The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-07-08
had A SUPPLY OF NERVE


: Continued from Page Six
Why you internal little shrimp
beloved the enraged foreman, sno
man ever called me q liar and got
away with It. I'll ring your neck
he made q spring for the young en-
gineer and would certainly have car.
rled out his threat IL he had not been
stopped by an automatic revolver IN
the hands Of the engineer.
Keep back; you've gone far
enough" The foreman concluded he
meant business and stopped, not, how
ever, interrupting a torrent Of. inVec.
tives hurled at the younger man.
You think you're some guy, don't
yOu-yOu tOW-headed, ~schOOl-bOOk,
WOuld-be engineer. You think because
you've got me at the end Of that shoot
ing iron I'm afraid Of you. I tell you
right now, I'll get you for this"
Tom" replied the engineer, still
keeping his voice quiet though there
certainly was a tenSity about II that
was not usual you're q good mine
fOreman-the best in these hills. The
big bOss, as you call him, doesn't want
you fred and itT be no credit to me
II 1 have to IRE you. / want to get
along with you and the resi- Of the
boys; but I'm going to be boss. That's
why I'm here; that's what I draw my
pay for and more than that, that's
going to be my life work; Il means
more to me than just a Job or a sal
airy. If I make good It spells success
with q capital ST / don't, It meanl
the other thing and / couldn't stand
that.
Il know. too, what this sort OF thlnr
means to you" he. went on, "but I've
made up my mind about this. Wthel
you or / must back down here and
now, This Il a ten-shOt automatic and
/ happen 20 know that It is loaded Will
one loaded shell and nine empties:
don't know which is the loaded one.
am going to put this gun down on tn,
table between us. You pick 1t I'D an,
use it on me for one shot; that sho
will either be the loaded n or one O
the empties. I don't know which; vol
don't know which. II I'm lucky II
take the next shot at yOu-maybl
loaded, maybe empty. Wen keep tina
up turn and turn about until one Of u
reaches the loaded shell. You can tax,
your choice OF first shot or second"
With that Wellington quietly lai,
the gun on the table between then
and within reach OF both. Twent,
pairs Of eyes watched the act but n,
a interfered.
Come now" resumed Wellington
stepping back a pace from the table
that's fair enough; It'll be One-tw,
three; just like that; maybe NOR,
maybe less" .
The tension in the room was ter
Hnc- The swapping of the logs in tn
fireplace sounded like dynamite explC
! SlOns. Tom stood there, his hat FL
back on mis- head. Ten seconds
twenty socOnds-thirty seconds; h
finally wet his lips and spoke. irwin
to keep his natural tone
DO you mean a.. that, KidY'
Il mean just that.
Ten secOnds-twenty seconds
thirty seconds. Drops Of sweat Al
peared on Black Toms forehead. y
the con was not warm; Ia fact. On
or two Of the msn might have bee
seen to shivee.
kid" whispered Tom, Il rsckO
you're the sure enough big boa
You've got me; when I'm licked
know Il"
That's all right: that's all nRh
Ny life work was at stake: you
wasn't. Better take your men and I
On shift. The other bOyu are comm
up"
wellington turned and walked OF
OF the room, leaving the automatl
sill lying on the tsass In the cent,
Of the room.
Il SeckOn," said Shorty Long. son
time later, 'mebbe there's some 9th,
sources Of supply for nerve besid,
a whole lot Of experience"
And the other men agreed.