The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-05-15
BEGIN HERE TODAY

the president OF the largest banl
, and to the mayor, he manage; TO sc.
cure for himself wr.teup in the
leading newspaper. In the hote
, dining room Gray meets an ole
/ friend. who is vice president of the
] biggest jcwelry house in Dallas
Gray offers to go to Ranger and sci
! some valuable diamonds to Gus
Eriskow, who has strucl, oil Bar
, baia Parker. daughter of Ton
Parker, returns to her home in Dial
las, having spent four years in col
lcge.
NOW co ON WITH STORY
They argued that region % pooi
above ground must of necessity con-
tain values Of some sort beneath the
surface. But as for other natural
resources, they secuted the belief
such.
Nevertheless, petroleum was dis
covered, and among the fraternity
nat dealt IN it Ranger became !,
word of contradiction and of deep
meaning.
The town became Il mobilization
point, vast concentration camp for
supplies, and amid it's feveri. IN ac-
tivity there was no rest, no Sundays
or holidays.
This was about the state of affairs
that Calvin Gray found on the morn
ing Of his ARRIVAL. He and Mallow
had managed to secure al fPdllman
section on the night train from DIAL
las.
From the first Mallow had laid
himself out to be entertaining and
helpful, and Gray oblgingly per.
mltted him to ha.~>his way. When
they had finished breakfast, he even
allowed his companion to hire an
automobile and driver for him. They
shook hands finally the best friends.
The Briskow farm, it appeared
lay about twenty miles out. but
twenty miles over oil-ficld roads
proved to be quite journey.
"Gray's driver finally pointed out
the Briskow ranch. The house. an
unsiehtly tory-and-a-half affair,
stood at the back of what had once
been cultivated field.
Nobody answered Gray's knock at
the front door, so he walked around
the house. Over the garden fence,
grown thick with brambles, he be-
held two feminine figures, or rather
two faded sunbonnets topping two
pairs OF shoulders. and as he drew
nearer he saw that one woman was
bent and slow moving, while the
other was huge creature, wide OF
hip and deep Of bosor,, whose bare
arms, burnt to rich golden browa
we've like those of blacksmith, and
who welded her heavy hoe as if It
were toy. She was singing in a
thin, nasal, uncultivated voice.
: Evidently they cere the Brishcw
help therefore Gray made his
presence known and inquired for
the master or mistress of the place.
The elder woman turned, exposing
Il shrewd, benevolent face, and after
u moment of appraisal said, w'm
Miz' Briskow"
Indeed. The visitor smiled his
best and announced the nature of
his errand.
The women regarded each other
silently. their facial expressions hid
den beneath their bonnets; then the |
mother exposed her countenance a |
second time, and said. Mister, this J
is Allegheny, our girl"
Miss Allegheny 1riskow lifted her
head, nodded shortly and stared
over the hoe handle at Gray. Her
gaze was one of frank curiosity, and
he returned it in kind, for he had
never beheld a creature like her.
The mother abandoned her labor,
wiped her hands upon her skirt, and
said, with genuine hospitality:
Come into the house and rest your.
self. Pa and Buddyll be home at |
Inner time"
There were three rooms to the
Briskow residence, bedrooms all,
with a semi-detach&d, ramshackle,
kitchen at the rear and
from the main house by
narrow gallery" Into the front
chamber, which evidently did SER
'ice also as a parlor, Mrs. BriskowI
ed the way. BY now she was in
lutte futter of excitement. Fort
he guest she drew forth the one
locking chair, a patent contraption,
he rockers of which were held upon
| sort of track by stout spiral
springs. It's seat and back were of
heap carpet material stretched over
! lacquered frame, and these she
hastily busted with her apron; then
he seated herself upon the edge of
he bed and beamed expectantly. u
The volunteer salesman spread out
MS dazzling wares upon the patch
york counterpane,, then stepped back
o observe the effect. Ma Briskow's
lands fluttered toward the gems
hen reclasped themselves in her
APP; she bent closer and regarded
hem fixedly. The Juno-like daugh-
err also stared down at the display
nth fascination.
"Please examine them. ! want you
O. look them all over" Gray urged.
Mrs. Briskow acted upon this in
itation only after she had dried her
lands, and then with trepidation.
'ingerly, revercntly she removed a
ing from it's resting place and held
up to the light. my! Amt it'll
parkly?" she pasDed after an or