White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-12-04
CONTINUED from Last Week.
CHAPTER 6
"Topaz" Tauuart's Plot

CHAPTER 6
"Topaz" Taggart's Plot
Another morning has been born in
Pico.
Pico-known as the toughest town
on the bordre. Pico-rendezvous of
the riff-raff Of two nations.
Pico is awake. The few shops have
opened their doors. Cowboys and
Mexicans are riding in the streets.
Revolvers, placed so they are easily
reached, are conspicuous part of all
their costumes. No man goes in these
parts without a gun or two. Many of
the "greasers" conceal daggers as
we'll.
Down the main street trudges a
herd of cattle, thanked by cowboys.
The many pounding feet on the dirt
road send up cloud of dust that al
most obscures the houses. A COW
boy waves a handkerchief at smil-
ing girl in window. At the corner
of an alley a group of small boys,
smoking cigarettes, are shooting dice.
An old Indian stands contemplative-
ly, watching the cattle go by. Here
come two painted, Mexican senoritas
they giggle and flirt with the cow
punchers.
| A typical COW town-but Pico is
even more hard boiled than most
COW towns.
The Pico Bar-the towns un-
official chamber of commerce and So
cial gathering place-is open. Within
these tawdry walls men do business,
lay plots, seek pleasure. Commerce,
politics, crimes, and romances of a
kind, all have their genesis in the
Pico Bar.
The clink of glasses on the bar is
| heard through the DOORS Suddenly
the raucous cacaphonies Of the in
evitable mechanical piano shrek
forth through the saloons swinging
doors-some extravagant person has
dropped a nickel in the slot.
stop that noise-who started that
thing?" roars harsh voice within.
There follows volley of oaths and
the sound Of SCATTERING glass. The
oaths come from tall middle-aged
man, with hard set face, who has
arisen from his table and hurled his
own and his companions beer glasses
at the annoying piano. Then he
pounds the table ferociously with his
dst, and calls, "More beer" The
\ bartender hastens with the glasses as
lua man sits down.
. The angry customer is Taggart-
the man who is managing the Bar M
Ranch for John Marshall. From his
vest there bangles large, curious
looking topaz watch charm. For the
man with the topaz watch charm who
waited on the road the day before
and disappointedly received from The
pursuers of John Marshall the news
that the latter had slipped away; ant
the man Taggart, trusted friend O
John Marshall, managing his ranch
for him, were one and the same.
TOPAZ" Taggart, he was called
because of his strange, almost fanat
ical faith in that topaz watch charm
DolAio;op o+torpoy ~ low, oro,,bDo,
and ringleader of Pico Taggart su
perstitiously imagined that his for
tunes depended upon that topaz
charm, which he wore constantly
With it he would dare anything, ant
trust to luck. Without it he woult
have been reduced to cowardice.
In Taggart, the ranchowner Mar
shall had placed the most implicit
confidence during the fifteen year
since he had fled across the border
Unable ever to come back on tn
American side safely, he left the en-
tire management of the affairs Of hi
ranch in Taggart's hands, and neve
doubted Taggart's control of them.
The sound Of the nickel piano f
nally ceased, and Taggart looked re
lieved.
Now we can talk" he said to hi
! companion.
The other man, a paunchy, soul
faced individual, was doc" Willets
the town chemist and assayer, on
Of Taggart's political henchmen
Willets owned the ranch adjoining
Marshall's.
Now you see," said Taggart
Marshall trusts me absolutely. H