Evening star., 1923-12-30

-
ing and ingenious, sat opposite on
a fruit cake.
IT was hot. At the side they had
glimpses Of tawny rock wall and
boulder-strewn slopes, bare and hid
eous, quivering in the vivid SUM-. The
car swayed and pounded beneath
them. The 1abortng of the. exhaust.
thrown back against the cut, ham
mered in their ears = -
You got good nerve, handling that
outfit" remarked. the prospector.
raising his voice against the racket.
Ever had any trouble?'.
What trouble would have?'
"Oh. don't know. They look like
pretty tough customers-some Of
them" ..vr- s-=sa =
McKeon twitched his shoulders and
pulled slowly.
"Ain't civilized enough yet for that
kind Of trouble. They's only spig-
goties."
The prospector shivered and smiled.
| Seems to me I'd put it the other
way" he commented. They're too
civilized They carry knives
BY the way" he added, ''who owns
/ this line p. ::
Company up at Bogota."
Paying ,any 'dividends?"
Sure. It handles all the goods that
go into the province. And it owns
the platinum mines
How about its passenger busi-
iness?"
McKeon consulted his ticket pad.
Fifteen fare, this trip"
/ That's what you might call a fair
division" remarked the prospector
tquizzically. "You chuck the money up
land all that hangs on the bell rope
belongs to the company"
McKeon only nodded The pros
ipector gazed his admiration. There
Twas no swagger, on the other hand,
no hesitation about the tall conduc-
tors admission.
Don't they kick2'
VINO, the company? Why should
they? They make it pay 80 per cent.
land what else would they expect? A
lguy's gotta live. And that blame
engineer, he's got to have his rake
off,
What's the wage?"
/ Ten a week-,MeX.
4 well good many could. manage
to live on that down here said the
prospector. brightly. s@&
I McKeon turned slow glance on
him. ft - IS
"a good many ain't got a youngster
at school back in the States they got to
plan and save for" he returned.
"Oh," said the prospector. and fell
silent, sobered. !
'iTHE doorway was ..darkened. Three
= Of the passengers were rsbalanc-
ing across the platform, and crowdine
through into the freight, car. They
were three of the group who had
made the outcry about the KNAPP
sacks. Apparently they were not pre-
pared to see the prospector. They
hesitated an instant. Then :, one OF
them, he OF the heavy Jaw. thrust .to
the front and "a addressed McKeon
without preamble. .,.e 49,: ~ Z, ... 8
Concerning the price. you charged
us for our blankets !senor,"@he said
1--WE have decided to. discuss > ii
further"
4 1t was throaty voice, purring and
i
~ fofceful.
q, McKeon looked the :. three. over
| They stood, close. together, tht
speaker a little in advance-squat
solid-built, swarthy customers all
of the mountain type of gold seeker
land adventurer:s.men OF their hands
after the Spanish fasfion--not to b.
, despised in any. argument, particu.
, larly the spokesman. But the CLINT
under McKeon's. bushy- brows made
no concession.
The senores know what they ear
, do. he drawled, tamping the coal ii
his pipe. "Ths other car Is FOR: pas.
. sengers,'' he added.
81 HIS manner ana his reply Were pro;
vocative. There was grim smile or
tho spokesman.s lips as he hung sou'
!, an expressive hand. Pardon. ~,
49, ~ = Z -