the DEAL"
'Now you're talkin' a whole heap
like white man." said the desperado-
ish one. 'Dog-goned IL don't b'lieve
g. Isl. r >. . III. . a.